Description
This Easy Chocolate Lava Cakes recipe is a quick and delicious dessert perfect for any occasion. Made with Devil’s Food cake mix and filled with warm Hershey’s hot fudge, these indulgent cakes are served with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of Smucker’s Magic Shell chocolate topping. With a tender cake exterior and a gooey, fudge-filled center, they offer the classic molten lava cake experience without the fuss.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 box (18.25 ounces) Devil’s Food cake mix
- 1 â…“ cups water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
Filling and Toppings
- 1 small jar Hershey’s hot fudge
- 1 quart vanilla ice cream
- Smucker’s Magic Shell chocolate topping
Instructions
- Prepare the batter: Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine the cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs. Using a hand mixer on low speed, beat the mixture for 2 minutes until smooth and well combined.
- Fill the muffin tin: Grease a Texas-size muffin tin (usually a 6-cup pan). Fill each cup about 2/3 full with the cake batter. Since the recipe yields 9 cakes, you may have leftover batter if you only have one pan.
- Bake the cakes: Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. Once baked, let the cakes cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then gently loosen the edges with a knife and remove the cakes. Place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Hollow out the cakes: Once cooled, slice off the dome-shaped tops of the cakes to create flat surfaces. Turn each cake upside down, and using a sharp paring knife, cut out a 1-inch circle approximately 1 inch deep from the center bottom (now the top) of each cake. Remove and discard the cake pieces from inside the holes.
- Fill with hot fudge: Warm the Hershey’s hot fudge in the microwave following the jar’s instructions. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of warm fudge into each hollowed-out hole in the cakes. Seal the cakes in an airtight container and freeze for at least 3 hours to set.
- Serve: When ready to enjoy, place one cake on a microwave-safe plate and heat for 30 seconds to soften the fudge center. Top with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with Smucker’s Magic Shell chocolate topping. Serve immediately and enjoy the gooey, chocolatey delight!
Notes
- Use Texas-size muffin tins for perfectly sized lava cakes; if unavailable, standard muffin tins work but yield smaller cakes.
- Freezing helps the fudge filling solidify for the best lava effect when heated.
- Adjust heating times if using different microwave wattages to avoid overheating the cake.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute ice cream and Magic Shell with vegan alternatives.
- Store leftover cakes in the freezer in an airtight container for up to one week.
