Chocolate crockpot lava cake is a delicious chocolatey dessert perfect for any occasion. Make a simple dessert feel like a luxury with basic ingredients and a few quick steps.
Chocolate lovers everywhere can rejoice with this easy dessert recipe. Made with just a few simple ingredients and a moment of your time, you can have a warm, gooey chocolate lava cake in no time.
This recipe never lasts long around here, and it's not hard to see why. I say it feeds 8 servings, but I've also seen a crockpot of this cake get demolished by just me and the two kids, haha.
While we usually bring out the crockpot for savory recipes like 3 Ingredient Crock Pot Pork Chops, Crockpot Chicken with Enchilada Sauce, or Slow Cooker Cabbage with Bacon, it's nice to switch things up a bit and invite a sweeter recipe into the mix.
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple ingredients. A box of prepared cake mix and a box of prepared pudding are all you really need to make this recipe, making it so simple and easy that even the kids can help you prep.
- It's delicious. From the soft sponge chocolate cake to the gooey, rich chocolate chips and pudding, this cake has everything you could ever want in every scoop, except maybe a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- It doesn't take very long! Unlike most slow cooker recipes that require you to wait practically overnight, this recipe is ready in about 2 hours! Prep dessert before you start making dinner, and by the time you've finished eating, dessert's ready to be served.
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🥘 Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Mix. You'll need a box of chocolate cake mix. Any brand or flavor will work, so if you want to use Devil's Food cake, feel free to do so.
Eggs. Eggs will help the leavening in the cake and bind it together well.
Water. Using water helps to moisten the batter to the correct consistency.
Oil. For added fats, use vegetable oil with the cake mix, so it cooks up nice and moist.
Instant Pudding Mix. You'll want to use a box of instant pudding mix (chocolate flavored). You can use a 3.4 ounce sized box or a 3.9 ounce sized box as there isn't a difference between the two when used.
Milk. Cold whole milk will help to set the instant pudding properly, so use it as directed on the package.
Chocolate Chips. If desired, add in some chocolate chips for added flavor and rich chocolatey goodness.
For specific quantities, see the recipe card below.
🍽 Equipment Needed
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🔪 Instructions
Check out how to make chocolate crockpot lava cake with these simple step-by-step instructions:
Spray the inside of your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil. Set aside.
Add all of the ingredients needed to prepare the cake mix (according to the package directions) into a large mixing bowl.
Whisk together until well mixed. Set aside.
Add the cold milk and pudding mix into a large mixing bowl.
Whisk together until all of the lumps are gone (or most of them). Let rest 3 minutes to thicken and set.
Pour your prepared cake batter into the greased crockpot.
Top with the pudding (placing it in the center) and then sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.
Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on High for 2-2.5 hours until done.
Garnish with fresh fruits and powdered sugar, if desired.
Scoop and serve warm. The lava should be pooled in the center, so you'll want to scoop some of that area out with every serving.
📖 Variations
You can swap out the chocolate cake mix and the instant pudding mix for different flavors to create new and exciting recipes! Vanilla cake, spice cake, banana pudding, butterscotch pudding, etc.
🍴 Recipe Tips
Towards the last bit of time in the crockpot, check on your cake to see if it finished early or not. Different crackpots are known to run at a higher temp, so your cake may be finished earlier than the 2 hour mark.
You will know that your cake is finished when the cake batter portion no longer looks wet and now looks like it has a matte finish on the top over the cake,
🍳 Reheating
We had a lot of success reheating single sized servings of this lava cake on a plate in the microwave for about 1 minute.
🍨 Toppings
You can serve your delicious chocolate cake with just about anything from ice cream to whipped cream, powdered sugar, and more.
👩🏻🍳 Storage
If you don't finish all of the cake in one sitting, you can save the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I recommend eating the cake while it is freshest and warm, though, as that is when it will taste its best!
💭 FAQs
Lava cake is not raw in the middle. Traditional lava cake has a filling of chocolate ganache that, when heated, becomes a thick chocolate goo inside of the cake. We use chocolate pudding instead for similar results.
Yes, this is a cake that should be kept stored in the fridge when not being eaten for food safety purposes.
These cakes are usually served hot or warm. They taste great at room temperature and chilled too, but the "lava" filling is best when warmed and runny.
More great cake recipes to check out soon
- Easy Chocolate Orange Cake
- Layered Tres Leches Cake
- Hidden Rainbow Heart Bundt Cake
- Easy DIY Among Us Sheet Cake
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Crockpot Lava Cake
Equipment
- Slow Cooker (6 quart or bigger)
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25ounce) Chocolate cake mix ($1.25)
- 3 large Eggs ($0.24)
- 1 cup Water ($0.00)
- ½ cup Vegetable oil ($0.24)
- 1 box (3.4ounce) Instant chocolate pudding mix ($0.98)
- 2 cups Cold milk ($0.57)
- 1 cup Chocolate chips, if desired ($0.99)
Instructions
- Spray the inside of your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil. Set aside.
- Add all of the ingredients needed to prepare the cake mix (according to the package directions) into a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk together until well mixed. Set aside.
- Add the cold milk and pudding mix into a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk together until all of the lumps are gone (or most of them). Let rest 3 minutes to thicken and set.
- Pour your prepared cake batter into the greased crockpot.
- Top with the pudding (placing it in the center) and then sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.
- Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on High for 2-2.5 hours until done.
- Garnish with fresh fruits and powdered sugar, if desired.
- Scoop and serve warm. The lava should be pooled in the center, so you'll want to scoop some of that area out with every serving.
Notes
Variations
- You can swap out the chocolate cake mix and the instant pudding mix for different flavors to create new and exciting recipes! Vanilla cake, spice cake, banana pudding, butterscotch pudding, etc.
Recipe Tips
- Towards the last bit of time in the crockpot, check on your cake to see if it finished early or not. Different crackpots are known to run at a higher temp, so your cake may be finished earlier than the 2 hour mark.
- You will know that your cake is finished when the cake batter portion no longer looks wet and now looks like it has a matte finish on the top over the cake,
Reheating
- We had a lot of success reheating single sized servings of this lava cake on a plate in the microwave for about 1 minute.
Toppings
- You can serve your delicious chocolate cake with just about anything from ice cream to whipped cream, powdered sugar, and more.
Storage
- If you don't finish all of the cake in one sitting, you can save the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I recommend eating the cake while it is freshest and warm, though, as that is when it will taste its best!
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