Easy Crock Pot Lava Cake (From Scratch)

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Crock Pot Lava Cake is an easy slow cooker dessert with a rich, gooey chocolate center. Perfect for Valentine’s Day or whenever you need dessert.

lava cake in a bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

A few scoops taken out of the crockpot lava cake.

Table of Contents

Easy Chocolate Lave Cake Recipe

If you’re craving a rich, gooey, chocolate-packed dessert that’s effortless to make, this Crock Pot Lava Cake is exactly what you need. Made completely from scratch in the slow cooker, this recipe delivers delicious results with minimal prep and is a hands-off recipe that keeps your oven free.

Classic chocolate lava cake is known for its warm, gooey center and soft, cake-like edges. Cooking it in the slow cooker creates the perfect environment for that contrast in texture. The edges get cooked perfectly while the center stays gooey and rich with very little effort.

I love how easy this cake is to make. Just like this Easy Tres Leches Cake, it is a reicpe you will make again and again.

Tips for Success

I’ve made the mistakes, so you don’t have to. Here are my top tips for making the perfect lava cake.

Don’t overcook. Even a few extra minutes can turn it from a lava cake to a regular cake.
Use instant pudding and not cook-and-serve. This is what creates the gooey lava center.
Don’t stir the layers in the crock pot. This is a super-easy dump-and-go recipe.

Ingredients & Estimated Cost:

Recipe Cost: $4.58

Per Serving: $0.45

Here is everything you need to make this cake, along with a few tips and substitution recommendations.

ingredients for crock pot lava cake with text overlay

Chocolate fudge cake mix (1 box – $1.48) – Devil’s Food or Dark Chocolate Cake mix would also be delicious.
Eggs (3 large – $0.54) – Use room temperature eggs for the best texture.
Milk (3¼ cups – $0.78) – Whole milk or 2% will create a richer texture than low-fat options.
Vegetable oil (½ cup – $0.38) – Canola oil will also work.
Instant chocolate pudding mix (3.9 oz package – $1.24) – Only use instant mix and not cook-and-serve.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups – $2.64) – You can use dark chocolate chips or chocolate chips with caramel middles as an alternative.

The recipe cost is calculated based on the amounts needed and may vary due to fluctuating grocery costs.

How To Make Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake

Mix the batter, mix the topping, pour the batter into the slow cooker, followed by the pudding mixture and chocolate chips, and cook. Let me show you how.

Mix the cake and beat until smooth.
In another bowl, beat the topping until smooth.
Pour the pudding mixture over the top.
Sprinkle the semi-sweet chocolate chips over the mixture.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2½ hours.
Serve with a scoop of ice cream.

a collage showing closing the crockpot lid to cook the cake and a serving of the cake with a scoop of ice cream

Homemade Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe FAQs

Can I make Crock Pot Lava Cake ahead of time?

You can prep the ingredients ahead of time, but I recommend cooking it with just enough time before you are ready to serve it, as it is best when fresh and warm.

Do I need to stir the pudding layer into the cake batter?

Nope! You’ll pour the pudding mixture directly over the cake batter, without stirring, to create a lava-style center.

What size slow cooker works best for this recipe?

I use a 4-quart crockpot for this recipe.

Can I cook Crock Pot Lava Cake on LOW instead of HIGH?

I developed this recipe for HIGH heat. If you cook on low, it will take longer, and the cake may not set properly around the edges.

A dish of lava cake with ice cream and a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

Crockpot Chocolate Lava Cake

Recipe Cost 4.58

Serving Cost 0.45

Author Jess Jankowski

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Crockpot Chocolate Lava Cake is what your gooey chocolatey dreams are made of. It's a simple recipe that's perfect for Valentine's Day or any time.

Servings: 10 people

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2 30

Total Time 2 40

Equipment

slow cooker
mixing bowls
Liquid measuring cup
handheld mixer

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE:

1 box of chocolate fudge cake mix (15.25 ozs)
3 large eggs
1 ¼ cup milk anything but skim
½ cup vegetable oil

FOR THE TOPPING:

3.9 oz instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups milk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

FOR SERVING:

Ice cream
powdered sugar

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

PREP SLOW COOKER:

Grease the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

MIX CAKE:

Add the cake mix, oil, 1 ¼ cup milk, and eggs into the slow cooker. Beat thoroughly until smooth.

MIX TOPPING:

In a separate bowl, beat together 2 cups milk and instant pudding mix. Beat thoroughly until smooth.

ASSEMBLE:

Pour pudding mixture evenly overtop the mixture inside the slow cooker.
Sprinkle in the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

COOK:

Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 ½ hours.
When cooking time is complete, serve immediately and top with ice cream and powdered sugar (optional).

Notes

The nutrition information above does not account for the optional toppings of ice cream and powdered sugar.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
Do not use cook-and-serve pudding.

Nutrition

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