Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes - Iowa Girl Eats (2024)

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My Grandma turns 100 years old next week! It’s incredible to think about all the things she’s seen and experienced thus far in her life. From men landing on the moon, to living through the great depression, world wars, prohibition, and even the invention of the iPad, which she is undoubtedly reading this post on.

Happy early birthday, Grandma – you are a WONDER!

All that said, I baked a little cake in her honor – Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes for 2. Grandma, I wish we could devour these individual-sized cakes with molten chocolate and peanut butter centers together in person, but for now a virtual date will have to do!

What are Lava Cakes?

Lava cakes are individual-sized cakes – chocolate in this case, of course – that are baked until the outer shell is tender and moist, but the inside is still molten. Hence – LAVA cakes! We’re spiking them with peanut butter because OF COURSE, and the result is pure decadence. These Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes taste like melty peanut butter cups, if that tells you anything, and although they look fancy, they’re so so easy to make.

Is it Safe to Eat Lava Cake?

Lava cakes typically include eggs so a common question, given that the center is molten, is if Lava Cakes are safe to eat. These Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes are baked at 425 degrees so the batter is able to reach 165 degrees in the center, rendering them safe to eat.

The recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes is sponsored by my friends at Enjoy Life! Enjoy Life baking chocolates are certified gluten-free, free from 14 common allergens, and certified vegan and paleo-friendly. As you know, we use Enjoy Life chocolates in our house constantly for baking and dessert projects on account of my kids’ food allergies, and my Celiac Disease. Their taste and quality are top notch.

For this dessert, I used their teeny-tinysemi-sweet mini chips because they melt quickly and evenly, helping to create a tender chocolate cake with a drippy molten center. Did I mention they’re spiked with peanut butter?

LET’S BAKE!

How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes

Start by adding butter or vegan butter and Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chipsto a medium-sized bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds then stir, and then microwave in 10 second increments until the chocolate is smooth and fully melted.

Add powdered sugar then stir to combine.

Next add awhole egg plus anegg yolk andvanilla then stir to combine. Add gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour plus a pinch of salt and stir to combine. I use Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 GF Baking Flour blend.

What to Bake Lava Cakes In

I recommend baking Lava Cakes in 6oz Pyrex custard cups because they have the added benefit of being able to be used for kitchen prep, etc. They’re versatile, is what I’m trying to say – ha!

Divide the batter between two, nonstick sprayed, 6oz custard cups then place onto a foil-lined quarter or half sheet pan in case of spillovers.

Lastly, dollop a heaping teaspoon peanut butter into the middle of each cup then use your finger to sink it into the center of the batter.

Bake the Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes for 12 minutes at 425 degrees, or until the middle is soft but not jiggly.

Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes before inverting the cups onto plates then carefully pull them off. Top with fresh berries and powdered sugar for a gorgeous presentation. The berries add a pop of freshness that I really love in contrast to the rich and fudgy dessert. Highly recommend!

However you serve it, I hope you lovethis DECADENT, seriously delicious dessert recipe for 2! Enjoy!

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