Crockpot Vegan Chocolate Lava Cake
Crockpot Vegan Lava Cake is rich, delicious, and super easy to make. It’s a chocolate lover’s dream come true offering a rich, gooey chocolate center that rivals traditional versions, without the need for dairy or eggs.
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Did you know that you can make a cake in your crockpot? There are few desserts easier than a slow cooker cake, and this chocolatey wonder is one of the best I’ve ever made. We even have a vanilla crockpot lava cake recipe as well!
We have lots of chocolate vegan desserts on this website including my no-bake chocolate vegan balls, these dairy-free chocolate oatmeal cookies, and our 5-minute chocolate vegan mug cake.
Reasons you will love this cake
- Rich and Decadent Flavor: This vegan chocolate crockpot lava cake offers a rich, indulgent flavor with a gooey molten center, satisfying your chocolate cravings without any dairy or eggs.
- Easy and Convenient Preparation: With the convenience of a crock pot, this lava cake requires minimal effort—just mix the ingredients, set it, and let the slow cooker do all the work, making it perfect for busy days or special occasions.
- Healthier Ingredients: Made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients, this dairy-free lava cake is a healthier alternative to traditional lava cakes, allowing you to enjoy a delicious dessert with less guilt.
- Perfect for Sharing: This cake is ideal for sharing at family gatherings or dinner parties, as it serves multiple people and can be customized with toppings like fresh fruit, nuts, or dairy-free ice cream.
Ingredients you will need
- Flour- Using whole wheat flour to make vegan chocolate crockpot cake adds a boost of fiber and nutrients, making the dessert more wholesome and filling compared to using refined white flour. Whole wheat flour also provides a slightly nutty flavor and denser texture, which complements the rich chocolate taste and creates a more satisfying, hearty cake.
- Cocoa powder- Provides a deep, rich chocolate flavor that is essential for creating a delicious and indulgent dessert.
- Plant milk- A dairy-free alternative that maintains the cake’s moisture and richness. It blends seamlessly with other ingredients, providing a creamy texture without compromising the vegan nature of the recipe. Plant milk, such as almond, oat, or soy, also contributes subtle flavors that complement the chocolate and ensure a delicious, vegan-friendly dessert.
- Applesauce- Used as a natural egg substitute, adding moisture and a slight sweetness while keeping the cake dairy-free and egg-free.
- Sugar- Adds a rich, caramel-like sweetness and depth of flavor. Its molasses content contributes to a moist, tender texture.
- Vegan chocolate chips- Creating extra pockets of rich, melty chocolate that enhance the cake’s flavor and texture.
Tips & Suggestions
- Make it gluten-free- This cake is not gluten-free, but this link to the Minimalist Baker will help adjust it for those who want to give it a try.
- Increasing servings- The basic cake recipe serves about 8 people, so if you are making this for a crowd, I suggest making a double-batch.
- Oven cooking option- If you would like to make this recipe in the oven, this article will help- Easy Vegan Hot Fudge Cake.
How to make dairy-free crockpot lava cake
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Place flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 cup cocoa powder in a large bowl and whisk together.
Believe it or not, there is absolutely no sugar–or any sweetener for that matter–added to the cake batter.
STEP #2: In a separate bowl, whisk together plant milk, vanilla, and apple sauce.
I sometimes purchase unsweetened applesauce, but you can make homemade unsweetened applesauce if desired.
STEP #3: Pour the wet batter mixture into the flour mixture and whisk together well. Keep in mind that if you taste the batter, it won’t be great because there is no sweetener in it yet. That’s added to the fudge sauce coming up.
Pour the batter into a 4-6 quart crockpot or slow cooker and set it to medium heat. You will notice in my photos that I lined my crockpot with white parchment paper that is usually used to prevent sticking. You don’t need to do this. I only used the parchment paper for these photos because my crockpot is black and made it difficult to see the batter.
One addition I like to make at this point is to sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of non-dairy chocolate chips over the top of the batter. This is of course optional.
STEP #4: Mix the three ingredients for the fudge sauce--cocoa, hot water, and sugar.
This is where the sweetness comes in and, believe it or not, the sugar in this simple sauce is enough to sweeten the entire cake.
Make sure your water is very hot to dissolve the sugar.
Pour the frosting sauce into the crockpot over the cake batter. It will look very watery, but the sauce will thicken up into fudgy heaven!
STEP #5: Place the slow-cooker lid on top and allow the cake to cook on medium for approximately 3 hours.
Crockpot temperatures vary, so check after 2 hours to see how it’s coming along. You want it to be firm but still moist on the top.
STEP #6: When a spoon is used to cut into the top, the hot fudge sauce on the bottom will be ready to spoon over each serving.
Get ready for a mountain of chocolate cake with rivers of ooey-gooey fudgy mess flowing down the sides! Check out my Crock Pot Vanilla Lava Cake too!
Crockpot setting options
If your crockpot doesn’t have a medium setting here are a couple of suggestions to choose from.
- Cook on high for the 1st hour, then low for the last 2 hours
- Cook on low for a longer time, perhaps 3-1/2 to 4 hours
*Recipe originally published September 2018.
Recipe adapted from President of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Dr. Neal Barnard, in his book, Breaking the Food Seduction.
Frequently Asked Questions
A 4-6 quart crockpot or slow cooker is perfect for holding this cake.
Yes. If you would like to make this recipe in the oven, this is the oven version of this same recipe. Easy Vegan Hot Fudge Cake.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. It freezes well for up to 3 months.
For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!
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Crockpot Chocolate Lava Cake
Ingredients
- 1.25 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (divide in half)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup plant milk such as almond or soy
- 1/2 cup apple sauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar or date sugar (use 1 cup if you like it sweeter)
- 1 cup hot water
- 1-2 tablespoons non-dairy chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Place flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 cup cocoa powder (save the other half for the frosting) in a large bowl and whisk together. Believe it or not, there is absolutely no sugar–or any sweetener for that matter–added to the cake batter.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together plant milk, vanilla, and apple sauce. I always purchase unsweetened applesauce, but you can make it homemade if desired. I've included instructions on how to make your own in the article above.
- Next, pour the wet batter mixture into the flour mixture and whisk together well. Keep in mind that if you taste the batter, it won’t be great because there is no sweetener in it yet. That’s added in the fudge sauce coming up.
- Pour the batter into a 4-6 quart crockpot or slow cooker and set it to medium heat. You will notice in my photos above that I lined my crockpot with white parchment paper that is usually used to prevent sticking. You don't need to do this. I only used the parchment paper for these photos because my crockpot is black and made it difficult to see the batter.
- One addition I like to make at this point is to sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of non-dairy chocolate chips over the top of the batter. This is of course optional.
Making the frosting
- Mix the three ingredients for the fudge sauce--1/4 cup cocoa, hot water, and sugar. This is where the sweetness comes in and, believe it or not, the sugar in this simple sauce is enough to sweeten the entire cake. Make sure your water is very hot to dissolve the sugar.
- Pour the frosting sauce into the crockpot over the cake batter. It will look very watery, but the sauce will thicken up into fudgy heaven!
- Place slow-cooker lid on top and allow the cake to cook on medium for approximately 3 hours. Crockpot temperatures vary, so check after 2 hours to see how it’s coming along. You want it to be firm but still moist on the top.
- For those with crockpots that don’t have a medium setting, I’ve included other setting options and times in the article above.
- When a spoon is used to cut into the top, the hot fudge sauce on the bottom will be ready to spoon over each serving.
Video
Notes
- Make it gluten-free- This cake is not gluten-free, but this link to the Minimalist Baker will help adjust it for those that want to give it a try.
- Increasing servings- The basic cake recipe serves about 8 people, so if you are making this for a crowd, I suggest making a double-batch.
- Oven cooking option- If you would like to make this recipe in the oven, this article will help- Easy Vegan Hot Fudge Cake.
- Storage- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. It freezes well for up to 3 months.
- Cook on high for the 1st hour, then low for the last 2 hours
- Cook on low for a longer time, perhaps 3-1/2 to 4 hours
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I’m the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I’m passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to help others care well for their health and the bodies God has given us. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
What did I do wrong???
I did not get any fudge sauce below …
I got a very moist chocolatey cake
It tasted okay but wasn”t at all what was described. It did not seem overcooked
Crockpot used has two high settings (4 & 6 hrs) & two low settings (8 & 10 hrs)
I did 35min on 4hr setting looked like cooking too fast shifted it to 6hr for the next 30 min then down to 8hr for an hour+
Please help would love this to turn out right
Please help
Hmmm, I really don’t know what might have gone wrong. Were all the ingredients used exactly as listed (without substitutions) and in the right measurements? Different crockpot settings vary, but that shouldn’t make a big difference. The only thing I can think of to suggest is to try it in the oven. This is a link to the oven-version of the same cake. A friend even videoed her process for making it that might be helpful for you. https://eatplant-based.com/hot-fudge-cake-vegan-style/
Also-if you want it GF, I’d suggest using any of the GF Cup for cup flours ( 1 to 1 Baking Flour Bob’s red mill https://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Red-Mill-Baking-Gluten/dp/B07FW7SCB2/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=gluten+free+flour&qid=1557409152&s=gateway&sr=8-14 ) So you don’t have to do it yourself if you are rushed as I often am. I’ve not made this but have good results using Pamela’s flours but usually I just grab whatever they have at Sprouts.
Any chance this would work in an Instant Pot? When i got mine I ditched my slow cooker. Looks yummy-
I am sure it would work in an InstantPot, but I’m not sure of the setting or time. If you give it a try, please let us know. Thanks!
This looks amazing!
Do you think this will work with a substitute sugar (coconut sugar, agave, maple syrup, silan). If so, any reccomendations of which one to you use would be great!
I think those other sugars would work just fine. Maple syrup might add a totally different flavor to the cake, so I think I would avoid that one.
I made this for Valentine’s day dessert. My husband loves this kind of dessert with dairy free ice cream. It turned out very good! It only took bout 2.5 hours. So quick and easy. Will make again. Thanks!
That’s awesome to hear! Thanks so much for the great feedback!
Can I bake this is corning ware on low?
It can be baked in the oven. Here’s the oven version for this recipe. https://eatplant-based.com/hot-fudge-cake-vegan-style/
Can we substitute wheat with almond flour?
haven’t used almond flour in this recipe before, and each recipe is a bit different. Generally, almond flour sometimes needs a little extra moisture added. I would love to know how it turns out and what tweaks you use if you give it a try.
How long do we bake before adding the sauce?
No need to bake first. After pouring batter into crock pot, add the sauce right on top, then begin the cooking process.
I made this last night for a friends birthday dinner. It was delicious and I loved the large amount of sauce that was in the bottom of the crockpot. I used an older small round crockpot that was a great size for the recipe. As you suggested in a previous question, I cooked it 1 hour on high and 2 on low. I think less time on low would be better as the cake part May have been slightly overdone. Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe. I will definitely make it again.
Carol, that’s wonderful to hear! I’m glad that it went over well for your friend’s birthday. Thank you SO much for taking the time to let us know!!
Can I use my InstaPot ( slow cooker setting) ?
I’m sure you could use your InstaPot for this, just not sure about the setting or time. If you give it a try, I would love to know.
would this work with stevia instead of sugar?
I think Stevia would be a good option for a sweetener too.
What size CrockPot for the 8-serving recipe?
A 4-6 quart slow cooker will work just fine. If doubling the recipe, 6-8 quart would be best.
If my crockpot doesn’t have a medium setting what should I set it on? I have low and high.
I think I would try cooking on high for 1 hour and low for 2 hours. Just keep an eye on it.
Looks really good Terri, but I am a little confused. In step 2 it says to mix sugar with the other wet ingredients, but isn’t the sugar reserved for the sauce?
Vickie, thanks so much for catching that typo! I must have been on auto-pilot and looked right over that. You are right, the sugar is only added in the sauce, and I’ve edited to reflect that. Good catch!
I printed this earlier this am and just started looking at it and was going to let you know the same thing Terri.
I love your recipes and use them often!!! Thank you.
Thanks so much! 🙂
Oh wow, I know I need to make this!! Thanks for the recipe. I feel my popularity as a baker rising already.
I hope your family elects you ‘Baker of the Year’! Enjoy! 🙂