One thing that I like about making Paleo desserts is that you can enjoy a fancy cake without ruining your efforts to lead a healthier lifestyle. But I just wanted to make a disclaimer that these desserts are intended more for occasional treats than for every night of the week. This recipe, for example, would be absolutely perfect as a Valentine’s Day treat. It not only looks impressive, but also tastes amazing.
To make the recipe, choose a paleo-approved dark chocolate that is at least 70 percent cocoa. This will be the melted center of the cake. The other ingredients are first beaten together with a hand mixer for a good 4-5 minutes. This seems like a really long time but is a necessary step. Then you get to drizzle in the melted chocolate. Equal amounts of almond flour and cocoa powder are stirred in last to round out the moist cake.
The batter is then poured into individual ramekins. The cakes are baked just long enough to set the outer layer while keeping the center soft. The cakes can be served directly in the ramekins if you choose. If you decide to turn the cakes out onto a plate, I suggest dusting the ramekins with cocoa powder before cooking to prevent sticking. To get the cakes onto a plate, first run a knife around the edges of the ramekin. Set a plate on top of it, and use two hands to flip the ramekin over onto the plate. The cake should fall right out of the ramekin.
Warm and rich, you’ll want to serve these cakes immediately. After the first bite, the chocolate center will escape right out onto your plate, imitating the lava it is named for. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 4 oz. dark chocolate
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp almond flour
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare four ramekins with coconut oil spray. Dust with cocoa powder.
- Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a large bowl in the microwave. Stir to combine and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, honey, vanilla, and salt. Mix with a hand blender for 4-5 minutes, until frothy. Gently stir in the melted chocolate. Sift the almond flour and cocoa powder over the top and fold all of the ingredients together.
- Divide the batter equally among the four ramekins. Place on a baking sheet and put into the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set. Serve warm.
How would you define paleo-approved dark chocolate? I’m not sure what you mean by that. Thanks.
Generally speaking, dark chocolate is in a grey zone of Paleo, i.e. if you are on strict paleo, you shouldn’t consume it at all.
Otherwise, you should look for a chocolate with more than 90% of Cocoa, Lindt is my top choice.
I make these often and instead of eating hot, as soon as they cool somewhat I put them in fridge and eat them cold. They taste like fudge!!!
What a delish looking cake!
Pinned!
Just wanted to double check that the dry ingredient measurements were accurate in this recipe, as it just seems like such a small amount to make a serving for 4. Thanks!
Agree – I actually added ~25% more of each and found it just right for 4
it looks delicious!
I’m just starting to try paleo, and I keep wondering…when a recipe calls for coconut oil, should it be melted? It’s pretty difficult to measure it out into a measuring cup because it’s so hard.
Yes AJ, I’m with you on that, I’m guessing the recipe is for an individual serve!
This was one of the best paleo desserts I’ve ever made! A must try. I substituted 2 tbsp honey with 2 tbsp coconut palm sugar instead. Generally it didn’t take much time to make and took exactly 12 mins in my oven.
Sounds incredible! I’m wondering if they could be semi-made ahead of time for a group and baked off just before serving?!? My Valentines Bunco Girls would LOVE these, but need a quick turn around time after dinner to avoid time spent on prep. Thanks!!!
I was taught to mix wet and dry ingredients separately, this way they would stay fresh until dessert time, then mix just two items at the last minute and bake. This way you can be assured nothing’s gone wrong if it sits too long. Another option is to experiment with making a larger recipe amount, freeze them individually, and then bake them a bit longer in the oven, doing one at a time until you know how long it will take in your oven. This way you’ll have either a single dessert any time you want or an extra supply on hand if want to impress friends who stop by unexpectedly. Just think how much fun it’ll be working out how long it takes to bake them correctly.
I’ve made these twice now and found the portion size is tiny! So, taking the advice from above, I added more dry ingredients and it helped a bit. First attempt was an overcooked, but delicious cake. Hopefully this time it will be more lava-like with larger portions and a shorter, 10 minute cooking time.
I have made this recipe (as is) at least 20 times. It is seriously SO good! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Wonderful recipe. I increased the chocolate a little and the almond meal and cocoa powder to make them a little bigger as above, and I used sugar free chocolate ( well naturally brand if your in Australia ) . Made it for my 13yo daughters birthday. They went down a treat for sure!
Linda,
You made some good adjustments and I’m so glad they were a hit. Happy Birthday to your daughter!
Would you let me know what size ramekins you are using as they come in so many sizes. Thanks