Pumpkin Lava Cake is a decadent pumpkin cake filled with a gooey chocolate ganache. Made completely from scratch, this pumpkin lava cake recipe is absolutely delicious!
Have you ever had molten lava cake? That fudgy chocolate filling in the middle is absolutely amazing. We’ve been making this 90-second chocolate version for years, and it’s one of my favorite desserts. I saw this pumpkin version and knew I had to try it, even though it takes a bit longer to prepare. The pumpkin cake pairs so well with the chocolate filling!
PUMPKIN LAVA CAKE
Pumpkin Lava Cake is made in two ramekins, making two perfectly portioned individual cakes. The chocolate ganache filling is made with semi-sweet chocolate chips, heavy cream and vanilla extract in the microwave. While the filling is chilling, the pumpkin cake batter is prepared. Divide the batter into two ramekins and then place the ganache in the middle of each cake. Bake the cakes and serve them immediately with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!
INGREDIENTS IN PUMPKIN LAVA CAKE
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: You will need 2 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips. This is equivalent to 1/4 cup. You can use dark chocolate if you prefer.
Heavy cream: The heavy cream will provide the thickness and richness to the ganache.
Vanilla extract: Just a little bit of vanilla adds a delicious flavor to the chocolate filling.
Cake batter Ingredients
Butter: Melted butter will provide most of the liquid for the cake. For best results, use real butter.
Powdered sugar: Just a little bit of powdered sugar adds sweetness and a smooth consistency to the cake batter.
Dry milk: A little bit of powdered milk adds a lot of richness to the cake.
Vanilla: The higher the quality of the vanilla, the better.
Eggs: You will need 1 whole egg and 1 additional egg yolk to help bind all of the other ingredients together.
Brown sugar: Brown sugar gives the cake the perfect flavor and sweetness. Make sure your brown sugar is fresh and soft.
Pumpkin puree: I always use pumpkin from a can, but you can use a homemade pumpkin puree if you prefer. Just make sure not to use pumpkin pie filling!
Flour: Use all-purpose flour or cake flour in the cake batter.
Pumpkin pie spice: Everything pumpkin tastes even better with pumpkin pie spice. This delicious blend of spices is absolutely delicious!
Salt: A little bit of salt will help all of the other flavors to pop!
How to make Pumpkin Lava Cake
Prepare the ganache
Prepare the ganache first by placing the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small bowl. Microwave until melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Once melted, add in the vanilla and stir, then cover and place in the fridge. This needs to be refrigerated for at least 30 minutes so that it solidifies a bit to be able to place into the middle of the batter later.
Prepare the cake batter
To prepare the lava cake, add the melted butter, powdered sugar, dry milk, and vanilla to a small bowl and whisk together. It may not whisk together perfectly smooth, but that’s ok! It will still turn out great!Set aside.
In a large bowl, add the egg, egg yolk, brown sugar, and pumpkin puree and whisk together. Pour in the melted butter mixture and whisk together. Then add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt and whisk until combined.
Assemble the cakes
Coat the two ramekins very well with some butter and flour. Pour the lava cake mixture evenly into both ramekins. Then remove the ganache from the fridge and divide it evenly between the two ramekins, spooning it into the middle of each ramekin filled with the lava cake mixture. Then cover any exposed ganache with lava cake mixture, using a spoon. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Bake the cakes
Preheat the oven to 400°. Bake the two lava cakes for about 18 minutes. The edges should be firm and the middle should be slightly squishy.
Serve & enjoy!
Cool for a few minutes then run a butter knife around the edges to loosen it from the ramekin. Flip upside down onto a plate and serve with vanilla ice cream! Or enjoy it straight from the ramekin with a spoon!
PUMPKIN LAVA CAKE
Ingredients
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients:
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Cake batter Ingredients:
- ½ cup butter melted
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons dry milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Prepare the ganache
- Prepare the ganache first by placing the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small bowl. Microwave until melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Once melted, add in the vanilla and stir, then cover and place in the fridge. This needs to be refrigerated for at least 30 minutes so that it solidifies a bit to be able to place into the middle of the batter later.
Prepare the cake batter
- To prepare the lava cake, add the melted butter, powdered sugar, dry milk, and vanilla to a small bowl and whisk together. It may not whisk together perfectly smooth, but that’s ok! It will still turn out great! Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the egg, egg yolk, brown sugar, and pumpkin puree and whisk together. Pour in the melted butter mixture and whisk together. Then add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt and whisk until combined.
Assemble the cakes
- Coat the two ramekins very well with some butter and flour. Pour the lava cake mixture evenly into both ramekins. Then remove the ganache from the fridge and divide it evenly between the two ramekins, spooning it into the middle of each ramekin filled with the lava cake mixture. Then cover any exposed ganache with lava cake mixture, using a spoon. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Bake the cakes
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Bake the two lava cakes for about 18 minutes. The edges should be firm and the middle should be slightly squishy.
Serve & enjoy!
- Cool for a few minutes then run a butter knife around the edges to loosen it from the ramekin. Flip upside down onto a plate and serve with vanilla ice cream! Or enjoy it straight from the ramekin with a spoon!
Nutrition
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Can I make more than two servings at a time?
The recipe makes two individual lava cakes, but you can easily double or triple the recipe to be able to make 4 or 6 servings at a time. Just don’t make more than what you need, because this dessert is definitely best when served straight out of the oven!
More delicious pumpkin recipes to try:
- PUMPKIN SPICE BARS
- PUMPKIN PIE KRISPIE TREATS
- PUMPKIN SPICE CARAMEL POPCORN
- LAYERED PUMPKIN ICE CREAM DESSERT
- PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLE COOKIE BARS
- PUMPKIN PIE BARS
- PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS
- SPICED PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- HONEY BUTTER PUMPKIN ROLLS
- HOMEMADE PUMPKIN BAGELS
- PUMPKIN FETTUCINE ALFREDO
- PUMPKIN MARSHMALLOW BUNDT CAKE
- NO-BAKE PUMPKIN COOKIES
- PUMPKIN SLAB PIE
- PUMPKIN APPLE GINGERBREAD
- PUMPKIN PIE OREO BALLS
- PUMPKIN OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Delicious pumpkin lava cake recipe made completely from scratch with a gooey chocolate ganache in the center.
Gina says
This is such a delicious dessert! I really enjoyed the fall spin on one of my favorites!
Kris says
This is my new favorite dessert! Insanely delicious!
Terry says
OMG, Nellie! I just drooled all over my phone screen, looking at these delectable pics 🤗.
Would you please tell me what size ramekins you used? I loaned all mine out, and sadly, they didn’t come back. I’d hate to buy ones the wrong size, and and have an overflow situation!
Thanks so much!
Nellie says
8 ounce ramekins will work great!