Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake
85 CommentsUpdated Apr 28, 2026
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Easy cake recipes like this Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake make dessert time fun and tasty. This lava cake calls for just a few ingredients with a short cooking time, meaning you’ll be ready to serve dessert in no time.
Featured Comment
Made it for my husband’s birthday, which is Valentines Day, and it was great! I served it with vanilla ice cream and it was soooo delicious.
– marcia
A lava cake gets its name from having a “molten” center. These are typically made with chocolate cake and chocolate pudding, which is one of the primary ingredients to create a runny center. As decadent as these cakes can look, they are actually fairly easy to make, especially when using your slow cooker.
Key Ingredients
Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix – Betty Crocker is the go-to cake mix I like to choose. It is super moist,
Cake Mix-ins – These are the ingredients needed according to the cake mix box. So you’ll need large eggs, oil, and you will also add in freshly brewed coffee (instead of water).
Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix – All you need for the instant pudding mix is milk. I like to use the Jello-O pudding mix brand.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – These are used to create an additional chocolately layer on top. You can also use milk chocolate chips.
How to Make Slow Cooker Lava Cake
- Mix the cake batter with eggs, oil, and coffee.
- Dollop on the pudding and sprinkle chocolate chips.
- Let the slow cooker work its magic for a rich, molten treat.
How to Serve Lava Cake
- This is the perfect dessert to serve warm right out of the slow cooker.
- Eating lava cake with a topping of vanilla ice cream or whipping cream is a must! You can also sprinkle chocolate chips on top along with a dash of powdered sugar and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
- Sliced strawberries are an excellent garnish for any chocolate recipe! Not only is it pretty but tastes great too. We love adding strawberries to our slow cooker s’mores cake too.
Sarah’s Tips
Line the Slow Cooker: If you are worried about sticking you can use a slow cooker liner or parchment paper.
Keeping the Cake Warm: You’ll want to serve this cake warm and not keep the slow cooker on, the edges will burn if kept on.
Different Cake Mix Flavors: Try devil’s food, German chocolate, or even a red velvet cake mix for fun twists.
Pudding Flavor Swaps: Vanilla, butterscotch, or cheesecake pudding can change up the “lava” layer.
Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
For the cake layer:
- 15.25 oz. Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix, (I used Betty Crocker)
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 ¼ cup freshly brewed coffee, let cool down a bit, water can be used here instead if desired
For the pudding layer:
- 3.9 oz. instant chocolate pudding mix
- 2 cups milk
For the third layer:
- 12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl add the cake mix, eggs, and oil. Start blending with a hand mixer for a few seconds before adding the coffee. Slowly add the coffee and finish blending. Do not over blend, some lumps are fine.
- In another bowl mix the pudding mix and milk until combined. Let thicken for a few minutes.
- Spray the slow cooker with non-stick spray. Add the cake batter. Then add the pudding by dropping dollops over the cake mix. Sprinkle over the chocolate chips.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More slow cooker dessert recipes like this one
German Chocolate Spoon Cake is rich and gooey with coconut, pecans, and melty chocolate.
Try Crockpot Reese’s Cake or Crockpot Better than Sex Cake for a truly indulgent slow cooker treat.
Butterfinger Cake and Hot Fudge Cake are chocolatey favorites, and don’t forget a drizzle of Slow Cooker Hot Fudge on top!
You may also like my easy slow cooker brownies, or slow cooker caramel cake recipes.
Can I do this in instant pot
I’m unsure, I have not tested it.
Can this be made with the slow cooker setting of a 3 quart instant pot? I thought about putting the rack in the bottom and covering the rack and sides of the pot with non-stick foil. I only take that pot camping because of the multiple functions and would appreciate hearing from anyone who has tried this.
I’m unsure, the instant pot setting for slow cooking doesn’t get very hot, I’m unsure if it would get done right.
Made this! And it was going well but at the 2 hr mark my cake was overcooked and there was no lava left 🙁 did anyone else have something similar occur with the cooking time?
Can I make this lava cake in the oven
Yes, it should do fine with the time of the box mix.
Has anyone made this recipe using disposable pot liner
You can use this recipe with a liner. It will work well.
Can you double the recipe ?
I don’t recommend doubling cakes in the slow cooker. They tend to burn on the edges and are doughy in the middle.
I add Heath bites instead of chocolate morsels. Mmmmmm
this was great
I made the Slow cooker chocolate Lava cake today for Sunday desert. The cake was very easy and simple to make. The cake itself was very good.
Made my third batch today it was a big hit at Thanksgiving. I’m serving with peppermint ice cream.