Chocolate & Pumpkin Lava Cake

If you're craving a delicious pot of chocolatey gooeyness, then you're in the right place. This delicious dessert is perfect for anytime of year, but particularly autumn as the centre oozes with pumpkin... Unlike a traditional lava cake, this one is made with cassava flour and so is completely grain-free! It really is the perfect thing to eat when you're snuggled up in a blanket watching your favourite autumnal films... This lava cake is composed of several layers of chocolate, pumpkin and cream cheese. It truly is mouth-watering. One thing to note is that this lava cake can't come out of its ramekin as it will not hold its shape and just become a big chocolatey mess. It's nice eating it straight out of the ramekin anyway. This recipe is unfortunately not vegan due to the eggs being necessary ingredients. However it's vegetarian and gluten-free and as I already mentioned grain-free. So without further ado lets get on with this delicious, autumnal chocolate and pumpkin lava cake!

Happy Cooking!

The Food Fiesta Team

INGREDIENTS

makes approx 5

FOR THE LAVA CAKE

• 225g milk or dark chocolate (we use dark)

• 12 tbsp butter

• 4 eggs

• 1/2 cup of cassava flour

• 1 cup of pumpkin puree (plus a tablespoon for each ramekin)

• 1/2 cup of muscovado sugar

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1 tbsp white vinegar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FILLING

• 3 tbsp cream cheese

• 1 tbsp icing sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200 C

Grease five 9 x 5cm ramekins with butter and set aside. This is to ensure the lava cakes don't stick to the ramekins.

Next, melt all the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir continuously otherwise the mixture will stick to the saucepan.

Once the chocolate has melted, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and add all the remaining ingredients. Mix together until all the ingredients are fully incorporated. Be sure not to over mix, otherwise the lava cakes will collapse and sink in.

Now set aside the mixture and begin making the cream cheese filling.

In a bowl, add the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract. Mix together until everything has been incorporated.

Now it's assembly time. Add two tablespoons of the cake mixture to each of the ramekins. Using the back of a spoon spread the mixture out a little bit. Don't compact them down too much or they won't rise well.

Next add one tablespoon of pumpkin puree and dollop it on top of each of them. You don't need to spread it out as it will melt anyway.

Now add one tablespoon of cream cheese on top of each dollop of pumpkin puree.

Finally add two tablespoons of cake mixture to all the ramekins. Remember to spread it out gently and don't compact it too much.

Place all the ramekins into the oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes (however if you're using small ramekins bake for 10 - 15 minutes instead).

Take the ramekins out of the oven once the edges of the lava cakes have firmed up and the centre is still slightly jiggly, but not liquidy. They should have risen too but it doesn't matter if they haven't.

Eat immediately or leave for a few minutes to cool. Enjoy!

The lava cakes should last for a couple of days in the fridge in an airtight container, but its best to consume them immediately