Pumpkin Lava Cake
Individual pumpkin lava cakes with a warm, molten spiced center that flows out at the first spoonful. The fall answer to chocolate lava cake, ready in about 30 minutes.
Servings 4 cakes
Ingredients
For the Lava Cakes
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted, plus more for the ramekins
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup all-purpose flour plus more for the ramekins
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
To Serve
- powdered sugar for dusting
- vanilla ice cream optional
Instructions
Prep the Ramekins
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Butter four 6-ounce ramekins well, dust with flour, and tap out the excess.
Mix the Batter
- Whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together, then whisk in the pumpkin.
- Beat in the eggs, extra yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Fold in the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt just until combined.
Bake and Serve
- Divide the batter between the ramekins and set them on a baking sheet.
- Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still jiggle slightly.
- Rest 1 minute, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm with ice cream if you like.
Notes
- Watch the bake: Set edges with a jiggly center means a molten middle; a firm top means overbaked.
- Serve warm: The center keeps setting as it cools, so serve straight from the oven.
- Add a core: Press a soft caramel or chocolate square into the batter for an extra molten center.