Experience a decadent fall dessert featuring a molten, spiced pumpkin center encased in a rich, dark chocolate sponge. This elegant treat perfectly balances the deep bitterness of premium cocoa with the earthy, warming notes of pumpkin pie spice. Every spoonful delivers a delightful contrast in texture, making it an impressive yet achievable choice for dinner parties or cozy evenings at home.
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
6 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate (60% cocoa), melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
2 tbsp unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
Butter for greasing ramekins
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grease four 6-ounce ramekins generously with butter and dust with cocoa powder.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave until smooth and set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, and brown sugar until thickened.
Fold the cooled melted chocolate into the egg mixture until fully combined.
Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until just incorporated.
In a separate small bowl, lightly stir the pumpkin puree to ensure it is smooth.
Fill each ramekin halfway with the chocolate batter, add a dollop of pumpkin puree in the center, and cover with the remaining chocolate batter.
Bake for 12 minutes until the edges are set but the center remains slightly soft to the touch.
Let sit for 1 minute before inverting onto plates to serve warm.
Ensure you use pure pumpkin puree and not pre-mixed pumpkin pie filling. Serving with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream adds a wonderful contrast to the warm cake. Do not overbake, or the center will lose its signature lava texture.
Find it online: https://flavoornote.com/chocolate-pumpkin-lava-cake/