Description
Turn ordinary cake mix into something extraordinary with these rich and gooey Red Velvet Lava Cupcakes! These treats are basically mini lava cakes but way easier to pull off. Each cupcake hides a melty chocolate center that oozes out when you take a bite—talk about dessert drama.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box (about 15 oz) red velvet cake mix + whatever it calls for (eggs, water, oil)
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate (bars or baking squares work best)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Powdered sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the Ganache
- Roughly chop your chocolate and toss it in a heat-safe bowl. Warm the heavy cream just until it’s steaming—either on the stove or in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth and glossy. (If you still see chocolate chunks, give it a quick 15-second microwave zap.) Chill for at least 2 hours or until firm enough to scoop.
- Prep the Cupcake Batter
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Whip up the cake batter following the box instructions. Fill each liner just halfway—don’t be tempted to overfill or they’ll spill over while baking.
- Add the Ganache Centers
- Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions of the chilled ganache (a cookie scoop works perfectly) and place one in the center of each cupcake well, gently pressing it into the batter.
- Bake to Perfection
- Bake for 20–23 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick near the edge—not through the center where the chocolate is. The cake should be set but still moist.
- Cool and Serve
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove the liners. Flip them upside down on a plate, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm.
- Pro Tip: If they’ve cooled completely, microwave for about 10 seconds before serving to bring back that gooey center.
Notes
These little lava cupcakes are perfect for Valentine’s Day, dinner parties, or whenever you just want to impress someone (or yourself!) with minimal effort. They’re rich, decadent, and look like you spent hours in the kitchen—when in reality, they’re one of the easiest baked dessert recipes you can make.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 72 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 3 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 7 mg