These Vanilla Lava Cakes are perfect for a special occasion, yet easy enough for every day. Warm vanilla sauce centred in a soft and fluffy cupcake, you are going to love this indulgent treat.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE VANILLA LAVA CAKES

Vanilla custard OR Instant vanilla pudding mix to make the vanilla sauce.

Use any ONE of the following to make the vanilla sauce: 

• Store-bought ready to use carton of vanilla custard
• Custard powder prepared according to package instructions
• Your favourite homemade custard
• Instant vanilla pudding mix prepared according to package instructions.   

For the cupcakes, you will need the following ingredients:

• Cake or all-purpose flour
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
• Milk
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• Vinegar
• Vanilla extract

USE A MUFFIN PAN

This recipe makes 12 lava cakes. A muffin pan is a convenient way to make these vanilla lava cakes. The muffin pan should be non-stick or well-greased to prevent the cakes from sticking.

MAKE THE VANILLA SAUCE IN ADVANCE

Fill 12 holes of an ice cube tray with the prepared custard or vanilla pudding and freeze until it has set. These cubes are going to be placed into the cake batter and baked. As the cakes bake, the vanilla cubes will melt creating a creamy rich sauce. 

It is best to allow the cubes of custard to freeze for at least 3 hours. This will make it easier to work with and handle and will not melt or defrost before baking.

MAKE THE VANILLA CAKES

This egg-free cake recipe is light and fluffy and tastes great filled with the creamy vanilla sauce. It is an easy bake made with readily available ingredients.

1. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients ( flour, sugar, baking powder and bicarb) together.
2. Incorporate the wet ingredients( milk, melted butter, vinegar and vanilla extract) into the dry mix one by one.
3. Stir the batter with a whisk.
4. Spoon the batter into the muffin tin, filling each hole just under ¾.                                                               
5. Remove the prepared frozen vanilla cubes from the ice tray
6. Add one cube each into the batter. Do not press the cube all the way to the base of the muffin tin.
7. Add another spoon of cake batter to cover the cube.
8. Bake the lava cakes until golden and cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Allow the lava cakes to cool for 2 minutes.  Loosen the edges of the lava cakes with a spatula and gently remove from the muffin tin. 

Sift powdered sugar over the cakes and serve with a scoop of ice cream if you prefer.

Enjoy ♥

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out my other amazing cakes and dessert recipes

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Vanilla Lava Cakes

5 from 2 votes

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Servings 12 muffin sized vanilla cakes

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These Vanilla Lava Cakes are perfect for a special occasion, yet easy enough for every day. Warm vanilla sauce centred in a soft and fluffy cupcake, you are going to love this indulgent treat.

Ingredients

TO MAKE THE VANILLA SAUCE

USE 2 CUPS / 500ML OF ANY ONE THE FOLLOWING

• ▢ Store-bought ready to use carton of vanilla custard
• ▢ Custard powder prepared according to package instructions
• ▢ Your favourite homemade custard
• ▢ Instant vanilla pudding mix prepared according to package instructions.

TO MAKE THE VANILLA CUPCAKES

DRY INGREDIENTS

• ▢ 2 ½ cups / 300g all-purpose or Cake Flour
• ▢ ¾ cup / 150g sugar
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

WET INGREDIENTS

• ▢ 1 cup/ 250ml full fat ( full creamilk
• ▢ ½ cup / 115g melted butter
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon/15ml white or apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons / 10ml vanilla extract

Instructions

TO MAKE THE VANILLA SAUCE

• Fill 12 holes of an ice cube tray with the prepared custard or vanilla pudding and freeze until it has set. SEE NOTE 1

TO MAKE THE VANILLA CUPCAKES

• Grease the muffin pan well using butter or cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients ( flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda) together
• Incorporate the wet ingredients (milk, melted butter, vinegar, and vanilla extract) into the dry ingredients mix one by one, stirring with a whisk.
• Spoon the batter into a greased muffin tin, filling each hole just under ¾.
• Remove the prepared frozen vanilla cubes from the ice tray and place one each gently into the batter. Do not press the cube all the way to the base of the muffin tin. Add another spoon of cake batter to cover the cube.
• Bake the lava cakes in a preheated oven of 320°F/ 160°C until golden and cooked through, for about 15-20 minutes. Allow the lava cakes to cool for 2 minutes. Loosen the edges of the lava cakes with a spatula and gently remove from the muffin tin.
• Sift powdered sugar over the cakes and serve with a scoop of ice cream if you prefer.

Notes

1. These cubes are going to be placed into the cake batter and baked. As the cakes bake, the vanilla cubes will melt creating a creamy rich sauce. It is best to allow the cubes of custard to freeze for at least 3 hours. This will make it easier to work with and handle and will not melt or defrost before baking.

Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to hear how it turned out, tag me on @gardeningfoodie