About this recipe

A rich, gooey slow cooker chocolate lava cake that practically makes itself. Dark chocolate and butter melt into a fudgy batter that self-sauces as it cooks low and slow, creating a tender cake top with a molten hot fudge layer underneath. Perfect for feeding a crowd with minimal effort — just scoop and serve warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Instructions

1. 1

   Lightly grease the insert of a 4- to 6-quart~ slow cooker with butter or cooking spray. Line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper if desired for easier cleanup.

2. 2

   In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, ¼ cup of the unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and fine salt. Add the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract, and stir with a rubber spatula until a thick, smooth batter forms. Spread the batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared slow cooker insert.

3. 3

   In a small mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar and remaining ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Scatter the chopped bittersweet chocolate evenly over the batter, then sprinkle the brown sugar–unsweetened cocoa powder mixture on top. Carefully pour the boiling~ water over everything — do not stir. The layers will look messy; that's exactly right.

4. 4

   Place a double layer of paper towel under the lid to absorb condensation and prevent dripping onto the cake. Cook on ^[HIGH]^ for 2 to 2½ hours~, until the top of the cake looks set and matte but the center still jiggles slightly when you gently shake the insert. Do not lift the lid during the first 2 hours~.

5. 5

   Turn off the slow cooker and let the cake rest uncovered for 15 minutes~ — the fudge sauce will thicken slightly as it cools. Scoop into bowls, making sure to get some of the molten hot fudge from the bottom. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.