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Pumpkin White Chocolate (Slow Cooker) Lava Cake

by Tina Verrelli 34 Comments
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ADDED: Directions to Bake in Oven – See Notes section of recipe.

Pumpkin White Chocolate (Slow Cooker) Lava Cake

Updated to add Oven baking directions. See Notes section.
Tina Verrelli – epicuricloud.com
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake, cream cheese, fall dessert, Lava cake, pumpkin spice, slow cooker
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 10

Equipment

  • 1 Slow cooker 6 quart - Baking results may vary depending upon brand/shape of slow cooker, I used a KitchenAid 6 qt oval shaped slow cooker.

Ingredients

Slow Cooker Prep

  • nonstick baking spray

Cake Ingredients:

  • 1 spice cake mix
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree from can, not pumpkin pie filling
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup neutral oil such as canola or avocado
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

White Chocolate "Lava" Filling Ingredients:

  • 1 package, 3.4 oz. instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 brick, 8 oz. cream cheese – cut into chunks room temperature
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips

Optional – Whipped Cream – for topping:

  • 2 cups cold heavy cream sometimes called "whipping cream"
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Instant vanilla pudding mix if you want to make up to a day ahead

Instructions 

Prep Slow Cooker:

  • I used a KitchenAid oval 6qt slow cooker – baking times/results may vary depending upon slow cooker brand/size/shape.
  • Spray with non-stick spray

Prepare Cake:

  • Add all of the cake mix ingredients (Cake Mix, pumpkin, eggs, oil, vanilla) to slow cooker and mix with a hand mixer* or by hand.
    (*My slow cooker has a ceramic insert and is safe to use with my hand mixer – you can alternatively mix in a bowl and pour into slow cooker, if your slow cooker is not metal utensil safe.)

Prepare White Chocolate Lava Filling:

  • In a separate bowl, mix together pudding and milk. Allow to set for about 5 minutes – will thicken. Mix in vanilla and room temperature cream cheese until smooth.
  • Pour white chocolate filling into the center of the cake mix. Sprinkle with white chocolate chips.

Bake in Slow Cooker:

  • Set slow cooker (covered) to high and cook for approx. 2 hours and 15 minutes. or until the cake around the edges looks risen and baked. The center of the cake will be gooey. (It will have a similar consistency to a baked bread pudding with a creamy sauce poured over top.)

Optional Whipped Cream for Topping:

  • Whip cream, sugar and optional pudding mix with hand mixer or stand mixer (or by hand with whisk).

Notes

To Bake in Oven:

  • Spray 13″ x 9″ baking pan with non-stick spray.
  • (Make sure the pan is at least 2.25 inches deep – the cake will rise pretty high.)
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Prepare Cake and Lava filling as directed in recipe.
  • Pour cake into prepared baking pan, top with lava filling – (I like to leave about an inch of the cake batter showing around the edge of the pan.)
  • Sprinkle with the white chocolate chips.
  • You need to cover the pan to bake.  If your pan doesn’t have an oven-safe lid, you can cover the pan with foil like I did.  My cake did rise and stick a little bit to the foil.  So I would recommend spraying the inside of the foil with non-stick spray.
  • Bake for 30 minutes.  Carefully take a little peak under the foil to see if the cake is pulling away from the side of the dish. (Watch for the hot steam.)  It will still be moist, so won’t look like a traditionally baked cake – it’s more like a steamed cake/pudding.  Re-cover with the foil and keep in oven an extra 5-10 minutes if needed.
  • Remove from oven and let the cake rest about 5-10 minutes.  I keep it covered until serving.  Definitely serve warm.
  • Refrigerate leftovers and rewarm in microwave before enjoying.

Nutrition (approx. data estimated via online nutritional calculator.)

Calories: 483kcal (24%) | Carbohydrates: 54g (18%) | Protein: 7g (14%) | Fat: 27g (42%) | Saturated Fat: 8g (50%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 66mg (22%) | Sodium: 398mg (17%) | Potassium: 373mg (11%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 38g (42%) | Vitamin A: 3981IU (80%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 159mg (16%) | Iron: 3mg (17%)
Tried this recipe?Share it! Tag @epicuricloud – Please Leave A Comment & Rating Below! TY!

Reader Interactions

Comments

      • Yes, we had to take a few liberties as we had limited time to show all those demonstrations! The prep chefs pre-mixed the pudding + milk + cream cheese for me!

        Reply

    • Hi Lonnie! Yes, we had to take a few liberties as we had limited time to show all those demonstrations! The prep chefs pre-mixed the pudding + milk + cream cheese for me!

      Reply

    • Hi Marge – Since there is cream cheese in the lava mixture, I would refrigerate. Most of us can’t fit the large slow cooker insert in the refrigerator, so I would suggest scooping out into a smaller container.

      Reply

    • Hi Sheri – That’s a great idea – When I have some free time, I will figure out the oven timing! Thanks and take care!

      Reply

  8. 1 star
    Just ok….tried it because of what David said…”it was one if the best things he tasted from you…..one of his top 5 favorites “….I did not find it that good…thanks for sharing

    Reply

  9. I’m making this for Thanksgiving. I’ve never made a cake in my slow cooker before, so it will be fun. I just learned that 100% pumpkin is the same as pumpkin purée, so that helped with shopping, as all stores don’t carry the purée.

    It looked delicious, so I’m confident it will be a big hit. Thank you for sharing.

    Mary

    Reply

      • Do you have a recipe for the old Tunnel of Fudge cake? It was a chocolate Bundt cake with a soft center that was like raw brownie dough. It was delish, with chopped walnuts. The essential ingredient was a specific boxed frosting mix that is no longer available. Think the cake was popular in the 70s or 80s. I have no idea how you’d make it, but I really miss it. I’d like to find a working recipe to make.

        Reply

        • Hi Mary! That was originally a Pillsbury Bake-off recipe. yes, I have read about it, I think the original ingredients are no longer available. I would just do an internet search for “Tunnel of Fudge Cake” and see if there’s anything out there.

          Reply

          • I just realized I have a 5 quart slow cooker, instead of 6. Can I use that size for my pumpkin cake, or do I need to borrow a 6 quart cooker?

          • Hi Mary – I would think it would take longer – since I think it will be a deeper cake. But slow cooker brands can vary greatly in their temp. control. I would just start watching it. I will look set around the edges and risen – when it’s finished.

  10. Hello Tina, Can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving! I had an online kitchen products store from 1999 to 2017 until I become a rep for over 20 product lines. Watching you and others on In The Kitchen With David has inspired me to restart my online store again! I enjoy the tips you share on QVC, the one about creaming the butter and sugar for 10 minutes I believe will make a big difference in so many recipes!!!

    Reply

  11. Are the white chocolate chips mixed in with the cream cheese, pudding, etc then put over the cake? The recipe only says to sprinkle the chips over the cake. Very confusing to me. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Hi Cathy – Just sprinkle them over the pudding filling after you pour that over the cake mix part. Does that help?

      Reply

  12. Hi Tina,
    After watching your demonstration of this recipe with David in October, I made for co-workers. It was so good! I am making it again tomorrow for a luncheon. Thanks for sharing such a great, easy recipe! Would you consider making a YouTube video demonstration of this recipe? I like watching demonstrations as well as having the recipe available.
    Great job!!

    Reply

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