Chocolate Lava Cakes

Cake mix steamed in foil tins. Fudgy center, feeds two hikers or four with restraint.

calories: 200
weight: 3 oz
cal / oz: 67
protein: 2 g
serves: 2, scales
prep: 3 min
cook: 17 min
total time: 20 min
water: 250 ml boiled
cost: $$

Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.

Dessert
Canister stove
Liquid fuel
Backpacking
Winter / snow
Vegetarian
Foil packet
Grab and go
Shelf stable
Dump and stir

Ingredients

Molten chocolate cake mix	1 package	Packit Gourmet or similar, typically 4-serving
Water	1/4 cup	to mix with cake

Method

Mix the cake packet with 1/4 cup water until fully combined. The batter will be thick.
Cut a disposable aluminum muffin tin to fit inside your pot, or form a coil from foil to support individual tins.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
Pour about 1 inch of water into the pot and bring to a rolling boil.
Set the tins into the boiling water and cover the pot tightly.
Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 12 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the pot sit covered for 5 more minutes.
Remove the tins and let cool slightly before eating.

Steam is simpler than baking over a camp stove. A covered pot with an inch of boiling water cooks the cake evenly and keeps it fudgy inside. No timer anxiety, no risk of a dry cake.

Cold weather dessert is practical. The calories genuinely fuel your body through the night, and warm cake morale is real. A commercial mix makes this doable at camp—mixing from scratch would be fiddly and ingredient-heavy.

Packing

Pack the cake envelope and a disposable aluminum muffin tin cut to fit your pot, or pack a piece of foil for forming a dividing coil.

Variations

Mix instant coffee powder into the water before combining with cake mix for a mocha version.
Dust the finished cakes with cocoa powder if carrying it.

https://trailcooking.com/2025/01/28/meal-review-molten-chocolate-lava-cakes

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