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This recipe for molten chocolate lava cake is simple to put together and is so impressive once it comes out of the oven. Cut into the cakes while hot and the center will flow with melted chocolate lava! This recipe makes individual servings of cake.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake with bite taken out with a fork

OVERVIEW

  • Skill Level: Beginner

Molten chocolate lava cake, while sort of the cliché romantic dessert, just really never gets old for me. Warm chocolate cake with molten chocolate oozing out of the middle is quite possibly the actual definition of a sexy dessert.

The perfect time to serve this rich dessert is for a romantic Valentine’s Day or Galentine’s Day treat!

A traditional molten chocolate cake recipe requires two separate components: chocolate cake and chocolate ganache. When using this method of making lava cake, you put a ball of ganache (sometimes frozen) in the middle of the cake before you bake it and that is how the center stays molten.

While delicious, I am a bigger fan of this easier method that I am about to show you. My method for making chocolate lava cake does not require a separate recipe for ganache. It is one simple cake recipe that bakes into a rich cake with a silky molten center! It makes the process so incredibly easy.

left side: raw eggs right side: chocolate cake batter

The key to making a cake that is molten, is using a cake recipe that is very light and fairly un-sturdy. The majority of the cake is melted chocolate, eggs, butter, and sugar. There is only a small amount of flour to hold the structure.

Baking these cakes at a high temperature for a short amount of time is what sets the exterior to rise and hold some structure while the inside of the cake stays gooey. Cutting into the cake with a spoon is the magic of this dessert.

Tips for making perfect lava cakes

  • Bake at a high temperature for a short amount of time. This process allows the outside to get firm and set while keeping the middle molten. This is the magic of lava cakes.
  • Test bake one cake to start! The hardest part of perfecting this recipe is in the bake time. Slightly underbaked and you’ll have a liquid mess, slightly over-baked and the center won’t be molten. Everyone’s oven is slightly different so I suggest baking one ramekin to test. Adjust the bake time according to how that cake turned out.
  • Here’s how to tell if the lava cake is perfectly baked: set your oven timer to the shortest time advised and then check it. The cake should be puffed and the edges surrounding the ramekin should be set. The top of the cake should have a set crust that when you press gently on it with your finger has a slight wobble to it. The top crust should move just a little bit with your finger. If it’s too wobbly add one more minute of baking and check again. If it wobbles just a little bit then it’s ready to come out.
  • Serve hot! The warmer the cakes are served, the better ooze of the molted center which is what makes this dessert so impressive.
  • Add toppings like beautiful red berries, fresh mint, vanilla ice cream, or a quick dusting of powdered sugar.

How to make molten chocolate lava cake

This recipe makes 6 individual servings of lava cake. If you only need 4 servings, you can easily divide the recipe by 3 and then multiple by 2. You will end up needing 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks instead of 3 of each.

Prepare the ramekins

ramekins sprayed with non-stick spray and dusted with cocoa powder

Grease 6 oven-safe ramekins (each ramekin should hold 5-6 ounces) well with butter or non-stick spray. If you are not baking these immediately, you should also dust the ramekins with cocoa powder to help prevent sticking. I did this extra step to ensure the cakes don’t stick.

Make the batter

melting chocolate and butter in a pot on the stovetop
powdered sugar and eggs being whisked together
dry ingredients added to batter

Place the butter and chocolate in a heavy bottomed pot and melt on the stovetop over medium-low. Stir until silky smooth and fully melted. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool slightly while you continue making the batter.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the whole eggs, egg yolks, and powdered sugar together until smooth. If the powdered sugar is still clumpy after heavily whisking then your eggs are probably too cold. Set the bowl over the pot of melted chocolate and let some of the residual heat warm the bottom of the bowl. Whisk until smooth.

Slowly stream in the melted chocolate into the egg mixture using a rubber spatula. Add the flour and salt to the batter and mix until you no longer see streaks of flour.

Bake

lava cake batter divided into ramekins

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared ramekins.

Bake on 425°F (218°C) for 14-16 minutes until the edges are set but the middle is still jiggly. Immediately after coming out of the oven, run a butter or pairing knife around the edges of the ramekin to ensure the sides don’t stick.

lava cake right out of the oven still in the ramekin
lava cake right after removing from ramekin

Place a plate over top of the ramekin and quickly (but carefully) flip the ramekin and plate over to turn out the cake. Use an oven mitt or kitchen towel so you don’t burn your hand.

Don’t worry if you see a little bit of runny chocolate come out one side of the cake. That means you have a perfectly molten cake. If you see runny chocolate coming out of all sides of the cake after flipping it, then it is under-baked.

If desired, dust with powdered sugar, top with fresh fruit or vanilla ice cream. Serve hot!

Storage and Make-Ahead Chocolate Lava Cakes

How to store leftover baked lava cakes: After baking, remove the cake from the ramekin as directed. Let cool completely and then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To reheat, microwave for 20-30 seconds and serve hot.

*I’ve tested this technique several times and the lava center comes out gooey and molten a little over half of the time. So although not ideal, it is possible to reheat uneaten cakes. The worst case scenario is that the center is no longer liquid molten and you have a regular cooked chocolate cake which is still delicious!

How to make-ahead lava cakes: After dividing the batter into ramekins, place a piece of plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Remove from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Bake as directed adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time.

MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!

If you loved this delicious recipe, you might like to try another dessert that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake with bite taken out with a fork
Yield: 6 Servings

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 34 minutes

This recipe for molten chocolate lava cake is simple to put together and is so impressive once it comes out of the oven. Cut into the cakes while still hot and the center will flow with melted chocolate lava! This recipe makes 6 individual servings of cake.

Ingredients

  • 150 grams (1 cup, 6 ounces) chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, I like to use bittersweet chocolate about 60%
  • 140 grams (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 3 large whole eggs, room temperature
  • 3 egg yolks, room temperature
  • 180 grams (1 ½ cups) powdered sugar
  • large pinch of kosher salt
  • 60 grams (½ cup) all-purpose flour

Instructions

PREP

  1. Set out the eggs (3 whole eggs + 3 egg yolks) to come to room temperature. Dice the unsalted butter (140 grams/ 10 tablespoons) and set aside. Measure out the rest of the ingredients.
  2. Grease 6 oven-safe ramekins (each ramekin should hold 5-6 ounces) well with butter or non-stick spray. Note: If you are not baking these immediately, you should also dust the ramekins with cocoa powder to help prevent sticking.
  3. If baking immediately, preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).

Make the Lava Cakes

  1. Place the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (150 grams/ 1 cup) and the diced unsalted butter in a heavy bottom pot over low heat on the stovetop. Stir continuously until melted and completely smooth. Remove from the heat to cool slightly.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks. Add the powdered sugar (180 grams/ 1 ½ cups) into the bowl and whisk until combined.
  3. Using a rubber spatula, slowly stream the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture while stirring continuously.
  4. Add the salt (large pinch) and all-purpose flour (60 grams/ ½ cup) into the bowl and stir just until combined.
  5. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared ramekins.
  6. If baking immediately: Bake for 14-16 minutes until the edges are set but the middle is still jiggly.
  7. If baking later in the day: Place a piece of plastic wrap loosely over the ramekins and refrigerate until ready to bake. Remove from the refrigerator 20 minutes before going into the oven to take the chill off the ramekins. Bake for 16-18 minutes until the edges are set but the middle is still jiggly.
  8. Immediately after coming out of the oven, run a butter knife around the sides to loosen. Place a plate over top of the ramekin and quickly (but carefully) flip the ramekin and plate over to turn out the cake.
  9. Dust with powdered sugar, top with fresh fruit or vanilla ice cream, and serve immediately.

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© Baker Bettie
Category: All Recipes