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Sarah Holden
Sarah Holden
Sarah Holden is a culinary producer, recipe developer, food stylist, host and cake artist. She studied baking and pastry at the Culinary Institute of America and produced digital culinary videos for Food Network for nearly a decade. She lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband, son, and former street cat. She is also convinced the best food in the world is a perfectly ripe peach.
published Feb 9, 2024
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With its rich molten center, this incredibly decadent cake is for all the chocolate-lovers out there.
Serves4Prep25 minutes to 30 minutesCook10 minutes to 15 minutesJump to Recipe
Jump to Recipe
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Lava cakes, sometimes called molten chocolate cakes or molten lava cakes, are iconic for a reason. Because they’re baked at a high temperature so that the edges bake through but the center remainswarm and batter-like, the result is an incredibly decadent dessert with a cakey exterior and a rich center of flowing chocolate.
Especially popular in the ’90s, chocolate lava cakes have appeared on countless restaurant menus across the United States and, despite feeling fancy, are surprisingly easy to make at home with just a handful of ingredients. Bonus: The batter can be made ahead of time, so it’s an ideal dessert if you’re hosting.
Traditionally, lava cakes are baked in well-greased ramekins dusted with cocoa powder instead of flour to avoid white streaks when they are inverted. If you don’t have ramekins (or want to make smaller servings), they can also be baked in a muffin pan. Just be careful when inverting — it’s easiest to flip all of them out of the muffin tray at once onto an upside-down baking sheet versus transferring the cakes one-by-one to plates for serving.
Key Ingredients in Lava Cake
- Bittersweet chocolate: Because lava cakes have few ingredients, the quality of chocolate you use is important. A 70% bittersweet chocolate adds richness without being overly sweet, ensuring a balanced bite of cake once it’s sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with ice cream.
- Butter and eggs: Together these keep the fat content high for a smooth, velvety, molten center.
How to Make Lava Cake
- Melt the chocolate and butter. Pour hot melted butter over chopped chocolate and stir to melt. (You might have to finish melting in the microwave, but try to avoid getting this mixture too hot.)
- Grease the ramekins. Brush melted butter inside the ramekins, then dust them with cocoa powder.
- Whip the eggs. Mix the eggs, yolks, and sugar in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on high until pale and somewhat fluffy. Stir in the chocolate mixture until combined.
- Finish the batter and bake. Use a spatula to fold in the flour, salt, and vanilla — don’t over-mix! Divide the batter between the ramekins and bake at 400℉ until the edges are set but the center is loose.
- Serve the lava cakes. Let the cakes sit for just a minute before inverting them onto plates (remember to wear an oven mitt!). Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm. These are especially delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
The lava cakes can be assembled in the ramekins, wrapped up tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. To bake, just uncover and bake directly from the refrigerator.
Any leftover cakes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. They’ll have less of a molten center once reheated in the microwave compared to when they were freshly baked.
Lava Cake Recipe
With its rich molten center, this incredibly decadent cake is for all the chocolate-lovers out there.
Prep time 25 minutes to 30 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes to 15 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2
large eggs
- 2
large egg yolks
- 6 ounces
high-quality bittersweet chocolate (about 70%), or scant 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 stick
plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (9 tablespoons, divided)
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
- 1/3 cup
granulated sugar
- 1 pinch
kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons
all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
Place 2 large eggs and 2 large egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit until room temperature.
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400℉.
Finely chop 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate or measure out 1 scant cup bittersweet chocolate chips (no need to chop); place in a medium bowl. Melt 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. Remove 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Pour the remaining butter over the chocolate, then stir to combine and melt the chocolate. If there are still some unmelted pieces of chocolate, heat in the microwave in 10-second increments, stirring well in between, until completely smooth.
Use the reserved melted butter to coat 4 (6-ounce) ramekins. Dust with cocoa powder and shake out the excess. Place on a baking sheet.
Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar to the bowl of eggs. Beat with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until the eggs are pale and thick, about 2 minutes. Add the chocolate mixture and 1 pinch kosher salt. Beat on medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Fold together with a flexible spatula just until the flour is incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the ramekins (about 1/2 cup each).
Bake until the top of the cakes no longer look glossy, the edges have set but the center is very soft, 11 to 12 minutes. Let cool in the ramekins for 1 minute, then carefully invert onto serving plates. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream if desired.
Recipe Notes
Ingredient/equipment variations: These lava cakes can also be baked in a standard muffin tin. Divide the batter between 8 buttered and cocoa power-dusted muffin wells and reduce the baking time to 8 to 9 minutes. Let cool for 1 minute. Invert a baking sheet over the lava cakes. Grasping the baking sheet and muffin tin at the same time (careful, hot!), flip both over. Remove the muffin tin. Carefully transfer the lava cakes to individual plates.
Make ahead: The lava cakes can be assembled in the ramekins, wrapped up tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Uncover and bake directly from the refrigerator for 17 to 19 minutes.
Storage: Leftover cakes (take them out of the ramekins while still warm) can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 3 days. There will be less of a molten center than when they are freshly baked. Reheat in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds.
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Chocolate
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