Chocolate Lava Cakes

Yield

• Servings: 4
• Serving size: 1 cake (6 oz / 170 ml)
• Total yield: 4 cakes (6 oz / 170 ml ramekins)

Time

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 14 min
• Total: 24 min

 

• Active: 10 min

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter: 113 g (½ cup) — plus extra for greasing
• Dark or semisweet chocolate: 170 g — 60–70%
• Granulated sugar: 100 g (1/2 cup)
• Eggs: 2 large + 2 large yolks
• All-purpose flour: 30 g (1/4 cup)
• Fine salt: 1/4 tsp
• Vanilla extract or instant espresso powder: 1 tsp — optional
• Cocoa powder: Enough to dust ramekin interiors

Instructions

1. Preparation

• Preheat oven to 425°F / 220°C.
• Grease 4 ramekins with butter and dust with cocoa. Set on a baking sheet.

2. Melt chocolate and butter

• Melt chocolate and butter together:
  • Microwave: 20-second bursts, stirring between each.
  • Double boiler: bowl over simmering water, stir until smooth.
  • Stir with a spatula.
• Cool 3–5 min.

3. Whisk eggs and sugar

• In a bowl, whisk:
  • Eggs
  • Yolks
  • Sugar
  • Salt

Whisk until slightly lightened and foamy. The mixture should still flow freely.

Breville electric hand mixer: Whisk with rubber coated beater attachment on setting 3 for ~30-45 seconds.

4. Combine

• Whisk 1/3 of the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture to loosen the egg mixture.
• Fold the remaining 2/3 of melted chocolate into the egg mixture.
• Sift flour over the top and fold just until no dry spots remain.
• Stir in vanilla or espresso, if using.

5. Fill ramekins

• Divide batter evenly among ramekins.

• For extra-molten centers, chill the filled ramekins 10–15 min.

• Variation: press a 10–12 g square of chocolate, caramel, or peanut butter into the center before baking for a guaranteed lava core.

6. Bake

• Bake until edges are set and the top is matte, but the center (about 1 in / 2–3 cm circle) is soft and jiggles when nudged.
• From room temp: 12–14 min

• From chilled: 14–16 min

• Doneness cue: if the top is shiny all over, bake 1–2 min more; if no jiggle remains, it is overbaked (still tasty, more like a brownie cake).

7. Finish

• Rest 1 min.
• Loosen edges with a thin knife, invert onto plates, wait 10 sec, then lift off.
• Serve immediately.

Notes / Make-ahead / Variations

• Make-ahead: fill, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 h (bake 14–16 min) or freeze up to 1 month (bake 16–18 min).
  • Reheating from frozen options:
    • Bake @ 400°F / 205°C for 17–19 min.
    • Let sit for 10-15min at room temp and bake from chilled.

Nutrition

Nutrient	Full Recipe	Per Serving (1 cake (6 oz / 170 ml))
Calories	2544	636
Protein	34.4 g	8.6 g
Fat	166 g	41.5 g
Carbs	228.4 g	57.1 g
Fiber	8 g	2 g
Sugars	168 g	42 g
Sodium	600 mg	150 mg