Chocolate Lava Cakes
Time
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 14 min
- Total: 24 min
Servings: 4
Serving: 1 cake (170 g / ~6 oz)
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: 113 g (½ cup) — plus extra for greasing
- Dark chocolate: 170 g — 60-70%; or semisweet
- Granulated sugar: 100 g (½ cup)
- Eggs: 2 large
- Egg yolks: 2 large
- All-purpose flour: 30 g (¼ cup)
- Fine salt: ¼ tsp
- Vanilla extract: 1 tsp — or instant espresso powder; optional
- Cocoa powder: 4 tsp — for dusting 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 170 g dark chocolate and 113 g (½ cup) unsalted 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:
- 2 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp fine 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 30 g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour over the top and fold just until no dry spots remain.
- Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract 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.
- Reheating from frozen options:
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Full Recipe | Per Serving (1 cake or 170 g / ~6 oz) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 2516 | 629 |
| Protein | 32 g | 8 g |
| Fat | 164.8 g | 41.2 g |
| Carbs | 230.8 g | 57.7 g |
| Fiber | 15.2 g | 3.8 g |
| Sugars | 183.2 g | 45.8 g |
| Sodium | 796 mg | 199 mg |