Chocolate lava cakes bake in individual ramekins so the outside sets while the middle remains soft. Melt the butter with the chocolate gently, then fold the flour into the batter without overmixing.
Ingredients and helpful notes
Use chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate and butter for the base. Whole eggs and additional yolks give the cakes their rich texture. Powdered sugar and berries are optional toppings.
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, plus additional to grease the ramekins
- 4 ounces high-quality bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Optional: powdered sugar, fresh berries, or whipped cream, for serving
- Optional: cocoa powder, for dusting ramekins
How to make it
Grease and dust four ramekins, melt the chocolate and butter, whisk the eggs with sugar, then combine. Divide the batter and bake only until the edges set; serve warm.
- Get your ramekins and oven ready: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter four 6-ounce ramekins well. To make sure they don’t stick and look better, dust the insides with cocoa powder or flour and then tap out any surplus. This also makes the outside of the cake seem lovely.
Melt the butter and chocolate together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, keeping the bowl above the water. Stir until smooth, then cool briefly.
- Put the sugar and eggs together: In a separate medium dish, mix together the two whole eggs, the two egg yolks, the sugar, and the salt. Whisk the ingredients hard until it is well mixed and a little foamy. This makes the batter lighter.
- Add chocolate to the egg mix: Slowly pour the melted chocolate mixture, which has cooled a little, into the egg and sugar mixture. As you pour, keep whisking to temper the eggs and make sure everything is mixed in well. Wait a minute so you don’t fry the eggs.
- Put in the flour: Use a spatula to gently mix in the 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour until they are just incorporated. Don’t mix anymore when you can’t see any more streaks of flour. At this point, combining too much can make the texture worse.
- Put the Ramekins in: Put the batter evenly into the four prepared ramekins. Put roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of the way full in each ramekin. This gives the cake some space to rise without spilling over.
- Bake until it is perfectly melted: Put the filled ramekins on a baking pan. Put it in the oven that has already been heated for 10 to 12 minutes. The precise time will depend on your oven, but you want the edges to be set and pulled away from the sides of the ramekin, and the middle should still seem soft and a little jiggly. The tops can have a little shine on them.
- Turn it over and serve: Let the lava cakes cool for just one minute in their ramekins on a wire rack. It’s vital to let them set for a little while so they don’t break when you turn them over. Then, carefully put a serving dish on top of a ramekin and flip them both over quickly. Carefully take the ramekin off. The cake should come out easily. You can carefully run a tiny knife along the edge if it looks stuck.
- Add a garnish and enjoy: For the finest lava effect, serve right away while it’s still warm. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top, add some fresh berries (raspberries are a classic choice), or a dollop of handmade whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. These go great with a cup of our Rich Hot Chocolate.
Practical tips and serving
Use four 6-ounce ramekins. Bake until the edges are set while the centers remain soft; ovens vary, so watch closely. Let the cakes stand for a minute before unmolding. Use pasteurized eggs if serving a soft center to someone at higher risk from undercooked eggs.
For another recipe, see chocolate mousse or hot chocolate ideas.
Make the Best Chocolate Lava Cakes – Easy Molten Recipe
Four individual chocolate lava cakes with set edges and a soft chocolate center. Serve them immediately after baking.
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, plus additional to grease the ramekins
- 4 ounces high-quality bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Optional: powdered sugar, fresh berries, or whipped cream, for serving
- Optional: cocoa powder, for dusting ramekins
- Get your ramekins and oven ready: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter four 6-ounce ramekins well. To make sure they don’t stick and look better, dust the insides with cocoa powder or flour and then tap out any surplus. This also makes the outside of the cake seem lovely.
Melt the butter and chocolate together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, keeping the bowl above the water. Stir until smooth, then cool briefly.
- Put the sugar and eggs together: In a separate medium dish, mix together the two whole eggs, the two egg yolks, the sugar, and the salt. Whisk the ingredients hard until it is well mixed and a little foamy. This makes the batter lighter.
- Add chocolate to the egg mix: Slowly pour the melted chocolate mixture, which has cooled a little, into the egg and sugar mixture. As you pour, keep whisking to temper the eggs and make sure everything is mixed in well. Wait a minute so you don’t fry the eggs.
- Put in the flour: Use a spatula to gently mix in the 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour until they are just incorporated. Don’t mix anymore when you can’t see any more streaks of flour. At this point, combining too much can make the texture worse.
- Put the Ramekins in: Put the batter evenly into the four prepared ramekins. Put roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of the way full in each ramekin. This gives the cake some space to rise without spilling over.
- Bake until it is perfectly melted: Put the filled ramekins on a baking pan. Put it in the oven that has already been heated for 10 to 12 minutes. The precise time will depend on your oven, but you want the edges to be set and pulled away from the sides of the ramekin, and the middle should still seem soft and a little jiggly. The tops can have a little shine on them.
- Turn it over and serve: Let the lava cakes cool for just one minute in their ramekins on a wire rack. It’s vital to let them set for a little while so they don’t break when you turn them over. Then, carefully put a serving dish on top of a ramekin and flip them both over quickly. Carefully take the ramekin off. The cake should come out easily. You can carefully run a tiny knife along the edge if it looks stuck.
- Add a garnish and enjoy: For the finest lava effect, serve right away while it’s still warm. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top, add some fresh berries (raspberries are a classic choice), or a dollop of handmade whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. These go great with a cup of our Rich Hot Chocolate.
Use four 6-ounce ramekins. Bake until the edges are set while the centers remain soft; ovens vary, so watch closely. Let the cakes stand for a minute before unmolding. Use pasteurized eggs if serving a soft center to someone at higher risk from undercooked eggs.