Chocolate lava cakes
Individual chocolate lava cakes with a crisp edge and a warm, molten center. Five pantry ingredients, 15 minutes of prep and a 13-minute bake.
52% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Cooking
- 13 min
- Resting
- 1 min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 620
- Protein
- 8 g
- Per serving
- $1.66
Why this recipe works
Lava cakes look like a restaurant dessert but use just chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs and a little flour. You can fill the ramekins hours ahead and bake them while you clear the table.
- Two whole eggs plus two yolks give the batter enough structure to hold its shape but leave the middle soft and runny.
- A hot 425°F oven sets the outside quickly while the center stays liquid; pulling the cakes when the edges are firm but the middle still jiggles is the whole trick.
- Buttering the ramekins and dusting them with cocoa makes the cakes release cleanly when you turn them out.
Ingredients
To serve
You will need
- Four 6-oz ramekins
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Heatproof bowl
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Prepare the ramekins
Heat the oven to 425°F. Brush four 6-ounce ramekins with the softened butter, add the cocoa and tap it around to coat, then tip out the excess. Set them on a baking sheet.
Melt the chocolate
Melt the chocolate and the ½ cup butter in a heatproof bowl in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth, about 1½ minutes in total. Let it cool for 2 minutes.
Make the batter
Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and yolks one at a time, then the vanilla and salt. Fold in the flour until no dry streaks remain.
Bake
Divide the batter among the ramekins. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are firm and set but the center still wobbles when you nudge the pan.
Turn out
Rest 1 minute, then run a thin knife around the edge of each cake. Put a small plate on top, flip, and lift off the ramekin. Serve at once with ice cream or berries.
Techniques in this recipe
White, 1–2 min: sauces and casseroles Blond, about 5 min: gravies Brown, 15+ min: gumbo (thickens less) Make a smooth roux
Cook flour in melted butter for a minute, then whisk in the liquid gradually. It thickens sauces, gravies and casseroles without lumps.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- Ovens vary, so bake one test cake first if you're making these for guests. Note the minute it looks right, and bake the rest to that time.
- Make ahead: fill the ramekins, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
- No ramekins? Use a well-greased 6-cup muffin tin and bake 8 to 10 minutes. You'll get six smaller cakes.
Nutrition per serving
620 calories
$1.66 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 5% of calories | 8 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 35% of calories | 55 g |
| Fat | 60% of calories | 42 g |
| Fiber | 3 g | |
| Sodium | 290 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
What's the difference between a lava cake and a chocolate fondant?
They're the same dessert under two names: an individual chocolate cake baked so the center stays molten. 'Fondant' is the usual name in the UK and France.
Why didn't my lava cake have a molten center?
It baked a minute or two too long, or the oven runs hot. Pull the cakes when the edges are set but the middle still jiggles.
Is the runny center safe to eat?
The center is soft-set egg. If you're serving young children, pregnant guests or anyone with a weakened immune system, use pasteurized eggs, or bake 2 minutes longer for a fudgy center.
