Easy Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes (Only 8-Ingredients)
Made with just 8 ingredients, these chocolate lava cakes are incredibly easy (and impressive), with a cakey shell and molten, fudgy interior. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, they’re the ultimate decadent dessert fit for any Valentine’s dinner or celebration!
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, folks, and that means it’s time for all things chocolate! For me, there’s no better way to celebrate the holiday of love than with one of these lava cakes—warm, chocolatey, and indulgent, they make the perfect dessert for your Valentine (or Galentine)!
What is a Chocolate Lava Cake?
Chocolate lava cakes are a type of sponge cake that’s purposefully undercooked (though still safe to eat) to maintain a gooey, molten interior once served. Typically served in ramekins, this dessert is rich, decadent, and chocolatey, most often served with a dollop of ice cream or whipped cream to finish!
Chocolate Lava Cake Ingredients
The best part about this recipe is that it only requires 8 ingredients, most of which are pantry staples that you already have on hand! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter. You’ll melt together the butter and chocolate to form a ganache, which will add moisture and stability to the cake.
- Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. Since chocolate is the primary flavor, I recommend using the highest-quality brand you can find. Chopped chocolate from a bar is great, but you can also use chocolate chips if needed.
- Eggs and egg yolks. A combination of whole eggs and egg yolks provide a balance of structure and richness for the perfect molten interior.
- Powdered sugar. A lot of recipes call for granulated sugar, but I find that powdered sugar makes a smoother texture once cooked without any grittiness from sugar granules.
- Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. Vanilla acts as a flavor enhancer in baked goods. I recommend vanilla bean paste if you want to splurge, but vanilla extract does the trick just as well!
- All-purpose flour. Flour adds the needed structure to the batter and keeps it from collapsing once flipped out.
- Kosher salt. To balance the chocolate’s sweetness and enhance other flavors.
- Espresso powder (optional). It’s super subtle, but the bitterness from the coffee will help balance out the cake’s sweetness.
How to Serve Chocolate Lava Cakes
Once out of the oven, lava cakes should be served immediately to maintain their liquid chocolate core. Run a knife along the edges of the ramekins to release the cakes, then *carefully* flip them out onto a plate or serving dish. Once cooled, I like to serve mine with:
- Peanut butter. I’m always down for a chocolate-peanut butter combo. If you want to go this route, tuck a spoonful of peanut butter in the middle of the lava cake batter (being sure to cover) before baking. The result? A perfectly molten, peanut-buttery lava cake interior. Mind = blown.
- Powdered sugar. A simple garnish, but it does a lot to elevate the presentation!
- Vanilla ice cream. My go-to. Nothing beats the balance of warm, molten chocolate and cool, melty ice cream!
- Whipped cream. For a lighter alternative to ice cream that’s just as good.
- Fresh berries. Raspberries and strawberries are best!
- Flaky salt. As a garnish to balance the sweetness.
Chocolate Lava Cake FAQ
While simple to make, there are a few tips and tricks you should keep in mind to get perfectly cooked cakes every time! Here are the most-asked questions with answers:
- Why is my lava cake not molten on the inside? If you bake the cakes for too long, the batter will continue to cook and solidify until no longer molten on the inside. You’ll know they’re done baking when the edges are firm and the top is matte but still runny. A toothpick inserted in the edge of the cake should come away clean, but one inserted into the middle should be coated in chocolate.
- Why did my cakes stick? You probably didn’t grease your ramekins enough. Make sure you fully coat the ramekins with unsalted butter and cocoa powder, being sure to tap out the excess. Once the cakes are out of the oven, run a knife along the edges to release them from the ramekins before flipping out.
- What if I don’t have a ramekin? No worries! You can easily use a muffin tin, Pyrex baking dish, or oven-safe bowl. You’ll probably need to adjust the cook time, so keep an eye on the cakes and make sure they don’t overbake!
- Can I make the lava cakes ahead of time? Yes—since this recipe doesn’t use any chemical leaveners like baking soda or powder, there’s no rush to get them into the oven! You can make them the day ahead of time—just portion the batter into ramekins, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you want to bake (no need to let them come to room temperature). Lava cakes baked from the fridge may need 1-2 more minutes’ cook time.
- Can I make this recipe for two? Yes! Just halve the ingredients—no need to change anything else!
Happy baking, and have a happier Valentine’s day!
xoxo
Chocolate Lava Cakes
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, plus more for the ramekins
- 6 ounces chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ cup sifted powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 3 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- A pinch of espresso powder (optional)
- Cocoa powder, for the ramekins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉, then grease 4 (6-ounce) ramekins with softened unsalted butter. Coat the inside of each ramekin with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess, and evenly space them on top of a baking sheet.
- Add the butter and chopped chocolate in a small saucepot over medium heat (you can also use a microwave, melting everything in 30-second intervals). Stir with a rubber spatula until melted and smooth, then remove the pot from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Place the eggs, egg yolks, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whip everything together with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until pale, thick, and ribbony.
- Once no longer hot, scrape the chocolate ganache into the whipped egg mixture and fold until evenly combined with no streaks. Gently stir in the flour, salt, and espresso powder (if using), folding until just combined.
- Evenly divide the batter between each ramekin. At this point, the ramekins can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day before baking.
- Bake the lava cakes for 10-15 minutes, until the edges are firm and the top is matte, set, but still runny. A toothpick inserted in the edge of the cake should come away clean, but one inserted into the middle should be coated in chocolate. Lava cakes baked from the fridge may need 1-2 more minutes' cook time.
- Allow the cakes to cool for 1-2 minutes before running a knife along the edges to loosen them. Carefully invert each ramekin onto serving plates. Lightly dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
