Chocolate Lava Cakes Molten (Print View)

Rich, gooey chocolate cakes with soft molten centers, ideal for elegant desserts or special occasions.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chocolate Mixture

01 - 4 oz high-quality dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), chopped
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

→ Batter

03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 large egg yolks
05 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
07 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - Pinch of salt

→ For Serving (optional)

09 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
10 - Fresh berries
11 - Vanilla ice cream

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously butter four 6-ounce ramekins and dust with cocoa powder or flour, tapping out the excess.
02 - In a heatproof bowl over simmering water, melt chocolate and butter together, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
03 - Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and powdered sugar until thick, pale, and slightly foamy, about 2 minutes.
04 - Gently whisk melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until combined. Add vanilla extract and salt.
05 - Sift flour over batter and fold in gently until just combined; avoid overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among ramekins, filling each about three-quarters full.
07 - Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 11 to 13 minutes until edges are set but centers remain soft and slightly jiggly.
08 - Cool cakes for 1 minute. Run a knife around edges, invert onto plates, and remove ramekins. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately with berries and vanilla ice cream if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The molten center is pure theater on a plate, every single time someone cracks into one they gasp a little.
  • You can make the batter the night before and just slide them in the oven when guests arrive, no stress.
  • They taste like something from a fancy restaurant but honestly take less time than roasting vegetables.
02 -
  • The baking time is not flexible, even one extra minute can turn molten into fully baked so set a timer and don't walk away.
  • If you make the batter ahead and refrigerate it, add one to two minutes to the baking time since it goes in cold.
  • Use good chocolate, the kind you'd eat on its own, because there's nowhere for bad chocolate to hide in this recipe.
03 -
  • Butter and dust the ramekins thoroughly, then chill them in the fridge for 10 minutes before filling so the coating sets and the cakes release perfectly.
  • If you're nervous about timing, bake one as a test and adjust the time for the rest, I did this the first few times until I trusted my oven.
  • Use a kitchen timer, not your phone, because you will get distracted and these do not forgive even 60 seconds of daydreaming.

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