molten lava cake on a plate with a spoon and raspberry

Easy Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes Recipe

Decadent molten chocolate lava cakes are the perfect quick dessert for any occasion.  A soft, cakey exterior gives way to a gooey, chocolatey center that flows when you cut into it. Ready in less than 30 minutes, this moist chocolate cake uses pantry staples for a perfect last-minute dessert. 

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chocolate lava cake on a plate with a gold spoon and raspberries

We celebrate each birthday in our home with a family dinner, and the birthday person decides the menu. Everyone has their favorite go-to types of desserts. My boys are pretty predictable, Wellington loves anything lemon and Mac always asks for my chocolate cake. While my girls always like to change it up a bit and try something new.

Since Scott’s birthday is just days before Christmas, he typically has a hard time picking a birthday dessert with so many other treats around. This year, to my surprise, Scott chose chocolate molten lava cakes. These individual chocolate cakes are a blast from the past.

What Are Lava Cakes?

This familiar trend from the 1980s and 90s might be where my age shows. If you are a child of the 90s, then you’re familiar with these special cakes initially found only in high-end restaurants. Lava cakes are individual-sized chocolate cakes that are deliberately underbaked and served warm. The cake breaks open to give way to a soft center that flows out, giving the appearance of lava. Warm, gooey, with a fudge-like chocolate flavor. They are amazing! 

The good news is that they’re no longer just for fancy restaurants and are simple to make at home with a short ingredient list. So whip up a batch of these special cakes, whether you’re celebrating special occasions, like Valentine’s Day or an anniversary, or just because.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Delicious – Typically, I’m a sucker for any type of chocolate but molten lava cakes are a special kind of chocolate treat. Served warm so their soft, flowing center gives way makes these treats unlike any other.
  • Small amount of cake – The small serving sizes provide the flexibility to create a sweet dessert for 4 without leftovers. This easy chocolate lava cake recipe doubles beautifully if you need to feed a larger crowd.
  • Quick – With a short bake time, this molten cake recipe is ready in minutes. 
chocolate molten lava cake on a plate with a bite on a gold spoon

Equipment 

  • Ramekins – Individual 6-ounce ramekins are my preferred choice when making molten lava cakes. But don’t let not having ramekins stop you from enjoying lava cakes and use a muffin pan instead. Adjust baking time to 8-10 minutes, depending on the size of the muffin pan.
  • Large mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Saucepan
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons

Ingredients

  • Butter – Use unsalted butter softened to room temperature for easy creaming. 
  • Sugar – I like to use cane sugar instead of white, granulated sugar since it’s less refined. 
  • Eggs – Some molten cake recipes call for a combination of whole eggs and egg yolks, but this molten lava cake recipe is simplified with whole eggs. Let the eggs warm to room temperature for easy mixing.
  • Flour – Use all-purpose flour.
  • Salt – Flavors baked goods. 
  • Vanilla extract – Adds another layer of dimension. 
  • Chocolate—Chocolate is the key ingredient, so make sure to use high-quality chocolate. I suggest using bittersweet, dark, or semi-sweet chocolate, which are not overly sweet. The bitter notes bring balance to the rich molten chocolate center.
  • Cocoa powder – Use to dust the ramekins for easy removal. Use a light dusting of flour if you don’t have cocoa powder. 
  • Powdered sugar – Optional for dusting the top of the cake. 

How To Make Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

Molten chocolate cakes come together with 7 pantry staple ingredients for a simple, yet decadent dessert.

Prep

Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C  with the baking rack in the middle position.

Grease the side and bottom of the ramekin with butter and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess. Repeat with the remaining ramekins. 

Melting the Chocolate

Create a double boiler to melt the chocolate.

Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and place it on the stove over medium heat, bringing to a boil. Place a heat-proof bowl that’s larger than the saucepan on top of the saucepan.

Add the chocolate to the bowl and reduce the heat to medium-low. As the steam heats the bowl, it will begin to melt the chocolate. Remove the bowl from the saucepan when half of the chocolate is half is soft. Stir the chocolate continually until the remaining chocolate is smooth; set aside to cool.

Mixing the Cake Batter

Cream butter and sugar in a separate bowl. Beat the egg and vanilla extract with the butter mixture until it’s light and smooth.

Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients and fold them in until just combined. Add the melted chocolate mixture, stirring until fully combined. 

Bake

Place the prepared ramekins onto a baking sheet. Fill each ramekin 3/4 full of the chocolate cake batter.

Place in the oven and bake for 14-15 minutes. The cakes are done when the edges are set and the centers give a slight wobble.

Serve

Run a knife along the edge of the top of each ramekin to loosen the cake from the sides of the ramekin.

Place the serving plate upside down on top of the ramekin. Using hot pads, flip the plate and ramekin over at the same time. Slowly lift the ramekin, ensuring the cake is released from the ramekin. Repeat with the remaining lava cakes.

FAQs

How Can You Tell If The Molten Lava Cakes Are Done?

Knowing when the molten chocolate cakes are ready is easier than you think. The sides of the cakes bake until they are set while the rest maintains a gooey center. The center wobbles when you give it a slight jiggle, indicating that the center is still soft and underbaked. To check, Inserting a toothpick at the edge of the cake will come out clean while inserting into the center comes out chocolatey. 

Can I Make Molten Cakes Ahead Of Time?  

Molten lava cakes can be made ahead of time in a few different ways. 
Option one is to bake the lava cakes, reducing the bake time by a minute or two, and allow to cool. Warm for a few minutes before serving.
Option two is to make the cake batter as directed, cover it, and refrigerate it in the bowl or ramekins. Once ready to serve, divide the cake batter into the ramekins and place it in the oven. The short bake time is ideal to serve cakes fresh from the oven.

How Do I Serve Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes?

Lava cakes with their molten centers are delicious on their own, however it never hurts to add a fruity or creamy element to complement the richness of the chocolate. Try some of these pairings:
-Whipped cream
-A scoop of ice cream
-Fresh berries, like raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries. 
-Drizzle the tops with hot fudge or a berry syrup.

Why Does My Lava Cake Not Have A Molten Center? 

A lava cake without a molten center means that the cake was overbaked. Reduce the baking time the next time you make them. Each oven is different, so be sure to start checking the cake’s doneness a few minutes before the baking time is up. Remember, it’s better to err on the side of being underbaked because you can always let the cakes bake longer, but you can’t undo an overbaked cake. 

molten lava cake on a plate with a spoon and raspberry
molten lava cake on a plate with a spoon and raspberry

Easy Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes Recipe

Leisha Lockrem
Decadent molten chocolate lava cakes are the perfect quick dessert for any occasion.  A soft, cakey exterior gives way to a gooey, chocolatey center that flows when you cut into it. Ready in less than 30 minutes, this moist chocolate cake uses pantry staples for a perfect last-minute dessert. 
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4

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Equipment

  • 4 ramekins
  • 1 saucepan
  • 2 large bowl
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons

Ingredients
  

  • 56 g unsalted butter 4 tbsp
  • 67 g sugar ⅓ cup
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 42 g all-purpose flour ⅓ cup
  • 240 g chocolate 1 ⅓ cup
  • 1 tbsp confectioner's sugar optional
  • 1-2 tbsp cocoa powder to dust the ramekins
  • 1-2 tsp butter to grease the ramekins

Instructions
 

Prep

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C  with the baking rack in the middle position.
  • Grease the side and bottom of the ramekin with butter and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess. Repeat with the remaining ramekins.

Melting the Chocolate

  • Create a double boiler to melt the chocolate.
  • Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and place it on the stove over medium heat, bringing to a boil. Place a heat-proof bowl that’s larger than the saucepan on t
  • Add chocolate to the bowl and reduce the heat to medium-low. As the steam heats the bowl, it will begin to melt the chocolate.
  • Once the chocolate is half melted, remove the bowl from the saucepan and stir the chocolate until it's all melted and smooth; set aside.

Mixing the Cake Batter

  • Cream butter and sugar in a separate bowl.
  • Beat the egg and vanilla extract with the butter mixture until it's light and smooth.
  • Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients and fold them in until just combined.
  • Add the melted chocolate mixture, stirring until fully combined.

Bake

  • Place the prepared ramekins onto a baking sheet.
  • Fill each ramekin 3/4 full of the chocolate cake batter. Place in the oven and bake for 14-15 minutes. The cakes are done when the edges are set and the centers give a slight wobble.

Serve

  • Run a knife along the edge of the top of each ramekin to loosen the cake from the sides of the ramekin.
  • Place the serving plate upside down on top of the ramekin. Using hot pads, flip the plate and ramekin over at the same time. Slowly lift the ramekin, making sure that the cake releases from the ramekin. Repeat with the remaining lava cakes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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One Comment

  1. Leisha Lockrem says:

    5 stars
    I know you’re going to LOVE this recipe! It’s one of our family favorites. Plus, don’t forget that you can leave a comment or ask me a question here, and I’ll get back to you!

5 from 1 vote

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