molten chocolate lava cakes

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes are an impressive and decadent treat you can make at home. They require just 7 ingredients and 20 minutes from start to finish! The recipe is perfectly portioned for two people, making it the perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day.

this recipe

Can’t you just imagine taking that first bite of decadent chocolate cake, and seeing that river of chocolate spill out? Perhaps mingling with a scoop of vanilla ice cream? Swoon! Let’s learn how to make these – it couldn’t be easier!

Why you’ll love these Lava Cakes:

• Molten Chocolate Centers – These molten lava cakes have molten chocolate centers that gush out when you dig into them. Prepare to swoon, chocolate lovers!
• Rich Chocolate Cake – These cakes are rich, but perfectly balanced in sweetness.
• Perfectly Portioned for Two – This recipe makes two molten cakes – perfect for Valentine’s Day! (There are notes about changing the yield in the FAQs at the bottom of the post.) Need one giant lava cake instead? Try my Chocolate Pudding Cake!

Ingredient Overview:

As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).

• Bittersweet Chocolate – This can be found in the baking aisle, near the other chocolate in most grocery stores. Use baking chocolate bars, not chocolate chips.
• Semi-sweet Chocolate – Combining semi sweet and bitter sweet chocolates keep these cakes nice and rich, without being too sweet. Use baking chocolate bars, not chocolate chips.
• Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
• Eggs & Egg Yolks – Use large eggs for best results.
• Vanilla Extract – Use real vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• All-Purpose Flour – Flour provides structure, but we’re using very little compared to the other ingredients to help give that molten texture on the inside.

Recipe Variations & Substitutions:

• Dairy-free – Use your favorite dairy-free butter sticks and dairy-free chocolate to make this recipe dairy-free.
• Ice Cream – Top this with flavored ice cream for a fun twist! I recommend salted caramel, raspberry, or mint chip.
• Ramekin Alternatives – See FAQs below for other baking dish options (no need to run out and buy ramekins just for this!)

How to Make Molten Lava Cakes:

Step 1: Start the Lava Cake Batter. Melt chocolate and butter together in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks, along with a splash of vanilla. In another small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. 

Step 2: Finish the Batter. Add the egg mixture and the dry ingredients to the bowl with the chocolate mixture and gently fold together with a rubber spatula. It will be a bit lumpy, so switch to a whisk to gently whisk until smooth. It will be slightly thick – like a brownie batter.

Step 3: Prepare your Ramekins and Bake your Cakes. Butter each of your ramekins well and dust them with cocoa powder – this ensures that the cakes will come out easily once they’re finished baking! Place ramekins on a baking sheet if desired. Bake as directed in the recipe card below.

Expert Tip: The bake time is very important here – we want to ensure that the centers come out perfectly molten. The edges will look set and cakey, but the centers of the top of the cakes should look just shy of fully baked, with a bit of a glisten or shine.

Serving + Storing:

Let cakes rest in the dish for 1 minute, then invert them onto plates and serve immediately. If you’re feeling extra decadent, drizzle them with my easy 10-minute Salted Caramel Sauce or my 10-Minute Raspberry Coulis.

If you have leftovers, refrigerate in an airtight container and reheat gently in the microwave. They’re actually pretty good this way, but I still recommend enjoying them fresh from the oven!

Expert Success Tips:

• Don’t Over Bake – Follow the doneness indicators given in the recipe card for best results. If you over bake, these lava cakes won’t have that rich molten chocolate center.
• Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
• Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.

FAQs:

Special Tools:

• Ramekins – These ramekins are a similar size to what I used.

More Valentine’s Day Recipes to Love:

• Fudgy Red Velvet Oreo Brownies
• Chocolate Cherry Pie Cookies
• 5-Ingredient Brownies
• White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies
• Jumbo Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
• White Forest Cake

More Chocolate Desserts to Love:

• Mini Chocolate Cake
• Black Forest Chocolate Truffles
• Fudgy Triple Chocolate Skillet Brownie
• Nutella Filled Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream
• Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• No Bake Black Forest Pie
• No Bake Nutella Tart

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