Today I’m making a very easy French chocolate dessert that has many names like Lava Cake, Chocolate Fondant or Molten Chocolate Cake.
It only takes 20 minutes to prepare and makes a gorgeous rich chocolate dessert that can be served for a romantic dinner, Valentines Day or any other special occasion.
Ingredients:
100g dark chocolate
80g butter
2 eggs at room temperature
50g sugar
50g all purpose flour
⅛ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
butter + cocoa powder for preparing ramekins
optional for topping: whipped cream, ice cream, berries, chocolate/caramel syrup, powdered sugar
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Step 1
Before making the cake batter, preheat the oven to 350°F degrees (180°C) and prepare the baking dishes. Today I’m using these 7 oz (200ml) ramekins that I’m going to generously cover with butter and dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. If you don’t like the raw taste of cocoa powder, you can use regular flour instead.
*If you don’t have ramekins, you can use any heat proof tea cups or a 6 cup muffin pan, but then you risk damaging the cakes when pulled out the pan.
*Also, be aware that the baking time will change depending on your oven, the size of your ramekins, how much you fill them and how runny you like the middle of the cake.
Step 2
To make the cake batter, start by combining the butter with the chocolate and melt them together using a microwave or a double boiler. I microwaved the chocolate for 30 seconds then I took the bowl out and gave it a stir. If you still have unmelted pieces of chocolate, place the bowl back in the microwave and heat it for another 10-15 seconds and stir it again until it reaches a smooth consistency. Set it aside until needed.
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Using a hand whisk, beat the ingredients together for about 30 seconds.
Step 4
Add the melted chocolate and whisk again. Next, sift in the flour and give it a final whisk.
Step 5
Divide the cake batter equally into the prepared ramekins. I have a large size remikens, so from the specified amount of the ingredients I get two cakes.
Step 6
Place the remikens into a preheated oven and bake at 350°F degrees (180°C) from 10 to 17 minutes depending on the size of your remikens. I bake them until the edges look solid and begin to pull away from the ramekins and the tops are still soft with a slight jiggle in the center. Allow the chocolate lava cakes to cool in the ramekins for 1 minute, then cover each with an inverted plate and use an oven mitt or paper towels to flip them over and release the cakes onto the plate.
Add a scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, dust with powdered sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder, garnish with fresh berries and mint leaves, or drizzle with caramel or chocolate sauce and serve immediately.
*You can also serve the lava cakes inside the ramekin.
Try to not overcook the cakes as overcooking will cause the center to harden and not be gooey. I suggest making one first to test and adjust the baking time. Mine turned out perfect at exactly 17 minutes.
Make sure to watch my YouTube video recipe for step-by-step instructions and see how I make this Chocolate Lava Cake! Want new recipe updates? Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel!
Tips for Making Lava Cake
- Use high quality chocolate. Today I’m using Callebaut dark chocolate but I also like Lindt Excellence Dark chocolate with 70% cocoa.
- To make this chocolate lava cake you can use ramekins, heat proof tea cups or a 6 cup muffin pan, but then you risk damaging the cakes when pulled out the pan.
- The baking time will change depending on your oven, the size of your ramekins, how much you fill them, and how runny you like the middle of the cake.
- You can flavor the chocolate cake batter with vanilla extract, espresso powder or a splash of Bailey liquor.
- Add a scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, dust with powdered sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder, garnish with fresh berries and mint leaves, or drizzle with caramel or chocolate sauce and serve immediately.
How to Make Ahead:
- You can make the cake batter in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To bake the dessert, allow the cake batter to come to room temperature or warm it up over a double boiler. Then divide into the prepared ramekins and bake.
PIN FOR LATER
How to Make Lava Cake
It only takes 20 minutes to prepare and makes a gorgeous rich chocolate dessert that can be served for a romantic dinner, Valentines Day or any other special occasion.
- 100 g dark chocolate
- 80 g butter
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 50 g sugar
- 50 g all purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- butter + cocoa powder for preparing ramekins
Optional for topping:
- whipped cream, ice cream, berries, chocolate/caramel syrup, powdered sugar
-
Before making the cake batter, preheat the oven to 350°F degrees (180°C) and prepare the baking dishes. Today I'm using these 7 oz (200ml) ramekins that I'm going to generously cover with butter and dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. If you don’t like the raw taste of cocoa powder, you can use regular flour instead.
-
To make the cake batter, start by combining the butter with the chocolate and melt them together using a microwave or a double boiler. I microwaved the chocolate for 30 seconds then I took the bowl out and gave it a stir. If you still have unmelted pieces of chocolate, place the bowl back in the microwave and heat it for another 10-15 seconds and stir it again until it reaches a smooth consistency. Set it aside until needed.
-
In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Using a hand whisk, beat the ingredients together for about 30 seconds.
-
Add the melted chocolate and whisk again. Next, sift in the flour and give it a final whisk.
-
Divide the cake batter equally into the prepared ramekins. I have a large size remikens, so from the specified amount of the ingredients I get two cakes.
-
Place the remikens into a preheated oven and bake at 350°F degrees (180°C) from 10 to 17 minutes depending on the size of your remikens. I bake them until the edges look solid and begin to pull away from the ramekins and the tops are still soft with a slight jiggle in the center.
Allow the chocolate lava cakes to cool in the ramekins for 1 minute, then cover each with an inverted plate and use an oven mitt or paper towels to flip them over and release the cakes onto the plate.
-
Add a scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, dust with powdered sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder, garnish with fresh berries and mint leaves, or drizzle with caramel or chocolate sauce and serve immediately.
Try to not overcook the cakes as overcooking will cause the center to harden and not be gooey. I suggest making one first to test and adjust the baking time. Mine turned out perfect at exactly 17 minutes.
Tips for Making Lava Cake
- Use high quality chocolate. Today I’m using Callebaut dark chocolate but I also like Lindt Excellence Dark chocolate with 70% cocoa.
- To make this chocolate lava cake you can use ramekins, heat proof tea cups or a 6 cup muffin pan, but then you risk damaging the cakes when pulled out the pan.
- The baking time will change depending on your oven, the size of your ramekins, how much you fill them, and how runny you like the middle of the cake.
- You can flavor the chocolate cake batter with vanilla extract, espresso powder or a splash of Bailey liquor.
- Add a scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, dust with powdered sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder, garnish with fresh berries and mint leaves, or drizzle with caramel or chocolate sauce and serve immediately.
How to Make Ahead:
- You can make the cake batter in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To bake the dessert, allow the cake batter to come to room temperature or warm it up over a double boiler. Then divide into the prepared ramekins and bake.
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Heart Shaped Choux Au Craquelin
Heart Shaped Buns
Heart Shaped Cookie Cake
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