This Chocolate Lava Cake is so rich, fudgy, and downright indulgent. You won’t believe how easy this heavenly chocolate dessert is to make!
If you love decadent desserts, then you should try these Chocolate Cake Pops and Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I love this Chocolate Lava Cake recipe because it’s easy to prep ahead and sinfully delicious. If you want to impress your guests with a warm dessert, this one is the way to go!
- TASTE: Chock full of sweet chocolate and buttery flavor, these mini cakes are to die for. Topped with powdered sugar, they will satisfy any sweet tooth.
- TEXTURE: This lava cake is light and fluffy on the outside with a gooey, rich chocolate center.
- TIME: This dessert takes less than 25 minutes to make!
- EASE: Easy to make and with only a few ingredients, this Chocolate Lava Cake recipe is nice and simple.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Semisweet chocolate chips- These melt down to create both the outer cake and gooey center. If you use a block of chocolate, make sure to chop it into small pieces before melting.
- Butter- This ingredient gives the center tons of rich flavor and keeps the cake moist.
- Eggs- These are important for giving the cake an airy texture on the outside. It’s the only leavening agent in the recipe.
- Powdered sugar- Adds tons of sweetness without weighing it down. Also makes the perfect topping.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute different chocolate- You can make lava cake with dark chocolate, bittersweet, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate for different flavor profiles.
- Make this gluten-free- Substitute gluten-free flour in this recipe to make it gluten-friendly.
- Add coffee- Coffee and chocolate pair really well together, so consider adding a spoonful of instant coffee or espresso powder to the batter.
- Leave out the dairy- To make it dairy-free, use plant-based butter and dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips. These are found in most grocery stores.
How to Make Chocolate Lava Cake
- Melt the chocolate. Preheat the oven to 410 degrees Fahrenheit. Over a double boiler, melt the butter and chocolate chips, stirring until they become smooth and silky.
Pro Tip: Make sure the bottom of your glass bowl does not touch the hot water of your double boiler. You only need the steam to gently melt the butter and chocolate.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Then mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and melted chocolate. Sift the flour and whisk it into the chocolate mixture
- Fill the ramekins. Spray each ramekin with cooking spray and fill them with batter, though not to the very top.
- Bake. Put the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes.
- Serve. Once they’re done, immediately flip them over onto a plate using a kitchen towel. Or eat them straight out of the ramekin – we won’t judge 🙂
Recipe Tips
- Stir the chocolate constantly- Avoid burning the chocolate by continually stirring as the butter and chocolate chips melt. The steam from the double boiler will do this pretty quickly.
- Sift the flour- Avoid lumps that can dry out the batter by using a fine-mesh strainer to sift the flour in. This also incorporates more airy, lightening the actual cake.
- Generously grease the ramekins- To remove the lava cakes without sticking, make sure to spray the ramekins generously with oil prior to filling them with the lava cake batter.
- Carefully flip the ramekin to serve- The Chocolate Lava Cake will be super hot when you take it out of the oven, so place a small plate on top of the ramekin, then grab the side of the ramekin with a kitchen towel and flip it over.
FAQs
These terms refer to the same kind of cake – one with a cake-like exterior and a hot, gooey center that spills out when you cut into it. Fondant cakes are another similar term, but they have a slightly more solid center.
While lava cake is cooked quickly to create a fully-cooked, cakey exterior and a molten center, it is safe to eat. The inside reaches above 160 degrees Fahrenheit to cook the flour and eggs, making the liquid center safe to consume.
Serving Suggestions
This decadent Chocolate Lava Cake recipe can be served with lots of other sweet treats. Here are some yummy ways to enjoy one.
- Toppings: Top your Chocolate Lava Cake with Chantilly Cream, Fresh Raspberry Sauce, or Chocolate Ganache for a sweet and delicious presentation.
- Ice Cream: This warm dessert tastes amazing with cold ice cream. Use any flavor you like, including this Easy Ube Ice Cream Recipe.
- Cookies: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies (VIDEO), or Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies would pair well with these lava cakes.
- Fruit: Serve them with fresh fruit, or a spoonful of Cherry Pie Filling or Homemade Strawberry Jam. Berries go especially well with this dish.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: After you pour the batter into the greased ramekins, cover each lava cake with cling wrap and place in the refrigerator. When you’re ready, bake them at 410 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
Storing: You can keep the Chocolate Lava Cakes refrigerated for 2-3 days before baking. Once baked and cooled, you can store them individually wrapped in the fridge for up to 5 days, but they are best served just after baking.
Freeze: Cover each molten lava cakes with cling wrap and keep frozen for up to 3 months. Bake the frozen lava cakes at 410 degrees Fahrenheit for 11 minutes.
More Scrumptious Chocolate Desserts!
Full Recipe Instructions
Chocolate Lava Cake
Ingredients
- 7 4 oz ramekins
- 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 410 degrees Fahrenheit. Over a double boiler, melt butter and chocolate chips. Keep stirring until it reaches a smooth silky consistency. Tip: make sure the bottom of your glass bowl does not touch the hot water of your double boiler. You only need the steam to gently melt the butter and chocolate.
- In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs and egg yolk. Then mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and melted chocolate. Sift the flour with a fine-mesh strainer and whisk it into the chocolate mixture.
- Spray each ramekin with nonstick spray and fill with the batter. Make sure NOT to fill each one all the way to the top. I used 4 oz ramekins.
- Place each filled ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Tip: you can fill the ramekins in advance then cover them with plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge until ready to bake. If you refrigerate your lava cakes, bake them for about 10-12 minutes.
- Once they're done, immediately flip them over onto a plate using a kitchen towel. Or you can always eat them straight out of the ramekin if you prefer not to flip them. Serve warm with berries or ice cream.
Notes
- Stir the chocolate constantly- Avoid burning the chocolate by continually stirring as the butter and chocolate chips melt. The steam from the double boiler will do this pretty quickly.
- Sift the flour- Avoid lumps that can dry out the batter by using a fine-mesh strainer to sift the flour in. This also incorporates more airy, lightening the actual cake.
- Generously grease the ramekins- To remove the lava cakes without sticking, make sure to spray the ramekins generously with oil prior to filling them with the lava cake batter.
- Carefully flip the ramekin to serve- The Chocolate Lava Cake will be super hot when you take it out of the oven, so place a small plate on top of the ramekin, then grab the side of the ramekin with a kitchen towel and flip it over.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted on Feb 20, 2015, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then.
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doreen says
Can this be made into one big cake instead of using ramekins?
Dina says
Hi Doreen, I have never tested this out as one big cake so I am not too sure how well it will bake through.
Wendy Yap says
Refering to the frozen cakes, are they before baking? Do I need to thaw them to room temperature before baking?
Thanks
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Wendy, I recommend freezing the lava cakes after baking. Then reheat in the oven or microwave.
Patsy A Rivera says
Great recipe. However no matter what I do they are coming g apart when flipping. I dont know what Im doing wrong amd I greased generously. Do I do it immediatly or wait a minute? I’ve tried both but it still is coming apart. Any advice?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi 🙂 Happy to hear you enjoyed this chocolate lava cake recipe 🙂 It may hold together a little better if you bake them a little longer. Hope that helps 🙂
Sara says
How many cups is 12ozs of Chocolate Chips? I have a large bag from Costco so I need to know how many cups. Excited to make these tonight with my kids. Also if I make them in a muffin tin do you know how many it will make?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Sarah, 12 oz of chocolate is equal to 2 cups. I have never made these lava cakes in a muffin tin so I am not too sure how it will bake. I hope you are your kids enjoy this recipe 🙂
Romaunda Batton says
Just FYI, there’s 8oz in 1 cup. so 12 oz is 1 1/2 cups.
Maryann Lawlor says
To Ramaunda Batton: There is a difference between weight and volume. 12 oz. of milk may be 1 1/2 cups, but 12 oz. of feathers would be much more. Keep that in mind when cooking. It’s why I have a conversion chart on my fridge. 😉🥴