Chocolate Molten Lava Cake is the ultimate chocolate lover’s dessert! This small rich chocolate cake has a warm gooey center that makes you go weak at the the knees. It’s so easy to make and comes together in less than 20 minutes!
Chocolate is my love language and I’m guessing it’s a lot of others’ too which is why Molten Lava Cake is so popular. Is there really anything better than warm gooey chocolate?! If you’re on the hunt for more awesome chocolate desserts, check out my Easy Chocolate Mousse, Easy Chocolate Fudge, and these 4-Ingredient Chocolate Truffles.
Molten Lava Cake (for two!)
I have been making this for years! This cake is delicious, decadent, addicting, divine, just so incredibly good!!! If you haven’t made or even tried Chocolate Lava Cake, you need to ASAP. And the great thing is that this is really quick and easy to whip up.
Why is it called Molten Lava Cake?
As soon as you cut into the cake the gooey chocolate inside flows out like molten lava. It’s so dang good! Especially with a scoop of ice cream and some berries.
Ingredients for Molten Lava Cake:
- Dark Chocolate– Use baking chocolate or baking chips such as Ghirardelli.
- Butter– Adds to the richness and flavor of the cake.
- Whole Egg– The egg helps with leavening and structure of the cake.
- Egg Yolk– Adding an egg yolk add to the richness, creaminess, and smooth texture of the lava.
- Sugar– Adds to sweetness of the cake.
- Vanilla– Gotta have vanilla for flavor!
- Salt– Helps enhance the flavor.
- Flour– Gives structure to the cake.
How to make Chocolate Lava Cake:
Time needed: 20 minutes
These rich chocolate Lava Cakes come together quickly, making them a fun dessert to make for a date night in.
- Preheat Oven
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prep the Ramekins
Grease the inside bottom and sides of two 4-6 ounce ramekins with butter or shortening. Pour about 1 teaspoon sugar in each and shake the sugar around so it sticks the bottom and sides of the ramekins. Shake out any remaining sugar.
- Melt Chocolate
Place chocolate and butter together in a bowl and melt in the microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir and heat an additional 15 seconds if needed. Stir until smooth.
- Mix the Batter
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the whole egg, yolk, sugar, vanilla, and salt together until pale in color. Mix in the melted chocolate/butter. Add the flour and mix until just combined.
- Bake
Pour batter into the ramekins (to the top of the inside lip) and then place in the oven (directly on the rack) and bake for 11-12 minutes until top is set but cake still jiggles in the middle (you don’t want to cook the lava!).
- Remove the Cakes
Let the cake sit for 1-2 minutes. Run a sharp knife along the sides of the cake to ensure it comes out perfectly. Invert the cake onto a plate by placing a plate upside down on top of the cake. With hot pads on, flip the cake so that the plate is on the bottom and cake is upside down on top. Leave it for 20 seconds, give the bottom of the ramekin a couple of pats and then lift it straight up.
- Garnish
Dust the cakes with powdered sugar and garnish with berries and ice cream. Serve immediately.
What size ramekin do I need for Lava Cakes?
I use two 4 ounce ramekins. This creates the perfect size cake for an individual portion. Since the ramekin is narrow it produces a tall little cake that has more of a dramatic look when cut into and the lava flows out onto the plate. 5 or 6 ounces ramekins work well too.
A 7 or 8 ounce ramekin works as well. Usually though these are wider so it produces a shorter cake which isn’t as pretty. This size is great for is you’re not planning on removing the cake from the ramekin. Since the cake doesn’t rise to the rim you’ll have room to add your fruit and ice cream. Just be sure to place the ramekin on a plate and not burn your hands on the dish while eating.
What to serve with Lava Cake:
Since this cake is very rich, I like to serve it with vanilla ice cream. It’s the perfect pairing, kind of like eating brownies and ice cream.
Fruit is a great addition as well and adds to the beauty. I prefer raspberries with my cake but sliced strawberries or bananas taste great with it too.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes! Double, triple, quadruple… the recipe to serve more people.
Tips for making perfect Molten Lava Cake:
- Grease the ramekins well so the whole cake comes out.
- No substitutions. Baking is a science. I have tested and made adjustments to get this recipe just right.
- Place ramekins directly on the oven rack. Placing them on a baking sheet causes the bottom of the cake (which becomes the top) to not cook as fast.
- Use hot pads when handling the ramekins.
- Let the cake sit 1-2 minutes before flipping over and let it sit upside down for 20-30 seconds before tapping and removing.
- Don’t over bake! 11-12 minutes is all you need. The top of the cake should be cooked but if you tap it gently it should still giggle.
LOOKING FOR MORE DECADENT CHOCOLATE DESSERTS? CHECK OUT THESE:
- Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes are divine and oh so pretty!
- Raspberry Brownie Cheesecake Trifles are so easy to make for any occasion.
- If you’re looking to impress, you’ve got to make Raspberry Chocolate Swiss Roll.
- Strawberry Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies are a brownie cookie that is topped with a gooey marshmallow. So GOOD!
- For perfectly portioned decadent desserts, make Mini Triple Chocolate Cheesecakes!
- Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake is a show stopper.
- Double Chocolate French Silk Pie is a chocolate lover’s dream!
Molten Lava Cake (for Two)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate (about 3 ounces), chopped (or use Ghirardelli baking chips)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1 whole egg, room temperature*
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature*
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, (plus more for ramekins)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease the inside bottom and sides of two 5-ounce ramekins with butter or shortening. Then place about 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in each and shake the sugar around so it sticks to the butter on the bottom and sides of the ramekins. Shake out any remaining sugar.
- Place chocolate chips and butter together in a bowl and melt in the microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir and heat an additional 15 seconds if needed. Stir until smooth.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the whole egg, yolk, sugar, vanilla, and salt together until pale in color. Mix in the melted chocolate/butter. Add the flour and mix until just combined.
- Pour batter into the ramekins and then place in the oven directly on the middle rack and bake for 11-12 minutes until top is set but cake still jiggles in the middle (you don't want to cook the lava!).
- Let the cake sit for 1-2 minute. Run a sharp knife along the sides of the cake to ensure it comes out perfectly. Invert the cake onto a plate by placing a plate upside down on top of the cake. With hot pads on, flip the cake so that the plate is on the bottom and cake is upside down on top. Leave it for 20 seconds, give the bottom of the ramekin a couple of pats and then lift it straight up.
- Dust the cakes with powdered sugar and garnish with berries and ice cream.
Notes
Followed your recipe tonight but added some grated orange peel. The flavor reminded of those chocolate orange they sell during the holidays. Thank you so much for this recipe. It is one of my mom’s favorite desserts.
I’ve never wanted to comment on a recipe before but this lava cake recipe is actually perfect lol. It’s super quick and easy and even if it’s slightly overcooked it’s delicious. Absolute favorite late night treat recipe for over a year now.
I made this for my husband’s birthday
.it was so special and delicious ♥️a big hit
Very easy to do and decadent too
thank you for the excellent recipe. We will make again✅
So easy and so delicious! It was our Valentine’s Day dessert.
Kim, I’m so happy to hear you liked it! Thank you for leaving a review! 🙂
Great recipe! But heed the warning and do not use chocolate chips- make the effort to get baking chocolate, it makes a HUGE difference in consistency.
Melanie, if I need to serve the cake for 6, how much butter I should have? About 105 grams?
Yes. If you’re tripling the recipe to make 6, you’ll need 7.5 tablespoons butter which is 3.75 ounces (~106 grams).
2 1/2 tablespoon butter about how much grams? Seems this recipe does not have much butter?
Since you’re only making 2 little cakes, it doesn’t have much. 2.5 tablespoons is 35.4 grams.
Hi I have a quick Q please…assuming we use powdered sugar to coat the ramekins, do we use the same or granulated sugar for the 3.5 tablespoons?
Akshita, You could use powdered sugar to coat it but I actually use granulated sugar. The powdered sugar is just for at the end as a garnish.
Made this today. Super easy and absolutely delicious!
Yay! I’m so glad you loved it!
Thank you for this amazing, simple recipe. I made this tonight and it was a hit..turned out perfect
Made these for the first time and they were delicious! And so easy too! Didn’t have ramekins so made them using foil. Overall, super happy with the recipe!
Can these be made ahead so that when i have a dinner party I am not baking after dinner while my guests are here and waiting?
You can fill the ramekins, cover, and place in the fridge for up to 1 day. I recommend setting them on the counter while the oven comes to temperature. They might still need an extra minute in the oven.
Another dessert that works really well for a dinner party and requires no baking while guests are present is my Chocolate Mousse.
I made these the other night and they were amazing! So easy and so decadent! I will definitely be making them again.
Just made this tonight and it was a big hit. So easy and decadent! Definitely going to be making this again in the future. Thanks for the great recipe!
Just made this tonight and it was a big hit. I love that it was easy, delicious, and didn’t leave me with any leftovers. Definitely will be making this again in the future. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Melanie, I found you on Google+, what an incredible work you do here. These molten lava cakes are to die for. How about these pictures? Superb! I will check your food photos often to get inspired!
Thank you!!! I’m so glad you found me Georgina! You’ll love the lava cakes.
What a gorgeous post!!! You are killing it girl!
Thanks so much Becky! 🙂