Chocolate Lava Cakes Molten (Printable)

Indulge in rich chocolate cakes featuring a soft, molten chocolate core for an elegant treat.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chocolate Mixture

01 - 4 oz dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), chopped
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

→ Batter

03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 large egg yolks
05 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
07 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - Pinch of salt

→ For Serving (optional)

09 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
10 - Fresh berries
11 - Vanilla ice cream

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease four 6-ounce ramekins generously with butter, dust with cocoa powder or flour, then tap out excess.
02 - Using a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt chopped dark chocolate with butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and powdered sugar until thick, pale, and slightly foamy, about two minutes.
04 - Gradually whisk the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until homogeneous. Add vanilla extract and salt, stirring gently.
05 - Sift flour over the batter and fold in carefully until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among prepared ramekins, filling each about three-quarters full.
07 - Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 11 to 13 minutes until edges are set but centers remain soft and slightly jiggly.
08 - Allow cakes to cool for one minute. Run a knife around edges, invert onto plates, remove ramekins carefully, dust with powdered sugar, and serve immediately with berries and vanilla ice cream if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That moment when you cut into the cake and watch the molten center pour out never gets old, no matter how many times you make it.
  • It feels like you're pulling off something fancy and restaurant-quality, but it's actually faster to make than most desserts.
  • Four individual servings mean you can celebrate something special without a whole cake sitting around your kitchen tempting you.
02 -
  • The most common mistake is overbaking—even two minutes too long and your molten center becomes more like a fudgy brownie filling, so set a timer and start checking at the lower end of the range.
  • If your ramekins are ceramic, cold from the fridge, or thicker than average, add an extra minute to the baking time, but still check early and often.
  • Room-temperature ingredients mix more smoothly and bake more evenly than cold ones, so take everything out of the fridge before you start.
03 -
  • Use a kitchen thermometer to check that your water in the double boiler stays at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil—overheating chocolate is the quickest way to ruin the texture.
  • If you're serving a crowd, you can assemble everything ahead and keep the ramekins in the fridge, but always bake them just before serving for that perfect warm, molten center that defines the dish.

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