How to Bake Chocolate Lava Cake
Chocolate lava cake is the single most impressive dessert you can make for someone. A dark, rich exterior cracks open to reveal a flowing molten chocolate centre. It looks like it took hours. It takes 25 minutes. It's the dessert equivalent of a love letter.
Total time: 25 min · Servings: 2 cakes
Ingredients
- 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa — quality matters here)
- 60g butter (unsalted)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 50g caster sugar
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- Pinch of sea salt
- Butter and cocoa powder for greasing the ramekins
- To serve: vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, fresh raspberries
Instructions
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Melt chocolate and butter: Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl with the butter. Melt gently over a pan of simmering water (bain-marie) or in 30-second microwave bursts, stirring between each. Let cool for 2 minutes.
Tip: The chocolate should be smooth and glossy. Don't let water get into the bowl or the chocolate will seize. -
Whisk eggs and sugar: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together vigorously for 2 minutes until pale and slightly thickened. The sugar doesn't need to be fully dissolved.
Tip: Room temperature eggs incorporate better. If yours are cold, place them in warm water for 5 minutes. -
Combine: Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and fold together gently with a spatula. Sift in the flour and salt, and fold until just combined.
Tip: Don't overmix — you want to keep the air you've whisked into the eggs. -
Prepare ramekins: Butter two 200ml ramekins generously, then dust with cocoa powder (tap out the excess). This ensures the cakes release cleanly.
Tip: Don't skip this step. Butter + cocoa creates a non-stick coating that flour alone can't match. -
Fill and chill: Divide the batter evenly between the ramekins. You can refrigerate them at this point for up to 8 hours — perfect for preparing ahead of a date.
Tip: Make these before your guest arrives. Pop them in the oven when you sit down to eat the main course. 13 minutes later: showtime. -
Bake: Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Place ramekins on a baking tray and bake for 12–14 minutes. The tops should be set and cracked slightly, but the centres will still jiggle when you gently shake the tray.
Tip: 12 minutes = very molten centre. 13 minutes = flowing but thicker. 14 minutes = soft-centred but not flowing. Do NOT go over 14 minutes or you'll have regular chocolate cake. -
Unmould and serve: Let cool for exactly 1 minute, then run a knife around the edge of each ramekin. Place a plate on top, flip, hold for 5 seconds, and lift the ramekin off. The cake should slide out. Serve immediately with ice cream and raspberries.
Tip: The drama of cutting into it and watching the chocolate flow out is the whole point. Have your guest watch.
Pro Tips
- Use the best chocolate you can afford. The cake has only 6 ingredients — the chocolate flavour IS the cake. Lindt 70% works beautifully.
- Make ahead: prepare the filled ramekins up to 8 hours in advance and refrigerate. Add 1–2 extra minutes to baking time if baking from cold.
- If a cake sticks in the ramekin, don't panic — scoop it into a bowl, add ice cream on top, and call it a 'deconstructed lava cake.' It tastes the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my lava cake not molten in the middle?
You overbaked it. At 200°C, lava cakes need exactly 12–14 minutes. The centre should still jiggle when you shake the tray. Set a timer and check at 12 minutes.
Can I make chocolate lava cake without a ramekin?
Yes — use a standard muffin tin lined with butter and cocoa powder. Reduce baking time to 10–11 minutes since the portions are smaller.
Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark?
Yes, but reduce the sugar to 30g (milk chocolate is sweeter). The centre will be creamier and less intense. White chocolate also works for a completely different flavour.
How far in advance can I prepare lava cakes?
You can fill the ramekins and refrigerate for up to 8 hours before baking. This makes them perfect for dinner parties — all the prep is done, and you just pop them in the oven during dessert course.
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