Chocolate Lava Cakes have a signature molten liquid chocolate center that flows out in a lava consistency when you cut into the cake. It has been made popular by restaurants but homemade molten chocolate cakes are so easy to recreate (watch the video tutorial) and taste even better!
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We love individual serving desserts like Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes, and bakery-quality treats like Cream Puffs or Eclairs and let’s not forget Strawberry Shortcakes. They are fun and easy to make and perfect for special occasions and of course Valentine’s Day!
What is a Molten Chocolate Cake?
A molten chocolate cake is also known as “Chocolate Moelleux.” It has a signature liquid center or chocolate ‘lava’ that flows out of the middle when you cut into it. It is a cross between a flourless chocolate cake (this one has just 3 Tbsp of flour) and a chocolate souffle with the decadence of chocolate mousse.
It works by baking the cakes for a short period of time on high heat so the shell of the cakes rises, while the center is molten.
Pro Tips for the Best Molten Chocolate Cake:
- Do not over-bake. If you overbake, the center will stiffen and won’t have that signature lava consistency. Take them out of the oven when they are dry on the sides and have just a slight jiggle in the center when you jolt the pan.
- Run a test batch to figure out the exact baking time for your specific oven (some ovens run hotter or cooler) to ensure you have your desired molten center.
- For extra insurance that you will have a molten center, you can also dust some chocolate chunks in flour and place them into the center of the batter before baking. The flour will keep them from sinking to the bottom and will ensure a gooey middle.
How to Make Chocolate Lava Cakes:
1. Preheat oven to 450˚F. Butter and flour four 8-oz ramekins, tapping out the excess flour (see notes below for using smaller ramekins or a cupcake tin).
2. Over a double boiler, melt together butter and chocolate chips then remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl with an electric mixer, beat 2 eggs, 2 yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt. Beat on high speed for 5 min.
4. Pour warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and fold until mostly combined. Fold in 3 Tbsp flour, mixing until fully combined.
5. Divide between 4 prepared ramekins and bake at 450˚F for 10-12 minutes, until outsides are firm and dry, and centers are soft. Cool 1 minute then immediately invert onto plates to unmold.
Serve With:
After the cakes are unmolded, dust the top with powdered sugar then serve with a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream and fresh berries. These lava cakes taste best served warm and fresh out of the oven. We love ice cream on the side so the cold ice cream doesn’t cool the cakes and centers.
Can I Use Different Sized Ramekins?
- 4 oz ramekins will yield 6 smaller Chocolate Lava Cakes, but be sure to bake for less time (6-8 minutes)
- A non-stick muffin tin will yield 6 cakes and will work if you don’t have ramekins. Butter and flour the tins the same way and bake 6-8 minutes.
- 6 oz ramekins will yield 4 taller and narrow cakes and should be baked 10-12 minutes, or you could do 5 cakes for 8-10 minutes.
More Romantic Desserts:
If you are looking for that perfect Valentine’s Day dessert, these are our top picks for your special day. These are such a treat for a date night in and can also feed a crowd.
- Heart Macarons with lemon cream
- Panna Cotta with berry sauce
- Easy Strawberry Cake – with strawberry sauce
- No-Bake Strawbery Cheesecake – real strawberry flavor
- Tiramisu – an authentic and easy version
- Creme Brulee – proves homemade is best
Watch Chocolate Lava Cakes Video Tutorial:
I hope this Chocolate Lava Cake recipe becomes a new favorite Valentine’s Day dessert for you. If you enjoyed this video, please subscribe to our Youtube Channel and make sure to click the bell icon so you can be the first to know when we post a new video.
Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes
Ingredients
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into slices, plus more to grease ramekins
- 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 large eggs, (whole eggs)
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour, plus more to dust ramekins
Instructions
- Grease four 8-oz ramekins* with butter and dust inside with flour, tapping out excess flour, just like you would with a cake pan.
- Set a mixing bowl over a medium saucepan with about 1 cup water (the bowl should not touch the water). In the bowl, combine 6 oz semisweet chocolate and sliced butter. Keep water at a simmer and use a spatula to stir together until the chocolate and butter are melted and well combined then carefully remove from heat and set aside while making egg mixture.
- Combine 2 eggs, 2 yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt and beat with an electric mixer on high speed 5 minutes (using egg beaters or whisk attachment) until whipped, thick and light yellow.
- Pour warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture along with 1 tsp vanilla extract. Fold until mostly combined. Add 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour and fold until fully incorporated.
- Divide between 4 ramekins and bake at 450˚ for 10-12 minutes (in a very hot oven) until outsides are firm and dry and centers are soft with just the slightest jiggle in the center.
- Cool 1 minute then gently loosen cakes with a small knife (if needed). Immediately invert onto plates to untold. Dust with powdered sugar and serve right away.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
I used 4 oz ramekins and baked them for 6 mins. when i took them out of the ramekins the base had stuck to the ramekins. so it was like a well with molten choclate with an open top.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us Shilpa!
Tried them and they were cane out perfectly delicious. I divided the batter into 5 portions / ramekins and baked for 10 min.
My question is if we want to make it for a gathering of about 10 ppl should we just double the recipe ?
Also, can I make the batter and store it in the fridge and bake it after dinner ?
Hi Ray, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! If you click ‘Jump to Recipe’ that will take you to the recipe card where you can use the serving slider to adjust to the number of servings desired! Regarding the batter, one of our readers tried that, and here’s what they said: ” I made the batter ahead of time and placed them in the ramekins in the fridge until I needed them – we all trooped into the kitchen where the oven was at 230c and in they went – I had 6x 4oz and cooked them for 8mins – sat for 1 min and turned them out – perfecto! Muchas gracias!” I hope this is helpful!
Hi, just replying about making in advance. I have made them and stored them overnight and gotten the same consistency the next day. Seems like the butter and chocolate harden them enough to where the eggs don’t become gross. One of my go-to make ahead recipes when I have company over . Thanks!
That’s nice to know. Thank you so much for sharing that with us!
Can you freeze the batter?
Hi, I haven’t tried freezing this.
Hi Natasha, Can I use Milk Chocolate Baking Chips? Instead of Semi-Sweet?
Hi Marta, I haven’t personally tried that yet but if you do an experiment, let me know how it goes.
can I not add the vanilla extract? as i don’t have any left
Hi Amirah, the vanilla extract does add a nice flavor, but I think the recipe will still work without it.
thanks a lot Natasha
You’re welcome!
I waited long time before I tried this recipe, I was afraid the lava effect won’t be a success , but I was wrong: I followed the recipe with just a small change- instead of vanilla extract I used rum Essence , just because I think the combination chocolate-rum goes well together! The result was spectacular! The “lava” came out exactly like you showed in your video! Delicious and extremely easy to make! Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
You’re very welcome! Thanks for sharing your experience with us and I’m glad that the rum essence also worked great!
I want to try this recipe but I don’t have ramekins, so can I use a cupcake tray lined with cupcake liners and bake it that way?
I haven’t tested that but it may work! Please share with us how it goes if you experiment.
I watched your Youtube. Instead of putting it on the double boiler (because I don’t have one) could I just use my stove to heat the water?
Hi Savanna, I just made my own makeshift double boiler by putting a glass bowl over a medium saucepan and put that on my stove. I don’t own an official “double boiler” either because I just use this DIY version. I hope that helps.
Can I make the batter ahead and then cook when I am ready for desert – I have a happy cooking friend coming for lunch and would love to serve them straight from the oven?
Alix
Hi Alix, If you experiment, please let me know. After they are cooked, the lava effect is best fresh but they do reheat well. You can keep them covered and refrigerated so they don’t dry out then cover with a lightly damp paper towel and reheat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds just until the centers are warm then serve as usual.
Hi – I made the batter ahead of time and placed them in the ramekins in the fridge until I needed them – we all trooped into the kitchen where the oven was at 230c and in they went – I had 6x 4oz and cooked them for 8mins – sat for 1 min and turned them out – perfecto! Muchas gracias!
Did you bring the ramekins out to cool down first before putting in the oven?
How much advance was the batter made?
Is there a place on this page we can save recipes to.
We don’t have that feature on our website yet but someone else also suggested that. Hopefully we can add that in our website in the future.
You can goggle Natashas recipes and the save to your bookmark.
I have a folder set up for Natashas Kitchen then sub folders with headings I.E cakes,
Desserts beef dishes, pasta dishes etc. then you can save them in the relevant folders.
Good luck
Hi, I dont have any ramekins, but could cupcake pans work.
That should work too Isha. Please share with us how it goes.
I made these using semi sweet bakers chocolate and they turned out great!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
How to reheat these cakes and can I make ahead the batter and then bake it later?
Hi Areej, If you experiment, please let me know. After they are cooked, the lava effect is best fresh but they do reheat well. You can keep them covered and refrigerated so they don’t dry out then cover with a lightly damp paper towel and reheat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds just until the centers are warm then serve as usual.
Hey Natasha, I made your cream puffs and I’m excited to try this lava cake recipe. I only have 10 oz ramekins. Would that work too? Should I add or lessen the time that it cooks in the oven?
Hi Vanessa, that should work. You may need to adjust bake time to get the perfect inside.
Loved lava cakes! So much flavor, will bake it again! Mmmm!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I really want to make them bc they look so freaking delicious!!
But the thing is that I don’t have 8 oz ramekins but a bit smaller ones..I think about 5 or 6 oz. Will it also work out with those?
These are so good! I hope you try them soon! I haven’t tried this recipe in ramekins that size but it should still work, you will need to make a time adjustment. Here’s what one of our readers wrote you may find helpful: ” Made this for Valentine’s last night and it turned perfect! Just like at a fancy restaurant. I used 4 oz ramekins and was able to get 6 out of the original recipe. I made the mixture a couple of hours before dinner, stored them covered in the fridge and right when we sat down for dinner, I turned on the oven to pre-heat and bake so they were hot and fresh by dessert time. I baked them for 10 min. Garnished with hazelnut gelato and raspberries. Fantastic!”
We don’t have to add any baking powder to the molten lava?
That’s right! No molten lava needed!
Yum yumm yummmm
Oh your recipes😍😍
I love it
Made this yesterday here in India
I am trying most of your recipes as I absolutely love the way you cook with so simple ingredients…
Thnx so much
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe! I hope you love all the recipes that you will try.
Im am getting ready to make these for the 100000x my family loves them! You are the best, when I run out of things to bake or cook I always turn to you! and NOTHING ever turns out bad. Thank you
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Maha! I’m all smiles
Hi Natasha
Love you recipes.
Can I use dark chocolate instead of semisweet? If yes what do I need to modify in the other ingredients?
Also I watched ur homemade vanilla extract, but I don’t drink any alcoholic drinks, do you have a recipe for it without alcohol? Does it matter if i use vanilla powder?
Hi Amira, Dark chocolate will be less sweet and if you wanted to maintain the sweetness, consider using 1/3 cup of sugar instead of 1/4 cup. I haven’t tried making vanilla extract with anything else. You might try a google search for that.
Thank you, I really love your recipes, both my mom and I are a fan of your work
Hey,
So glad I found you. Your recipes are easy to follow and delicious-
The kids and I made this – had fun doing it – but no lava.
Still delicious and we’ll try again!
Sounds like it may have overcooked! Was anything altered in the recipe so we can troubleshoot with you?
Do you think the use of regular butter could have been the culprit? It calls for unsalted butter. If not, then we just overcooked them.
Thanks for helping me figure this out
It sounds more like overcooking to me Nicole.
Just made these!! Delicious and easy to follow recipe. Thanks Natasha!
You’re welcome Sonia! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
I have tried so many of your recipes and everything has turned out great. You are the best I look forward everyday for another recipe to make. Thanks for doing such a great job.
You’re so nice! Thank you! I’m inspired by reading your review Judy!