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
Hey Natasha, these are amazing!! I am trying to creatively up the challenge: How can I create a chocolate lava cake with RED chocolate lava? Any ideas how this might be possible???
Hi Josiah, that sounds good but I haven’t tried that yet to advise. Feel free to do an experiment and share with us how it goes.
Hey Natasha, these are absolutely amazing!! I’m trying to creatively up the challenge. Here’s what I’m thinking: How could I create a chocolate lava cake that has red lava? In other words, on the outside it is the chocolate color, but when you cut into it, it has the red lava rolling out. I’ve thought about making a “red” lava cake and covering it with a chocolate color, but I’m not sure about that. I’ve also discussed with others about trying different contraptions to make a cavity in the lava cake, but that also seems challenging. The goal is that it has a chocolate color on the outside, but when you cut it open, red chocolate lava comes out. Is this possible??? Ideas???
Make a small frozen disc of white chocolate ganache tinted red with food coloring and put it in the middle of the cake before you bake it.
Has anyone tried this recipe at high altitude? Or does anyone know how to adjust the recipe for successful high altitude baking? I SO want to make these and I live at 6000 ft above sea level. Any help will be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
Hi Sherry, I don’t have experience with high-altitude baking but you can find more tips on High Altitude Baking HERE.
Going to try this in mini Bundt pans. The presentation should be beautiful.
That sounds lovely! I hope you love them!
Hi Natasha!
I recently found out I’m gluten free. Can you make this with any other type of non gluten flour?
Thanks!
Jessica
Hi Jessica, I haven’t personally tried using gluten-free flour yet, but if you do try, I would love to know how it goes!
I made these cakes today. They tasted delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream but I was hoping for more lava. I think I overbaked by a few minutes. Next time I will pay more attention to the notes at the end of recipe!
I’m sure it will be perfect on your next try. Thanks for sharing your experience making this recipe, Yuri.
Hi Natasha,
I made the Lava cake for our Anniversary, came out so delicious and perfect, thank you for the recipe 😁
Yay, thanks for sharing that with us, Christine. Happy Anniversary, great to hear that you both enjoyed this cake!
Hi Natasha,
Could I halve this batch? Would it turn out as good as the full batch? If I can halve the batch, would I do the same heat and halve the time or vice versa?
Hi Grace, I haven’t tried that yet but someone else shared this, “I made half the recipe and used cupcake pan and I got four lava cakes. They were just the right size for me. They were delicious, but next time, I may cook for one minute less. I think my oven may run a little hot. Great recipe and will make again for sure.”
Can i use disposable aluminium ramekins?
Hi Ri, I haven’t experimented with disposable, but that may work. If you test it out, I’d love to know how you like it.
Also, I forgot to add I cook them in four large silicon muffin tins for 10 minutes and they come out perfect every time!
I made it ahead of time, put it in the fridge. Baked it and served it when guests arrived, it was just amazing. Thanks Natasha 🙂
Perfect! Glad it was a success, thanks for your good feedback.
Hi Natasha,
Can these be prepared ahead of time, placed in the fridge then baked when ready for dessert?
Hi Marianna, I haven’t tried to advise on an outcome. I worry if the batter sits it will deflate and no longer rise. If you do an experiment, let me know how it goes.
Can I use dark chocolate chips for the lava cake? Also can I use gluten free flour?
Hi Anna, 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 personally tried using gluten-free flour yet, but if you do try, I would love to know how it goes!
Bought the good chocolate. Recipe is simple and quick. Will watch my baking time next time as there was not much lava after 12 minutes. My mistake was also putting the ramekins on a pan that was already in the oven causing them to bake very quickly from the bottom. Next time Ill no better…. but good recipe and easy to make. Just needs some small details corrected on my part.
Thanks for sharing that with us, Dale. I’m sure it will already be perfect next time!
This looks soooo delicious! But I dont have ramekins. Do you think it will work using a muffin pan?
Hi Hiba, I haven’t tested that, but it may work. If you experiment, I would love to know how you like it.
Can you make ahead of time and bake them later?
Hi Paul, I haven’t tried that to advise on an outcome. If you do an experiment, let me know how it goes.
Curious about the same thing…did you try it?
I sit here with a big smile on my face (where else would it be?) watching your video..Chocolate Lava Cake! Thanks for making me believe I can do this!
You’re welcome and yes, you can definitely follow my recipes successfully too!
Made these for Valentine’s Day and they were amazing! Your recipes always turn out and I’m a huge fan! My kids and boyfriend scarfed them down. Thank You!!!
Side note – I did make them about two hours in advance before baking them and they turned out great.
Perfect! I’m so glad it was a success. Thanks for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha! I wish I could give 100 stars to this recipe. Made it for Vday today and my friends and family absolutely loved it!
I made the batter 4 hrs before baking time and keep the prepped ramekins in the oven.
Then when I wanted to serve them went abt preheating and baking. They came out perfect.
My pictures don’t do any justice to the taste and joy but would love to share theme
Thank u so much! Happy love day to you and your family from Texas!
Awesome! Thank you so much for your perfect review, I’m just very happy that you loved this recipe. I appreciate your good comments and feedback!
I made half the recipe and used cupcake pan and I got four lava cakes. They were just the right size for me. They were delicious, but next time, I may cook for one minute less. I think my oven may run a little hot. Great recipe and will make again for sure.
Sounds like a great plan, Denise. Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi Natasha! First I just wanted to say I love your recipes and I’m a big fan 🙂 I had a question about the lava cakes – can I make the batter ahead of time and prep the ramekins with the batter before baking them? I want to bring them to my mother-in-law’s house, but I want to bake them and serve them fresh if possible. What do you think?
Hi Andrea, I haven’t tried making the batter ahead that way personally but one of my readers reported great results making the batter ahead and baking the next day.
Thank you so much! I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day!
Hi Natasha! These came out GREAT! So delicious! I made the batter and put them in their ramekins yesterday morning and refrigerated them and baked them in the evening. They needed a couple additional minutes in the oven, but they came out so good! Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!