Warm Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

Name: Warm Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: French-inspired
Ingredients: 100 g dark chocolate (Use 60 to 70% cocoa for a balanced bittersweet centre. Most baking aisles stock this easily.); 80 g unsalted butter (The extra butter for greasing is not included in the measured amount.); 50 g caster sugar (Fine white sugar dissolves quickly. Regular granulated sugar also works.); 2 eggs eggs (Room temperature eggs mix more smoothly.); 20 g plain flour; 1 pinch fine salt (A small pinch sharpens the chocolate flavour.); 1 tsp cocoa powder (Use for dusting the ramekins so the cakes release cleanly.); to serve icing sugar (Optional for dusting.)

Small chocolate cakes with set edges and a fluid centre. Serve them straight from the oven so the middle runs onto the plate.

25 mineasyServes 2French-inspired

Estimated nutrition

490cal

Per serving

Protein

34g

Carbs

37g

Fat

Fiber 3gSugar 26gSodium 130mg

Estimate only. Actual values vary with brands, portions, and substitutions.

Cook this for

servings, with ingredients and method scaled together

Ingredients

Method

01
Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Put a baking tray inside to heat, and place the oven rack in the centre. The oven is ready when it feels fully hot as you open the door.
Tip · A fully heated oven gives the cakes a quick lift and helps the edges set before the centre overcooks.
02
Butter two 180 to 200 ml ramekins well, then dust them with 1 tsp cocoa powder, tapping out the excess. The inside should look evenly coated with no bare shiny spots.
Tip · Butter and cocoa create a thin barrier so the cakes release easily after baking.
03
Melt 100 g dark chocolate and 80 g unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, or microwave in 20-second bursts. Stop when the mixture is glossy and smooth, not hot or grainy.
Tip · Gentle heat keeps chocolate smooth. If it gets too hot, it can turn thick and dull.
04
Whisk 2 eggs eggs, 50 g caster sugar, and 1 pinch fine salt in a bowl for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly paler and lightly foamy. The whisk should leave faint lines on the surface.
Tip · Whisking adds a little air, which helps the cakes rise lightly around the molten centre.
05
Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and whisk just until smooth and evenly dark. The batter should look shiny and thick, with no streaks.
Tip · Mixing the chocolate in now builds a smooth batter. Overmixing is not helpful once everything is combined.
06
Sift in 20 g plain flour and fold gently until no dry flour remains. The batter should fall slowly from the spatula in a thick ribbon.
Tip · A small amount of flour sets the edges while keeping the centre soft and flowing.
07
Divide the batter between the ramekins and place them on the hot tray. Fill each about three-quarters full so they have room to rise slightly.
Tip · The hot tray starts cooking the base at once, which helps the cakes bake evenly.
08
Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 9 to 11 minutes. The tops should look risen and matte, and the edges should be set while the centre still has a slight wobble.
Tip · This short bake is what creates the lava centre. If the middle looks fully firm, the cakes are likely overbaked.
09
Rest the ramekins for 1 minute, then run a small knife around the edge and turn each cake onto a plate. The cakes should release with a soft drop and hold their shape.
Tip · A brief rest lets the outer cake firm up enough to unmould without losing the molten middle.
10
Dust with icing sugar if you like, and serve at once. Cut in while warm. The centre should flow out in a thick chocolate stream.
Tip · Lava cakes are at their best straight away, before the centre has time to set.

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