Chocolate Lava Cake

Quick answer

Total time: 27 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Chocolate lava cake bakes a batter of melted dark chocolate, butter, whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and a small measure of flour in buttered ramekins at 220 degrees Celsius for ten to twelve minutes, producing a set crust and molten center from a single brief baking window.

The high oven temperature firms the outside and top of the batter into cake while the core stays liquid, so breaking the surface with a spoon releases a slow pour of concentrated warm chocolate. High-cacao dark chocolate provides a complex, bittersweet depth that pairs with the richness of butter fat, and vanilla extract softens and rounds the overall aroma. Timing controls everything in this recipe: overbaking by even two minutes sets the center solid and destroys the signature flow. The edges of each ramekin should feel just firm when pressed lightly through a towel at the ten-minute mark. Ramekins can be filled ahead and refrigerated, but the baking time then needs an extra one to two minutes to account for the colder starting temperature. Serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of cold heavy cream creates a striking contrast between the hot, dense chocolate interior and the chilled, lighter dairy.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

dark chocolate100 gg

unsalted butter70 gg

eggs2 eaea

sugar45 gg

cake flour25 gg

vanilla extract½ tsptsp

salt1 pinchpinch

cocoa powder1 tsptsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Step

Preheat the oven fully to 220C.

Coat the inside of 2 ramekins with butter, then dust lightly with cocoa powder so the cakes release cleanly after baking.
2

Season

Melt 100 g dark chocolate with 70 g unsalted butter over a gentle bain-marie.

Keep the water below a boil and stir until the mixture looks glossy, smooth, and fully combined.
3

Season

Whisk 2 eggs with 45 g sugar for about 2 minutes, until the color lightens slightly and fine bubbles appear.

Add the melted chocolate mixture while it is warm but not hot.
4

Season

Mix in 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.

Sift in 25 g cake flour, then fold only until no dry flour is visible so the cakes stay tender.
5

Heat

Divide the batter between the 2 ramekins and level the tops.

If the filled ramekins were refrigerated ahead, bake them directly from cold and add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
6

Finish

Bake at 220C for 10-12 minutes, checking from minute 10.

Remove when the edges are set but the centers still wobble slightly, rest 1 minute, then invert onto plates and serve immediately.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Baking at 220 degrees Celsius for ten to twelve minutes sets the outer crust while the center stays molten.
Finish cue: Sift in 25 g cake flour, then fold only until no dry flour is visible so the cakes stay tender.
Storage and reheating: Ramekins can be filled ahead and refrigerated, but the baking time then needs an extra one to two minutes to account for the colder starting temperature.