Molten Lava Cake

Quick answer

Total time: 27 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

Molten lava cake uses a dark chocolate and butter batter baked briefly at high heat so the outside sets while the center remains soft and flowing.

Coat each ramekin thoroughly with butter and a thin layer of flour first; this preparation helps the delicate cakes release when inverted. Melt the chocolate and butter over gentle steam until smooth, then let the mixture cool briefly so it does not cook the eggs on contact. In a separate bowl, whisk the whole eggs, yolks, and sugar until the color lightens and most sugar grains disappear. Add the cooled chocolate gradually, keeping the mixture smooth, then fold in the flour only until no dry streaks remain. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared ramekins so the individual cakes bake at a similar rate. In the hot oven, watch for edges that look set while the center still jiggles slightly. Remove the cakes at that point and unmold them promptly, since residual heat continues to firm the middle. When cut open, the thin baked exterior gives way to a concentrated chocolate center that flows onto the plate.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

dark chocolate140 gg

butter110 gg

eggs2 eaea

egg yolks2 eaea

sugar60 gg

all-purpose flour30 gg

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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 each ramekin thoroughly with butter, then dust lightly with all-purpose flour so the cakes release cleanly after baking.
2

Heat

Melt 140 g dark chocolate with 110 g butter over a gentle water bath.

Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat and let it cool briefly so it does not cook the eggs.
3

Season

Whisk 2 eggs, 2 yolks, and 60 g sugar in a bowl until the mixture looks lighter and slightly foamy.

Stop once most sugar grains have dissolved and the texture feels smoother.
4

Prep

Pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture a little at a time while stirring.

Add 30 g all-purpose flour last, folding only until no dry streaks remain.
5

Heat

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared ramekins and smooth the tops lightly so the cakes bake at a similar rate.
6

Heat

Bake at 220C for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly.

Unmold promptly so residual heat does not continue firming the center.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Butter and flour coating helps the thin baked exterior release from each ramekin
Finish cue: Coat the inside of each ramekin thoroughly with butter, then dust lightly with all-purpose flour so the cakes release cleanly after baking.
Avoid this: One extra minute can overcook the center.