The molten lava cake is one of the most popular desserts in the world, and for good reason. The perfect, goe-y, hot, molten center makes it an absolute show-stopper of a dessert.
We all know that feeling when you break open a molten lava cake and the warm center comes spilling out. It really entices your senses like nothing else, doesn’t it? 😍
Molten lava cakes have been one of my favorites since childhood. Once I tried the lava cake at Chili’s (the universal favorite!), my life changed forever.
(Fun fact about the Chili’s molten lava cake that we all know and love – it’s actually not a real molten lava cake, they put a chocolate ball in the center before baking which melts from the heat. When I found this out I felt so betrayed, so I am sharing it here because why should I feel betrayed alone 🥲)
Anyway, although it was one of my favorite desserts, I was always afraid of making a molten lava cake because it seemed like something only an expert could make. Like, how is the center molten but the sides are set? How do they get it out of the dish? SO MANY QUESTIONS. There was always so much mystery around it that we all just accepted that every time we crave a molten lava cake, we have to head to our friendly neighborhood Chili’s.
Believe it or not, I only attempted a molten lava cake 2 years back. For the first time. Yep.
And when I did, I discovered something I wish I had known before – the molten lava cake is one of the easiest and quickest dessert recipes ever. Seriously, I am not joking. You don’t even have to be a baker to pull this off, it’s that simple.
Let me break down a molten lava cake to you in simple terms – it’s an undercooked cake. Trust me, that’s all it is. All you need to do is find the perfect balance between the edges being cooked and the center being liquid. I won’t lie, that can be slightly tricky. If you don’t bake it for long enough, the cake will break down when you try to take it out, and if you bake it for too long, the center will no longer be liquid. BUT, all you need is maybe one try to figure out the perfect timing for your oven. Once you do, you’ll be whipping up molten lava cakes like a pro.
And when I said quickest, I really meant it. The batter takes not more than 15 minutes, and the cake bakes in another 10. Under 30 minutes and you’ll have a dessert that will impress everyone.
Might I add that it’s the perfect dessert to impress that special someone on Valentine’s Day, too 😉
This is one of those desserts you can quickly whip up whenever you’re craving something sweet, or when you’ve just had one of those days where you wanna crash on the sofa with your favorite dessert and binge-watch Netflix. (I have too many of those days myself 🥲)
Okay, no more talking, let’s unveil the secrets of the molten lava cake, shall we?
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are very unreliable and can give different measurements, so I would suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups, however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
PPS: if you notice a * after any word, it means that there are additional tips about it after the recipe
Chocolate Molten Lava Cake
Equipment
- 2 oven-safe ramekins
- Hand whisk
- 1 microwave-safe mixing bowl
- 2 regular mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 85 grams chocolate
- 58 grams unsalted butter
- 15 grams all-purpose flour
- 30 grams icing sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 210-215 Degree Celsius*
- Grease your ramekins with butter and dust them with cocoa powder to prepare them for baking. This makes sure that the cake does not stick to the ramekin and comes out smoothly
- In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate (85 gms) and the butter (58 gms) and melt over a double boiler or in the microwave* in 20 second increments (mixing between each increment) until both the ingredients are melted. Set it aside to cool
- Using a hand whisk, combine the mixture until the butter is well incorporated in the chocolate
- Combine the dry ingredients: flour (15 gms), icing sugar (30 gms), and salt (pinch) in a bowl using hand whisk
- In another bowl, whisk together the egg (1) and egg yolk (1) until well combined
- Add the dry ingredients mix and the egg mix into the cooled chocolate and butter mix and mix the ingredients gently using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon until everything is well combined. If there are lumps in your batter, whisk it quickly to smooth it out. Make sure not to overmix at this point
- Pour the batter in the prepared ramekins until they are filled 3/4th of the way
- Bake the cakes for 10-12 minutes or until the sides are set but the center is still jiggly. Pay attention to the center, it should still be soft and jiggly but not too soft. Experiment with the baking time on your first try to make sure you get it right.
- To take the cakes out of the ramekin, place an inverted plate over it, then turn the ramekin around with the plate and place it on the table. Be very careful at this step as the ramekins will be extremely hot, don’t forget to use a mitten. Then, slowly lift the ramekin from the plate, the cake should slide out smoothly. If your cake breaks down in a puddle at this step, you have underbaked it. Try leave it in the oven for a minute or two on your next try.
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppings. Ice cream is a must!
Notes
- Oven temperature and baking time: Contrary to popular belief, every oven works differently. The type and size of your oven majorly affect the end results. You may have to experiment a little to find the perfect baking time for your oven
- Chocolate: Using high-quality chocolate is important in this recipe. Regular old chocolate chips like the ones from Hershey’s will not result in a very good molten lava cake. This cake has chocolate front and center, so make sure you’re using high-quality baking chocolate like this one
- Melting chocolate: If you’re melting your chocolate in a microwave, do it in 30-second intervals and mix it around after every interval to stop it from burning. You can also melt it on the stovetop using a double boiler. A double boiler basically means placing a pot with chocolate over another pot filled with water. Chocolate cannot be melted directly on the stovetop as it will burn immediately, which is why we place the pot with chocolate over another pot filled with water, the steam from the boiling water in the pan below is what melts the chocolate. Make sure the water from the bottom pot is not touching the chocolate pan, or it may result in your chocolate seizing. Remember, chocolate and water are mortal enemies!
I really hope I have helped you overcome your fear of baking molten lava cakes and convinced you to attempt one at your home! Come on, you can do it! 💪🏽
Go ahead and try it out now! And when you do, don’t forget to leave a review and comment about how you liked it. And of course, share it on Instagram with us using the hashtag #minsitryofpastry!
See you next time!
