Delicious Hot Chocolate Lava Cake

If you ask me, chocolate lava cakes are one of life’s simple joys.

This warm, gooey dessert brings together the best of both worlds – a tender chocolate cake exterior with a rich, melted center that flows like magic when you break into it.

I make mine with good dark chocolate and just enough espresso powder to bring out that deep chocolate flavor. The outside gets a light dusting of powdered sugar, and I love serving it with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

It’s the kind of dessert that makes people think you spent hours in the kitchen, when really it comes together in less than 30 minutes.

What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use?

For lava cakes, you’ll want to stick with dark, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate that contains between 60-70% cocoa solids. While chocolate chips might be tempting since they’re probably sitting in your pantry, they contain stabilizers that can affect how well your chocolate melts, so it’s better to use bar chocolate that you chop yourself. Good quality chocolate bars from brands you’d actually enjoy eating on their own will give you the best results – just check the label to make sure cocoa butter is listed as an ingredient rather than palm oil or other substitutes. When chopping your chocolate, aim for small, even pieces so they’ll melt smoothly when combined with the butter.

Options for Substitutions

While this recipe needs some specific ingredients to work its magic, there are a few swaps you can try:

• Dark chocolate: You can use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate, but keep in mind your cake will be sweeter. White chocolate isn’t recommended as it behaves differently when melted.
• Butter: You can swap unsalted butter with salted butter – just skip adding any extra salt to the recipe. Margarine isn’t recommended as it can affect the texture of the final cake.
• Cocoa powder for coating: Feel free to use flour instead of cocoa powder for coating the bowls, though it might leave a white coating on the outside of your cakes.
• Spices: The chili powder, cinnamon, and cayenne are all optional – you can skip them for a classic chocolate flavor, or try other warming spices like nutmeg or cardamom.
• Eggs: Sorry, but there’s no good substitute for the eggs in this recipe – they’re crucial for the texture and that gooey center we’re after!
• Powdered sugar: You can skip the powdered sugar topping or replace it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge with lava cakes is getting that perfect molten center – even one minute too long in the oven can turn your gooey chocolate center into a fully-baked cake. To nail the timing, start checking your cakes at the 8-minute mark – the edges should be set but the center should still have a slight jiggle. Another common mistake is not properly preparing your ramekins – a thorough coating of butter and cocoa powder is essential, or you’ll end up with cakes that stick and break apart when unmolding. For the smoothest chocolate mixture, make sure to melt your chocolate and butter slowly over low heat or in 30-second microwave intervals, stirring between each burst – rushing this step can result in grainy, seized chocolate that ruins the whole dessert. Remember to let the cakes rest for exactly one minute after baking before inverting them onto serving plates – any longer and the molten center will continue cooking from residual heat.

What to Serve With Lava Cake?

This warm, gooey chocolate dessert practically begs for a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream on top – the contrast between hot and cold is just perfect! A drizzle of raspberry sauce or fresh berries adds a nice pop of freshness that cuts through the richness of the chocolate. If you’re feeling fancy, you can add a dollop of freshly whipped cream and maybe a few mint leaves for garnish. Since this dessert is pretty rich, I like serving it with a cup of coffee or espresso to help balance things out.

Storage Instructions

Make Ahead: You can prep these lava cakes up to 24 hours in advance! Just prepare the batter, pour it into your ramekins, cover with plastic wrap, and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. When it’s time to serve, just add an extra minute to the baking time since they’ll be cold.

Save for Later: While these cakes are best enjoyed fresh from the oven (that’s when you get that perfect molten center!), you can keep the unbaked batter in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Just give it a quick stir before pouring into ramekins.

Enjoy Fresh: These chocolate lava cakes are meant to be eaten right away while the center is still warm and gooey. Once they cool down, the magic of that molten center is gone, so I recommend baking them just before serving.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	7-10 minutes
Total Time	22-30 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 400-450
• Protein: 6-8 g
• Fat: 30-35 g
• Carbohydrates: 35-40 g

Ingredients

• Cocoa powder for coating bowls
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (half a stick)
• 2 ounces of dark, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• A dash of cayenne
• Powdered sugar for serving

Step 1: Prepare the Ramekins and Preheat the Oven

Begin by preheating your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Butter two 4-ounce ramekins or regular-sized muffin tins.

Lightly dust the inside of each ramekin with cocoa powder, tilting to coat properly, then tap out any excess.

Set the prepared ramekins aside for later use.

Step 2: Melt Chocolate and Butter

In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water (making sure the bowl does not touch the water), heat the butter and chocolate together until the chocolate is almost completely melted.

If preferred, you may also melt the butter and chocolate carefully in the microwave, stirring frequently to ensure a smooth consistency.

Step 3: Prepare the Batter

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until the mixture becomes light and thick.

Gradually add the melted butter and chocolate mixture.

Follow with the addition of flour, cinnamon, chili powder, and cayenne.

Mix until all ingredients are well combined, forming a smooth batter.

Step 4: Transfer the Batter and Bake

Divide the prepared batter evenly between the ramekins.

Place the ramekins on a baking sheet to ensure easy placement and removal from the oven.

Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven.

Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the sides of the desserts are set but the center remains soft and slightly gooey.

Step 5: Unmold and Garnish

After removing from the oven, allow each dessert to cool for about 10 seconds.

Invert each ramekin onto a plate, gently tapping the top of the mold to help release the dessert.

Carefully lift to remove the ramekin, revealing the delightful treat.

If desired, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar for an elegant touch.

Serve immediately while warm, either on its own or alongside a scoop of ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, fresh berries, or any preferred garnish.

Enjoy!