Easy Chocolate Lava Cakes
Individual dark chocolate cakes baked hot and fast so the outside sets and the centre stays molten. Made with 60–70% chocolate, butter, eggs and a little flour; the ramekins can be filled up to a day ahead.
Ingredients
For the ramekins
- soft butter, for greasing
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Batter
- 170 g (6 oz) dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
- 115 g (½ cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 65 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 25 g (3 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
To serve
- icing (powdered) sugar
- vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or crème fraîche
- fresh berries
Instructions
- Butter four 175 ml (6 oz) ramekins thoroughly, dust with cocoa and set on a baking tray. Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F), or 200°C (400°F) fan.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together over barely simmering water or in 30-second microwave bursts. Cool 5 minutes.
- Whisk the eggs, yolks, sugar and salt for 2–3 minutes with a mixer until pale, thick and falling in a ribbon. Whisk in the vanilla.
- Fold in the warm chocolate until smooth, then sift over the flour and fold just until it disappears.
- Fill the ramekins about three-quarters full.
- Bake 12–14 minutes, until the sides are firm and pulling away and the top is set, with a 2.5–4 cm (1–1 ½ in) circle in the centre that still wobbles.
- Rest 1 minute, run a knife around the edge and invert onto plates.
- Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately with ice cream or cream and berries.
Notes
- Ramekin size: 120 ml (4 oz) ramekins make 6 cakes, 9–11 minutes; 240 ml (8 oz) ramekins 11–13 minutes; metal moulds 10–12 minutes; 6-hole muffin tin 8–10 minutes; glass ramekins add 1–2 minutes.
- Make ahead: refrigerate filled ramekins up to 24 hours and bake 14–16 minutes, or freeze up to 1 month and bake from frozen 16–18 minutes.
- The centre is not fully cooked; use pasteurised eggs for vulnerable guests, or bake 2–3 minutes longer for a fudgy centre.
- Gluten-free: use 25 g 1:1 gluten-free baking flour or almond flour.
- Leftovers: fridge up to 2 days; microwave 15–20 seconds (the centre will be fudgy).