Molten Chocolate Lava Cake
These molten chocolate lava cakes are rich and decadent desserts that are filled with a warm fudgy sauce. There are instructions for three different size dishes including cupcake tins.
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
TO PREP THE DISHES:
- Butter
- unsweetened cocoa powder
FOR THE MOLTEN CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKES:
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate see notes
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3 egg yolks room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 425°F. Grease the baking dishes with butter then dust them with cocoa powder. (See the notes for the various sizes to bake in)
- Melt the butter and chocolate. You can either place them in a double boiler or melt them on low power in the microwave. Let the mixture cool a bit (just enough that you can comfortably touch it).
- Stir in the sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, espresso powder and salt. Whisk well until smooth.
- Stir in the flour then divide the batter among the baking dishes.
- Bake until the edges are firm but the center is still soft.
Baking times for different sized dishes:
- For 8 standard sized cupcake tins, bake 7 to 8 minutes.
- For 6 (4 ounce) ramekins, bake for 9 to 10 minutes.
- For 4 (6 ounce) ramekins, bake for 11 minutes.
When they are done baking:
- The cakes will puff up a bit and get firm around the edges but jiggle in the center.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and let them sit on a wire rack for 1 or 2 minutes.
- Run a knife around the edge of the cakes to loosen them from the baking dishes or the cupcake tins, then invert them onto serving plates.
- Serve while still warm.
Notes
Ramekin or Tin Options: Use six 4-ounce ramekins, four 6-ounce ramekins, or eight standard cupcake tins.
Egg Temperature Matters: Start with room temperature eggs. Cold eggs can cause the batter to curdle. If that happens, beat the batter with an electric mixer until smooth.
Choose the Right Chocolate: Chocolate chips contain additives that can prevent the centers from staying soft and molten. They'll work in a pinch, but chopped dark chocolate bars, baking chocolate, or chocolate disks give the best results.
Make-Ahead Tips: The batter can be made a day ahead. Fill the baking dishes, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Before baking, let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 259mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g
