Chocolate Lava Cake

Imagine a petite, individually portioned chocolate cake emerging from the oven with a perfectly domed top and just enough firmness to hold its shape—yet as soon as your spoon or fork pierces its side, a ribbon of molten, velvety chocolate spills onto your plate. The outer shell is lightly crisped, with a subtle crackle under your utensil, while the interior remains luxuriously molten, warm enough to steam and coat your taste buds. Each bite alternates between dense, almost brownie-like cake crumb and a molten core that’s been enriched with premium dark chocolate, melted butter, and a whisper of vanilla. The bittersweet intensity of the cocoa center is tempered by the cake’s tender crumb and heightened when paired with a scoop of cold vanilla bean ice cream—it’s that hot-meets-cold contrast that makes every mouthful feel like pure indulgence. Garnish with a dusting of powdered sugar, a scattering of fresh raspberries for tart brightness, or even a drizzle of salted caramel to add another layer of flavor complexity.

Chocolate Lava Cake

Course: Dessert

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

400

kcal

Ingredients

• 4 oz (115 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

• 4 tbsp (60 g) unsalted butter, plus extra for ramekins

• 2 large eggs

• 2 large egg yolks

• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar

• 2 tbsp (15 g) all-purpose flour

• Pinch of salt

• Powdered sugar, for dusting

• 4 scoops vanilla ice cream, for serving

• Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Directions

• Prep ramekins: Preheat oven to 425 °F (220 °C). Butter four 6 oz ramekins and dust lightly with flour, tapping out excess.
• Melt chocolate & butter: In a heatproof bowl over simmering water (or in short bursts in the microwave), melt chocolate and butter together, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
• Whisk eggs & sugar: In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, yolks, sugar, and salt until pale and slightly thickened (about 2 minutes by hand).
• Combine & fold: Gradually pour warm chocolate into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Gently fold in flour until just combined—do not overmix.
• Fill & bake: Divide batter evenly among ramekins. Place on a baking sheet and bake 12–15 minutes, until the edges are set but centers still jiggle.
• Serve immediately: Run a knife around each cake, invert onto plates, and dust with powdered sugar. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a few raspberries.