Chocolate Lava Cake

A chocolate lave cake sitting on a white dessert plate that has been dusted with powdered sugar with a fresh cranberry sitting next to it.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American / French

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 13

Resting time: 3

Total Time: 36

Servings:

Calories: 568kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

This is one of those "special occasion" desserts that is a chocolate lover's dream come true. A kitchen scale ensures the exact measurements, but, if you don't have a scale, you'll still be okay if you follow the recipe exactly. Be sure to serve the cakes soon after they come out of the oven. Get ready for raves!

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Equipment

1 measuring scale not 100% necessary, but very helpful
8 6-oz ramekins
1 Double boiler

Ingredients

3 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
cocoa powder for dusting
6 oz dark chocolate 60% bittersweet baking chocolate
13 tablespoon unsalted butter chilled and cubed
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
6.7 oz sugar a little less than 1 cup (192 grams)
6.6 oz all-purpose flour a little more than 1 cup (187 grams)
confectioners' sugar for dusting
1 cup fresh cranberries for garnish, optional

Instructions

Brush melted butter on the inside of the ramekins. Place in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Brush with more melted butter and then sprinkle the cocoa powder inside the ramekins. Shake to completely coat the ramekins, and then tap out excess.
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, cocoa powder
Use a double boiler (with water in the bottom pot) or a heatproof bowl over a bowl of simmering water to gently melt the chocolate and butter. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
6 oz dark chocolate, 13 tablespoon unsalted butter
In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until so thick that a spoon dragged across the top of the mixture leaves a trail.
4 large eggs, 4 large egg yolks, 6.7 oz sugar
Sift the flour into the egg mixture and then beat until incorporated. Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture one-third at a time, beating well between additions until completely combined.
6.6 oz all-purpose flour
Evenly divide the mixture across the prepared ramekins. Chill them for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F while the cakes are chilling.
Place ramekins on a baking sheet and cook for 13 minutes, or until the tops are solid and just starting to pull away from the sides. Remove from the oven and let rest in the ramekins for 3 to 5 minutes.
Use a thin sharp knife to loosen the sides of the cake from the sides of the ramekins. Invert the cakes onto serving plates and gently remove them from the ramekins.
Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and garnish with fresh fruit, if desired. Serve at once.
confectioners' sugar, 1 cup fresh cranberries

Video

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Weighing the dry ingredients ensures the exact volume for each, however, if you measure them out following the notes in the "ingredients" section, you'll be fine.

After removing from the oven, invert a test cake. If the cake is not fully set around the edges, place the ramekins back in the oven for another couple of minutes.

Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave on HIGH for about 1 minute.

Nutrition