Chocolate Lava Cake

Chocolate
Lava Cake

⏱ 20 minutes 👥 2 serves 🔥 Medium

The molten chocolate centre. The holy grail of home desserts. The thing that makes dinner guests gasp when you cut into it and liquid chocolate oozes out. This is restaurant-quality drama that you can pull off in your home kitchen with zero formal training.

The secret is underbaking. That's it. That's the whole trick. You want the edges set and the centre still liquid. The timing is critical — 11 minutes at 200°C for most ovens, but you'll learn your sweet spot after one trial run. Too long and you've got chocolate cake (still delicious, but not lava). Too short and it won't hold its shape.

Twenty minutes from start to finish. Individual ramekins, served immediately while the chocolate is still flowing. Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and watch it melt into the warm cake. This is the dessert that ends meals on a high note and makes people remember your cooking.

Ingredients

  • 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
  • 100g butter
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 30g plain flour
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, to serve

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Generously butter two ramekins (200ml capacity). Dust with cocoa powder, tap out excess.
  2. Melt chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir until smooth and glossy. Remove from heat.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, yolks, and sugar until thick and pale — about 2 minutes of vigorous whisking.
  4. Pour melted chocolate into egg mixture. Fold gently to combine. Sift in flour and cocoa. Fold until just combined — don't overmix.
  5. Divide batter between ramekins. Place on a baking tray. Bake for 11-12 minutes. The edges should be set but the centre should jiggle slightly.
  6. Remove from oven. Let rest 1 minute. Run a knife around the edge of each ramekin.
  7. Invert onto serving plates. Tap the base gently. Lift off ramekins. Top with ice cream or cream. Serve immediately and let your guests cut into the molten centre.

Nutrition Per Serve

580
Calories
12g
Protein
42g
Carbs
42g
Fat