My Favorite Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes
Chocolate molten lava cakes have never been easier! The simple batter for these cakes can be made ahead of time to be baked whenever the craving hits.
If I really had to narrow life down to one dessert to eat for the rest of forever, it would have to be something akin to these chocolate molten lava cakes.
The combination of light as air chocolate cake and decadent hot fudge pouring out from within is what dreams are made of (at least mine).
It’s why I’m powerless in the face of hot fudge pudding cakes and brownie puddings.
These particular molten lava cakes are famous in my extended family. Thanks to my cousin, Camille, passing on the recipe. My Aunt Marilyn makes them so often, she has the recipe memorized and has the preparation down to a science.
I’m pretty certain these lovely little cakes are the most requested dessert in her house besides the amazing chocolate zucchini cake she’s known for.
It didn’t take my own family long to fall in love with these delicious cakes either. Now, no surprise, they have quickly become the most requested dessert at our house as well. They’ve shown up for two birthdays already and countless Sunday dinners.
I always used to be intimidated by gourmet looking lava cakes like these. Imagine my irritation when I found out how easy they really are.
This recipe, in particular, is simple enough you can make the batter a day or so in advance. Then, just bake the cakes on a whim.
Which means on any given day, you could be less than 15 minutes away from a ridiculously yummy chocolate molten lava cake. That’s dangerous knowledge right there.
Let’s talk about ramekins for a second. I’ve found they can be baked in a variety of dishes.
I have a very eclectic hodgepodge of ramekin-type dishes. Different sizes, different shapes, different materials. Here are the dishes I’ve personally used that have worked great for these lovely little cakes:
-The recipe recommendation is for a 6-ounce ramekin or dish like these ones {aff. link} that’s what I try to stick with mostly. However, since I only have six of that size, I’ve had to get inventive when making these for a larger group. UPDATE: the 8 ounce ones listed below work like a dream, too! Either size will be perfect.
-I also have these 8 ounce ramekins {aff. link}. When I’m making these cakes for a crowd, I pull the 8-ounce cups out and use them – even though the cakes are slightly less tall, they work great (although I do take the cakes out of the oven about a minute earlier than the 6-ounce ramekins).
-Probably the best kept secret is that these simple, super inexpensive glass pyrex custard cups {aff. link} work great for these cakes. That’s what my aunt uses mostly, and I always end up baking a few of the cakes in them as well. Don’t be afraid to experiment with dishes you already have on hand (as long as they are ovenproof!).
-One time, I even portioned the batter into well-greased muffin cups (a standard 12-cup pan {aff. link} although if I remember right, I only filled up 10 of the cups) and it worked great; the portions are a bit smaller but ideal for kids. Although I’ll confess, turning them out wasn’t quite as pretty as the individual ramekins. I ended up kind of scooping them out of the tin onto plates and no one seemed to care a bit.
Any day is a good day for chocolate molten lava cakes. Am I right or am I right?
One Year Ago: Whipped Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Two Years Ago: Sweet Baked Ham
Three Years Ago: Garlic and Herb Butter Spread
My Favorite Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (6 ounces) chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (see note)
- 10 tablespoons butter
- Pinch of salt (about 1/8 teaspoon - use more if using unsalted butter)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs (about 5.75 ounces)
- 3 large egg yolks (about 1.65 ounces)
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (2.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Grease the bottom and sides of six 6- or 8-ounce custard cups or ramekins very well (see note above).
- In a medium bowl (or in a saucepan on the stove), melt the chocolate and butter together until smooth (don't overheat!). Off the heat, stir in the salt and vanilla. Let the mixture cool to room temperature (it can be slightly warm but not hot).
- In a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and egg yolks together until thick and light in color, 2-3 minutes (don't skimp this step!).
- Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add the cooled, melted chocolate mixture and the flour and mix with a spoon or spatula just until combined and no streaks remain (don't overmix). Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins and place the ramekins on a large baking sheet with a couple inches between each dish (for air to circulate).
- Bake for 12-13 minutes until the sides are set and the cakes feel soft when touched in the center. The timing is really important here and a lot will depend on if your oven bakes hot or cool. You want the cakes to bake long enough to form a crust around the molten filling without baking all the way through.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 1-2 minutes. Run a small knife or metal spatula around the edges to loosen. Place a plate upside down on the ramekin, and holding onto both the plate and the ramekin, carefully flip so that the cake falls out onto the plate (tap very lightly on the bottom of the ramekin if the cake doesn't come out right away).
- Dust the cakes with powdered sugar or serve with whipped cream and strawberries or ice cream and hot fudge sauce (or a combination of all!).
Notes
Chocolate: not all chocolate is created equal and you want a great tasting, easy melting chocolate here, which means if at all possible, stay away from chocolate chips. The best melting chocolate chips, in my opinion, are Ghirardelli and they are usually my exception to the rule for using chocolate chips to melt in recipes such as this (Nestle, store brand, and Hershey's don't melt as well). Chocolate bars (found in the baking aisle - like Baker's brand or TJ's pound plus bars) work great.
Greasing the Ramekins: let's talk about greasing those ramekins. The idea is you want the chocolate cakes to fall out with no shaking, minimal pounding and no stress. Using a cooking spray with flour in it (like Baker's Joy) works great but may leave a bit of a white or yellow-ish residue on the outer edges of the cake (I don't think it's a big deal, personally). Often times, I make a paste of softened butter and cocoa powder and spread it generously into the bottom, edges and sides of the ramekins. You can tell from the pictures that it makes a bit of a darker edge on the cakes, but again, it doesn't bother me and the cakes come out easy peasy.
Make Ahead: the cake batter can be made and spread into the ramekins 1-2 days in advance. Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bake the cakes as directed (remove the plastic wrap, obvs), adding an extra 30-60 seconds to the baking time to account for the cold batter.
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These are amazing! My daughter saw a recipe for it from our air fryer booklet but then I saw your IG video and your recipes never disappoint. Thanks for taking time to make the video. It made it less daunting and I referred back to it when I got nervous. Haha. Thanks again for sharing such great recipes!
I’m so glad you tried them!
I’ve always been intimidated by lava cakes, but this was not hard at all! My 8 year old daughter helped me make these for our Fancy Family Valentine’s dinner dessert and they were divine, oh my word, we loved them! We made them earlier in the day and put them in the oven after dinner. I did not have ramekins, but did have those small, clear pyrex bowls, and they worked perfect. When my daughter took her first bite and the chocolate oozed out she yelled, “MOM! We did it! We made chocolate lava!!! AHH!” She was so proud of us. : ) Thank you for another great recipe!
This is amazing! Thanks for letting me know, Jennifer!
I haven’t made these (yet) but did make a red velvet variation from a recipe I found elsewhere for Christmas dinner. They cakes were amazingly delicious, and by doing most of the preparation earlier, quick to finish and serve warm. I’ll add this one to my recipe files too.
How full do you fill each ramekin? I have 2 different sets of ramekins and a muffin pan and none of them hold 6 ounces.
I fill them about 2/3 full.
Made these exactly as directed in the recipe for dessert on Christmas day. Made the cakes early in the afternoon and baked them after dinner when we were opening presents. Everyone absolutely raved about them! Definitely a keeper! Thank you.
As I was making my Christmas shopping list I checked to see if I had ever commented on this recipe-I could not believe I had not bc these lava cakes have been our Christmas Eve dessert since the recipe came out in 2016. They are so easy to make (and can be made ahead of time), they make a beautiful presentation, and are hands down the most delectable dessert of all times. I bought the ramekins on amazon for super cheap, and I use them dozens of other times during the year for all sorts of random things.
I’m so happy to hear that, Gilliane! They are our go-to dessert on Christmas Eve too (these and creme brulee).
I need to make these gluten free. Would the flour amount be the same with gulten free flour. I gave 5 stars because the ingredients & end result look very tasty.
I haven’t tried the with gluten free flour, but I *think* they would convert pretty well to gluten free using the same amount of gluten free flour.
After a cold, cloudy, windy night at the kids’ soccer practice, this was perfect for my warm, gooey, chocolate desires. I love that when I’m in the mood for any specific dessert, I can just search Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and find a reliable, tried and true delicious recipe!
Thank you, Kim!
Mel!!! I wanted to make a decadent dessert as we enjoyed a nice Valentine’s dinner at home with our best friends & their little girl. These were perfect! I am more of a vanilla gal (don’t hate, lol) but even I thought these were insanely delicious!!! I served them with powdered sugar & fresh raspberries – so easy & so good!
Can I make these the night before, keep them in the fridge, and then reheat them the next day?
Thanks in advance!
Do you mean bake them and then refrigerate? yes, I think so although on reheating, it’ll be tricky not to overcook that middle. You can make the batter and keep it for several days in the fridge and then bake as needed.
Hi Mel. I want to give this a try – because it’s chocolate cake and that’s all I need!!! I see that it makes six cakes. There are only three of us in our family. Will these keep for very long? Can I cut the recipe in half? Is it okay if we all just eat two???? 🙂 Let me know your thoughts. Thanks!!!
Haha, I definitely support eating two (although that might cause a stomach ache!)…but you can cut the recipe in half…or the unbaked batter keeps several days in the fridge.
Sounds great! Thanks Mel!!
I was looking for a simple molten cake dessert that I could make tonight, so when I came across yours, I knew I had to give it a shot. Thankfully we had all the ingredients on hand. Within 30 minutes, I had one of the best desserts I’ve ever made in front of my family. We are not fans of store bought desserts, but we do love Chili’s molten cake, so I was a little nervous that my teenagers wouldn’t care for it. Nope! They told me this was better than Chili’s. My husband shared his with our 15 month old and he literally screamed when they finished theirs.
Haha! Love that last line! So happy this was a hit with the family!
These are SO GOOD!! I made these with my kids, and they thought the whole process was amazing!! We enjoyed them with some ice cream, and they are just so darn good! Thank you, Mel!!!
I must be doing something wrong! I remember making these when your first posted it and they didn’t ooze in the middle. I tried again yesterday and did the same thing. Now looking at the pictures I’m wondering if I didn’t fill them enough because they did not fluff over the top of the ramekins. Also, I’m wondering about when you mix in the flour? You pour into a liquid and just stir with a wooden spoon…mine has little flour pebbles in the cooked cake. With that being said…they are still yummy but I really want to get that middle how they should be and not cooked through!
What size and shape are the ramekins you are using, Karen?
Hi i just want to ask, if i already baked it and i have to serve this for the next 2 days how do i store it? And can i just microwave it if i need to serve it?
I’ve never made them that far in advance, so I’m not totally sure how they’ll reheat, but I would store them in the refrigerator and then reheat on low (you don’t want it to cook the molten middle) when ready to serve.
Is powdered sugar the same as caster sugar?
I’m not sure – powdered sugar is also called confectioner’s sugar.
Caster sugar is superfine sugar, also sold as Baker’s Sugar.
For our yearly “candlelit dinner” on the night before the First Day of School, my kids requested your Garlic Alfredo sauce, which we served with pasta and shrimp, and chocolate cake with strawberry fool for dessert. I had never made chocolate lava cake, and since my Kindergartner son loves volcanoes, I thought I would give these a try. They turned out SO wonderful! I made them with my Pampered Chef 1-cup storage bowls this morning, and I took them out of the fridge and popped them in the oven for 13 minutes. Perfect. Also, to note, I did not want to spend an arm and a leg on dessert, so I took a risk and used Aldi brand semisweet chocolate chips. You know what? They melted just fine, and the dessert turned out great. If I were serving for company, I might splurge on some Ghiradelli, but maybe not after tasting the Aldi results. Thank you for all of your inspiration, as always!
Well, I love this for so many reasons (most of all the tradition of your candlelit dinner before the first day of school!) – thanks for adding your feedback on this recipe, Melanie! So happy they worked out! These cakes really are one of my favorite desserts in the history of ever.
I second the glass pyrex cups! They are my favorite. I have a recipe I love for chocolate molten cake that is almost identical. I use Ghirardelli bitter-sweet chocolate which turns out amazing. Instead of spaying my cups, I grease them with butter and then use granulated sugar to coat the butter. It works great! Love all your recipes!
What would the baking time be if I cut the recipe in half to make three 6-oz ramekins?
Thanks!
It would be about the same, I think.
This looks amazing!!! Will certainly be trying this out this week! Thank you for sharing.
I finally made these for my son’s birthday. Everyone loved them. I was worried that I would overfill the ramekins and they wouldn’t turn out and had quite a lot of batter left over. Can you tell me how full you fill yours? The video didn’t show it very clearly when I watched it. Your website is my go to if I ever want to try a new recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Marilyn – I fill my ramekins about 1/2 to 2/3 full (a lot will depend on how tall the sides are).
Made these last night. They were just as easy to make and as delicious as you said they would be! I have some left over batter that I am really looking forward to using up today!
Can you bake these a couple of hours before using? Do I need to warm back up?
Love your recipes, Mel!
Yes, I think that could work, although I prefer baking them right before we want to eat them (just make sure not to overbake if doing it earlier so there’s still a gooey middle).
Can I use a 6″ round circular baking dish and just scoop out portions?
Could definitely try (haven’t tried it myself…)
How would you bake and freeze this ? Would it be possible?
I’m honestly not sure, Tiffanie. I’m worried the center won’t stay warm and molteny gooey once thawed.
My 13 year old daughter made these today with just a little guidance from me. They were a huge hit. They are easy and we always have the ingredients on hand – this could be dangerous!
Super yummy! Big hit with my family
I Was wondering wether we should give more or less baking time and can we use coco powder instead of chocalate or nutella if so then how much in quantity
Guittard brands of chocolate are also one of my favorite. And I will try this recipe with this chocolate.
I have 6 oz Bakers chocolate in bars, but it does not equal 1 cup. How are you measuring the cup of chocolate? Is it chopped, melted, or? Could I use a milk chocolate bar to top up?
The 6 ounces is usually chopped (similar to the consistency of chocolate chips). If it’s 6 ounces in weight, you should be fine.
Made it, this was fantastic. You were correct in saying that 6oz of chocolate would work, regardless of the measurement, which for Baker’s Chocolate was 1 cup slivered. The ramekin size I own made 8, with the batter refridgerated and cooking for 12 minutes, they turned out perfect. Thank you for your prompt response to my question and thank you for sharing this recipe!
Your platform is not posting my comment as entered, seems not to recognize symbols. What I said was Baker’s Chocolate was less than 1 cup cubed and greater than 1 cup slivered, but using 6 oz worked great! Thanks again!
What kind of melting chocolate do you recommend for this recipe? Any brands that are your favorite?
I love the Ghirardelli or Guittard brands of chocolate.
Have you ever made in mini quiche dish and served with out removing from dish? I have a large amount of these, I am thinking they are not deep enough?
I haven’t made them in a mini quiche dish, but sometimes we serve them right out of the ramekins, so I think that part of the idea would be just fine. I think you could definitely make them in a more shallow dish, you’ll just want to cut down the baking time so they are still a little soft in the middle.
Hi there, so far I have made two of your recipes and my family loves it. I was just wondering if we can make this with those silicone muffin/cupcake moulds. Then it would be easy to get the lava cake out nicely. Do you think it is possible? Or do we have to use the ceramic ramekins? Please advise! Thank you!
Hi Amber – I haven’t tried it, but I think using the silicone muffin molds would work quite well and you’d probably get even more out of the batch.
How many ramekins does this recipe make (6 oz and 8 oz)?
About six 6-ounce ramekins
I’m shocked there are so few comments on this recipe! I made these for Christmas and they were amazing. So simple/easy to make them ahead and then pop them in the oven. I’ll definitely be making these again :).
So happy you loved them, Amy! They are a huge family favorite around here too!
can I freeze these after baking, ( possibly a little less baking time) if yes please let me know
I haven’t tried freezing them, but you could certainly test it out!
Molten chocolate lava cake one of the best deserts in healthiest and delicious way. everyone loves too and thanks to you for making this website i am in touch with you.keep posting
Sounds delicious! Mmmmmm, that looks EXTREMELY tasty.
Yum, yum, yum. Have to take dessert to a backyard get together. Gonna make this!
Yum, yum, yum. Have to take dessert to a backyard get together. Gonna make this!
So I’m hoping to make this for my family tomorrow, but it would be easier if it were more or less baked through for my two and four year olds. Any tips on how much longer they might need to be baked?
Fun fact: I put two cakes in for five minutes, then put the rest in for maybe 12.5 minutes more, and the two I cooked five minutes extra were still a little gooey in the middle. I’ve tried several lava cake recipes and this was by far my most triumphant success.
Sorry I didn’t get to this in time, Diane – I had company in town for the weekend and life was a bit crazy. I read your follow up comment though and am so happy they worked out!
This looks and sounds incredible, yum!
xx Kelly
Sparkles and Shoes
Yum! You are completely right, any day is good for a chocolate cake day!! These are going on the menu this week. Thanks!
Yummy! And I love that these can be mixed ahead of time! You are speaking my chocolate language for sure!
Do you have to refrigerate make a head batter. If so do you have to bring to room temperature before baking
Yes, you should refrigerate – I don’t let it come to room temperature. I just add another 30 seconds to a minute of baking time.
I never knew these were so easy. I always assumed the filling was different than the cake batter and therefore they were all super complicated. Thanks for clearing that up! This could be dangerous!!!!! 🙂 luckily i dont have any baking chips on hand or i might have just made these for breakfast! I will make them tho…they look divine!!!!
Thank you for your blo. It is my favorite!
When you use the larger dishes, do you consider them multiple servings instead of a single serve?
The 8-ounce ramekins? No, usually my husband claims those ones. The cakes aren’t overly large so even the 8-ounce ramekin is an individual serving (for an adult, might be too big for a child).
Please tell us more about the strawberry whipped cream?
I was planning on posting these for Valentine’s Day – so I just whipped up a little cream with a couple tablespoons of cream cheese (to make it thicker) and added powdered sugar for sweetness and a handful of freeze-dried strawberries. It really was just thrown together but was super delicious.
I loved your chocolate molten lower-fat fudge cakes, but I haven’t made them in a while. This sounds like a more decadent version, yum. I am loving that pink/strawberry? whipped cream you piped around the cake–looks so delicious!