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.
You won’t believe how easy it is to make chocolate molten lava cakes at home!
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).
Molten Lava Cake Batter
This batter is really simple and can be made without a stand mixer, but it does rely on a few key steps:
- Don’t skimp on beating the eggs until very thick, creamy, foamy and light in color! This helps the chocolate batter bake up light and fluffy.
- For the melted chocolate, use a great-tasting chocolate and a chocolate that melts well. I almost always use Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips in this recipe. It’s perfect even for those that prefer a more semisweet chocolate vibe (it doesn’t make the lava cakes too dark and rich). Not all chocolate chips melt as well. I recommend using Ghiradelli or Guittard chocolate chips for melting with the butter in this recipe.
- After adding the flour, don’t over mix. Just give the batter some quick stirs until the flour is just combined.
The chocolate batter will be luscious and medium-thick but still pourable.
Small air bubbles throughout are fine!
Best Size Ramekins to Use
I make the lava cakes in 8-ounce ramekins {aff. link}.
You can also use 6-ounce ramekins {aff. link} (if so, you’ll likely get eight lava cakes out of the batch instead of six).
AND…maybe the best kept secret is that these simple, super inexpensive glass pyrex custard cups {aff. link} work great for these cakes, as well. That’s what my Aunt Marilyn (originator of this recipe) uses mostly.
I have also made the lava cakes in a standard muffin tin (only filling 10 of the cups, not all 12). The baking time is a few minutes less if using a muffin tin, and it is harder to turn them out and have them look pretty, but it definitely works in a pinch!
How to Grease the Ramekins
These chocolate molten lava cakes rely on a well-greased ramekin so that they pop out easily for plating and serving.
Yes, you can just dig into them right in the ramekin, but it’s fun and a bit more traditional to turn them out onto a plate to serve that way.
How To: Brush or rub butter liberally over the bottom and sides of each ramekin, paying close attention to the the crevices, especially where the sides and bottom meet. Then, sprinkle in cocoa powder evenly and tap out the excess. This seems to do the trick perfectly!
Fill each ramekin about 2/3 full with batter.
Bake just until the edges and top are set but there is still some jiggle to the center.
How to Turn out the Lava Cakes
Out of the oven, let the lava cakes sit for 2-3 minutes before loosening the edge with a thin knife.
*They can sit longer than that – just be aware that if they do, it’s likely that it’ll be harder to pop them out cleanly and cooling in the hot ramekin means the molten center may cook a bit more and not be quite as lava-y.
Place the serving plate over the top of the ramekin and tip so the plate is on the counter. Tap the plate and ramekin lightly so the cake slides out.
Use a hot pad to carefully lift the hot ramekin off the cake.
A Favorite Dessert
These chocolate molten lava cakes are so easy to make at home and are one of my favorite desserts EVER.
We serve them with ice cream and sometimes hot fudge sauce, but they are also delicious plain. Perfectly chocolatey and so rich and delicious, they are incredible.
Many of you have fallen in love with these at-home lava cakes, too!
Ashley writes: 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! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Brenda says: Super yummy! Big hit with my family ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shelly says: 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!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Doris writes: 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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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 (170 g) chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (see note)
- 10 tablespoons salted butter
- Pinch of salt, about 1/8 teaspoon – use more if using unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 ½ cups (171 g) powdered sugar
- ½ cup (71 g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375-400 degrees F (see note!).
- Grease the bottom and sides of six 6- or 8-ounce ramekins by brushing or spreading a thin layer of butter evenly over the bottom and sides of each ramekin, paying close attention to the the crevices, especially where the sides and bottom meet. Sprinkle in cocoa powder to coat evenly and tap out the excess.
- In a medium bowl, add the chocolate and butter and melt in 1-minute increments in the microwave, stirring in between, until melted and smooth (don't over heat). This can also be done in a saucepan on the stove.
- 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.
- 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 2-3 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
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from a recipe that’s famous in my extended family from my cousin Camille, given to me (and served to me countless times) by my Aunt Marilyn
Recipe originally posted March 2016; updated January 2023 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.
123 Comments on “My Favorite Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes”
I am 10 years old and I want 2 make this recipe 4 my Family
I thought it was a good recipe for my gathering in my grandmas house.
I just can’t wait 4 2morow!!!
My husband was craving some chocolatey-goodness for Father’s Day so when I found this recipe, I had to try it! Wow, it DID NOT disappoint!! Followed the directions exactly, using 6 oz ramekins and these were SO GOOD!! I served them with vanilla ice cream and a bit of whipping cream too! I’m a bit embarrassed to admit we loved them so much that we made them tonight again for some guests!! I am confident this is going to be a new go-to recipe – it is super easy and fast too!!
Stupid fracking convoluted recipe. I couldn’t find anything, also the cakes looked too pale, maybe a bit too much whipping of the eggs
Delicious and so easy! Followed your recipe exactly as written. I had one left over, and popped it in the fridge for a few days. I heated it up in the microwave for a few seconds just to take the chill off and it turned out just like a fresh lava cake all over! I did not expect that and was tickled pink! Topped it with vanilla ice cream and your fudge sauce recipe. YUM!!
I made these with Bob’s 1:1 gluten free flour last night. Mine didn’t ever get a strong enough edge to keep them intact when I dumped them out, but that could’ve been my fault. (Oven not hot enough? Maybe I didn’t beat the eggs long enough?)
They were *delicious,* but the molten part was super grainy from the gf flour. I’m wondering if making the batter a few days in advance could help with that and maybe a different type of flour. I’ll keep trying!
Thanks, Mel!
Oh my goodness, these are so good. There was five of us so we had to thumb wrestle for the last one. Grandma with arthritis won because she loves chocolate that much.
Hahaha, this made me laugh out loud.
Made these for Valentines Day and they were excellent. We had two leftover that had been baked, so I put them in the fridge and we ate them cold the next night. I am not sure which way I preferred them! The cold version was almost like a mousse in the center and it was amazing 🙂
My kids (ages 8, 6, and 3) helped me make these for our Valentine’s Day dinner. They were able to do it all with a little guidance from me, and they were so proud of the final result! We all loved them. Thanks Mel!
My daughter is making these tonight and says the giarhdelli chocolate bar she chopped up is 4 oz, so two of them are 8 oz, but when she weighed them on the kitchens scale they weighed many more than 170 grams. In fact the bar says it’s 4 oz but 113 grams. She wonders if she should go by the cup measurement or the grams measurement. Thanks!
1 cup of chopped chocolate will be right around 6 ounces or 170 grams. If she’s using a kitchen scale, definitely go with the gram weight measure and add 170 grams of chocolate.
I have made these before, but I don’t remember them being so simple. It could be dangerous to have such a quick yet decadent dessert be this easy to get on the table. We had cheese fondue for dinner and by the time it was cleaned up these were baked and ready to enjoy. The only time consuming part was removing them from the ramekins and serving them on plates. We had whole fresh strawberries on the side that my kids dunked into the molten lava like chocolate fondue. Yuuum!
Oh, LOVE the idea of the strawberries for dipping in that molten center!
Hi Mel! I made these for Valentine’s Day dessert and they were fabulous! I made 6 of them for the 3 of us so yay! 3 more for tonight 🙂
Have a great day!
Love hearing that! Thanks, Patricia!
Do the eggs in this recipe have time or temperature to bake, without being raw?
You can take the internal temperature of the molten lava cake to be sure – I haven’t ever done that so I’m not sure what the temperature is of the lava center.
Have you tried them in a pressure cooker? I’ve seen a few recipes for it but wonder if you need to modify anything the ingredients. Hoping to make them in the break room at work!
My husband, “this is the best dessert that I have ever had at home.” So decadent, so satisfying. My 7 and 5 year olds made this today with minimal help from me. We used a silicone mold with 6 heart shaped cups (5 oz each) and kept the batter in the fridge for a few hours until dinner time. Since the molds were smaller but the batter was cold we kept the cooking time. They didn’t come out whole but no problem since they were covered with ice cream. Thanks Mel!!
These are so delicious and my kids loved them! I just was wondering if I can make the batter and refrigerate in a bowl and then put it in the ramekins just before cooking? I’m making a big batch that I need to transport the batter and it would be easier to do in one big bowl.
The only trouble I see with that is that the batter will firm up after being refrigerated making it harder to scoop into the ramekins.
Hi Mel- we made this for valentines dinner last night and it’s the second time I tried the recipe and second time they were totally liquid inside 🙁
I was reading the reviews to figure out why and I saw one comment that said 6oz of chocolate. I used 8oz – a cup. Was that wrong ? Could that be why they didn’t set at all? Thanks!!
Hi Lucy – that might be part of the issue. One cup of chocolate is 6 ounces (by weight) – not 8 ounces. So decreasing the chocolate might help. Also, you may need to add another 1-2 minutes of baking time – that should help, too!
Hi Mel!
Wondering if these need to be served right away, or if they should set up for awhile? I’d like them to have that delicious, gooey center, but I am planning to make them for a catered dinner and won’t be able to bake at the last second.
Thanks!
Hi Rachel, they are best served within 10 minutes of baking, in my opinion. However, we often refrigerate the baked leftover cakes and warm them up slightly before serving and that works pretty well (take care not to warm them up too long or the gooey center will bake)
Um. I just have to get out of this recipe. Baked for 17 minutes and poured solid sides and cake batter onto plates. Mostly cake batter.
It was delicious, in the remaining cups after about 20 minutes.
Could you show nutritional Info..I’m doing keto thanks
I have made these once and am getting ready to make them again. I just noticed the recipe doesn’t say when to add the flour (I just watched the video to figure it out), but thought you should know. Can’t wait to devour one tomorrow! 🙂 They’re the best!
Oops, it does say when to add. I missed it reading through the first time!
Can you freeze the unsalted dough in the ramekins?
I haven’t tried freezing them unbaked – but you could experiment!
Now i see that the recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar or 6 ounces- that would be 12 ounces. The measurements are a problem for this recipe.
The measurements are not a problem. I can help explain. The ounces given in the recipe refer to the weight of the ingredient, not the volume. So even though a cup is 8 ounces in volume, different ingredients will have varying weights. For instance, one cup of powdered sugar weighs 4 ounces (the volume of the cup will always be 8 ounces). Does that help?