What’s the one thing that makes these Molten Chocolate Cakes stand out from the crowd? The oozing chocolate centre. It isn’t raw cake batter, it’s chocolate ganache. No more stressing about overcooking and losing the chocolate lava – because melted chocolate will always ooze!
Molten Chocolate Cakes
Molten Chocolate Cakes, also known as Lava Cakes, are warm individual-size chocolate cakes with oozing chocolate centres.
Most recipes will simply have you undercooking a chocolate cake batter, so the outside is set like cake but the inside is raw batter that pours out like lava when you cut into it. Hence the name!
But why settle for cake batter when you can have the real thing? I’ll take molten real chocolate over raw cake, thanks!
What you need for Lava Cakes
Here’s what you need to make Molten Chocolate Cakes:
Dark chocolate / semi-sweet chocolate chips – for both the cake batter and the chocolate ganache filling. Anything up to 50% cocoa will work here. Do not use chocolate with a higher cocoa %. The cake isn’t as soft and also it’s quite hard to make a small batch of ganache with a high cocoa % chocolate;
Flour – A surprisingly small amount, just 2 tablespoons for 4 cakes! Are you shocked? 🙂 These babies are literally mostly chocolate – and we’re all very happy about that!!
4 eggs – We’re using 2 whole eggs and 2 yolks;
Sugar – White caster sugar / superfine sugar. The finer grains make it easier to incorporate into the batter;
Butter – Unsalted; and
Cream – Heavy / thickened cream to make the ganache filling.
If you’re short on time, you can just use Lindt balls instead of making your own ganache!
How to make Molten Chocolate Cakes
You’ll need a few hours for the ganache to set so you can scoop up balls to drop into the batter. But once that’s done, the cake itself is a 10-minute hand-mixing job, and a 20-minute bake.
1. Ganache for molten chocolate filling
This ganache is thicker than traditional ganache. Ordinarily, a ratio of 1:1 chocolate to cream is used. For Lava Cakes, I use less cream so the ganache oozes more thickly and slowly. Otherwise it runs out of the cake too quickly.
Ganache – First, make the ganache. Traditionally ganache is made by pouring hot cream over chocolate, letting it stand to make the chocolate melt then stirring until it’s smooth and combined.
For this recipe, we only need a small batch of ganache. This doesn’t work so well using the hot cream method. So we’re doing it the old-school way: put chocolate and cream in a bowl, microwave in 20-second bursts to melt, then stir until combined and smooth; and
Chill ganache – Once melted, refrigerate until it’s firm enough to scoop into balls. For a small bowl, it shouldn’t take longer than 2 hours or so.
Remember: If you’re short on time, you can just use a Lindt ball instead of making ganache!
2. Molten Chocolate Cake batter
Start the batter once the ganache is firm:
Grease & dust moulds: Grease 4 x 170ml / 5.75 oz dariole or pudding moulds with butter then dust inside with cocoa powder. This ensures the cakes slip right out. You’ll see me demo how I do the dusting in the recipe video below.
No moulds? No problems! Just use ramekins or muffin tins. The puddings won’t stand as tall, but it will taste just as good! Bake times in recipe notes.
Melt chocolate: Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in-between. Then leave to cool for 5 minutes to ensure it doesn’t cook the eggs!
Finish Batter: Whisk the eggs and sugar first, then add the chocolate mixture and finally fold through the flour.
Avoid vigorously mixing. There’s not much flour in this, but we can still over-work the gluten which will make the cake less tender. Once you can no longer see flour and the batter has come together and is smooth, stop mixing;
Fill moulds: Fill the prepared moulds ⅓ of the way with the batter;
Drop in ganache: Drop in one generously-heaped teaspoon of ganache and cover with more batter until it reaches 1.5cm below the rim;
Bake for 20 minutes, feeling confident in the knowledge that you needn’t worry about an overcooked molten centre that doesn’t ooze! Because ganache will always ooze!
Turn out: Stand for 2 minutes to let the cake stabilise a bit so it won’t collapse when you turn it out. Then place the mould upside-down on a plate. Give the base a solid tap with a spoon, and gently slide mould off. Voila!
And now, for that moment everybody been anticipating … when you crack into the cake and see that hot chocolate lava come pouring out. Ooof … Surely one of the greatest chocolate theatre moments in living history!
Backtracking a bit now to plating up. 🙂 A scoop of ice cream or dollop of whipped cream is sensational here. The whole hot vs cold and creamy thing is amazing. Finish with a dusting of cocoa powder to pretty it up.
A splash of colour and freshness is always nice, whether it be strawberries, raspberries or perhaps some little edible flowers for looks.
Hmm, it looks like quite a frightful mess once you start digging in, doesn’t it? But a deliciously frightful mess, right?? – Nagi x
PS Extra bonus: keeps 3 to 4 days and you still get the molten centre because reheating won’t cook the chocolate ganache inside! I just reheat in the microwave for 45 seconds, and it is as good as new. If you try reheating the raw cake batter Lava Cakes, the inside cooks.
Watch how to make it
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Molten Chocolate Cakes
Ingredients
Molten Chocolate Ganache Centre:
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or melts/ semi sweet chocolate chips (Note 1)
- 4 tbsp cream , heavy/thickened
Cake Batter:
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips or melts/ semi sweet chocolate chips (Note 1)
- 100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter , cut into 1cm / ½" cubes
- 2 eggs , at room temperature
- 2 egg yolks , at room temperature (Note 2)
- 1/2 cup caster/superfine sugar (sub ordinary white sugar)
- 2 tbsp flour , plain / all purpose
To Serve:
- Ice-cream or cream (highly recommended!)
- Cocoa or icing sugar / powdered sugar , for dusting
- Strawberries , raspberries or edible flowers, optional decoration
Instructions
Molten chocolate ganache:
- Place chocolate and cream in a microwave-proof bowl. Microwave on high for three 20-second bursts, stirring in between, until chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Let cool on the counter for 10 minutes, then refrigerate for 3 hours or until firm enough to scoop into balls. (Note 3)
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan).
- Grease & dust moulds: Grease 4 x 170ml / 5.75oz dariole or pudding moulds with butter then dust insides with cocoa powder, tapping out excess. (Note 4)
- Melt chocolate and butter: Place chocolate and butter in a bowl. Microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between. Stir well until smooth, then leave to cool for 5 minutes.
- Whisk eggs and sugar: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and sugar.
- Combine with chocolate: Add the melted chocolate into the eggs, and mix until combined.
- Fold through flour: Add flour and fold through until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- Fill moulds: Pour or scoop the batter into prepared moulds until it reaches ⅓ of the way up.
- Drop in ganache: Place one generously-heaped teaspoon of ganache into middle of batter. Top with more batter until it reaches 1.5cm / ⅗" from the top rim. Repeat for remaining moulds.
- Bake 20 minutes: Place the moulds on an oven tray and bake for 20 minutes, or until the pudding tops spring back when gently touched.
- Turn out: Stand for 2 minutes, then turn onto plate. Tap base then gently remove each mould.
- Serve with ice-cream or cream, dusted with cocoa powder. Decorate with strawberries!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Every year, I vow that this is the year I will teach Dozer to hold a rose in his mouth for a sweet Valentine’s Day photo!
I continue to fail.
Please just pretend I’m not there, holding his snout closed around what turned out to a rather thorny rose. Oops! 😂
Hi Nagi
I have a dinner party tonight and am going to make your Molten chocolate cakes
Is it possible to make the cakes fully but leave them uncooked in the fridge ahead of time eg in the morning then take them out of the fridge when my guests arrive to come to room temperature and bake them as we finish our main meal ???
No sorry, once you’ve mixed the ingredients, the raising agent is activated and they need to be baked. N x
Hi Nagi,
Though I have only tried a couple of your recipes, they all look amazing.
I have 22 friends coming, I plan to make your Slow cooker Mexican Chicken soup and the Molten lava cake.
I am hoping I get the correct quantity for 22 ramekins!
Loved this recipe! I tried it with both Lindt balls & ganache and both were amazing. Perfect as I didn’t need to stress about over cooking.
Nagi, tasted absolutely fabulous! My 3 boys practically vacuumed it up in one mouthful. I found the ganache centre sunk to the bottom of the batter and made a hollow when cooked, which we filled with cream and berries so no real issue. Wondered if any advice to avoid that, a touch more flour to make the batter thicker?
I’m so sorry that happened – the batter should be thick enough to hold it unless you’ve put slightly too much – N x
Just goes to show you can teach an old dog new tricks! I have been cooking for nearly 6o years and have never made anything like this cake. My friend who I shared them with said the same thing, just great.
Wahoo, that’s awesome Del!! N x
Absolutely fantastic just as recipe is written. We all loved this! Thank you
Nagi have you considered taking Dozer to doggy day care with Luke Dozer would LOVE it and they have such a great time. Well they would pick him up
I’ve made a few desserts similar to this lately and this is by far the best. I made them in 6oz ramekins and the size was perfect. It made 4. I’m going to experiment with freezing one.
Perfect Sharon!! N x
I made this for Valentine’s Day and they were delicious. I made the two portion recipe. The ganache did not ooze as much as I think it should have. Maybe next time I should take it out of the refrigerator a bit before putting it in the batter(?)
Oh no Lee!! Was it still hard in the centre? It may of been too cold. N x
Just made these for my family and they were absolutely amazing 🤩. Never thought I cd do a restaurant level dessert! I used the Lindt choc truffles, just plopped two in each ramekin – covered with more batter. Heavenly! Not hard at all. I amazed myself. Thank you Nagi.
You’ve nailed it Jill!!! 👏
I made these for Valentine’s Day. So decadent and delicious! My mum loves your blog and introduced me to it. I’ve made several of your recipes since, and they never disappoint! Every single one has turned out tasting incredible! I can’t wait to try many more!
Thanks, Nagi!
I love hearing this!! Thanks so much Rebecca! N x
I made this for Valentine’s Day and it was a hit! Made it early to make sure it was ready for after dinner and reheated it in the microwave as Nagi suggested. The cake as moist and the filling was divine.
Excellent Peter, that’s great! N x
Can gluten free flour be used for this recipe as well as for self saucing butterscotch pudding?
My wife avoids gluten, I substituted King Arthur All Purpose gluten free flour and it turned out great.
That’s great to know Peter! N x
Was absolutely delicious and simple! Restaurant quality 👌
That’s great to hear Nikki!! N x
I assume that there is no reason to separate all four eggs, only the two in which only the yolks are used
Hi Ken, no you only need to separate 2 (as per the video) as the other two eggs are the whole eggs that are used. N x
Hi Nagi. My husband is allergic to cream. Can i substitute with buttermilk? or is there something better? thank you.
Hi Kim, you really need the cream to make the ganache here, I haven’t tried with buttermilk but it may change the consistency of the ganache. Something I’d need to test sorry! N x
I made these today in a muffin tin for a test run and they were absolutely delicious (if a bit ugly heh, I wasn’t very successful in taking them out). I have a question though, would the recipe work with white chocolate as well? Not a big fan of cocoa overall and I have a visual in my head of putting red food dye in the batter with white ganache, something like a red velvet cake’s theme.
Either way, thank you very much for the clear and concise instructions and a recipe that doesn’t involve underbaking. This might just be my new favorite way to win over guests.
Hi Jan, it would be a completely different recipe sorry!! I’m so glad you loved this recipe though 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi, what about milk chocolate?
Will whole milk or buttermilk work if that’s all we have?
Hi Debbie, using this in place of the cream in the ganache? It will change the consistency unfortunately. N x