I’m going out on a limb here when I say that the Chocolate Lava Cake is a de rigueur inclusion in many high-end French / American restaurants and cafes. So… if you missed out on baking your Significant Other (S.O.) something romantic for Valentine’s Day, fret not! The upcoming March 14th is White Day (ホワイトデ)! Observed in East Asian countries, girls get to reciprocate their appreciation from Valentine’s Day to their S.O.
But hey, assuming this so-called “White Day” doesn’t affect you in any way, this is a recipe you should still try out! A perfect chocolate cake to drench with the gooey chocolate-y goodness flowing from its inside – there can’t possibly be a better bait than this for those choco-lovers out there, right?
Furthermore, this dish requires very basic and easily obtainable ingredients. The only tricky thing about it is your oven temperature and baking time. Too long, and it’s cooked into a brownie-like cake. Too short? and you’ll just get melted chocolate underneath a thin layer of crust. So, without further ado, let’s start!
Chocolate Lava Cake
Adapted from Chef John with some moderation Makes 3 4-inch cakes
Ingredients
- butter as needed
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 3 1/2 ounces (100g) chopped dark chocolate (I used 70%)
- 1/4 cup butter
- 4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
- icing sugar
Directions
- Generously butter the inside of your ramekins. Place them in a casserole dish.
- Whisk together eggs and sugar in a bowl until light, foamy, and lemon colored.
- Melt chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring after each melting, 1 to 3 minutes.
- Stir melted chocolate mixture into egg and sugar mixture until combined.
- Sift cocoa powder, flour and salt into the mixture; stir to combine into a batter.
- Stir vanilla extract into the batter.
- Transfer batter to a resealable plastic bag. Snip one corner of the bag with scissors to create a tip.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared ramekins; tap gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Bake in the preheated over for 15-18 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- If you had buttered the ramekins thoroughly, the cakes should come off easily. Invert each cake onto a plate and dust with powdered sugar.
Notes:
- Recipe states to bake this via the au-bain marie method, which I skipped, and cake still turned out perfectly.
- After your cake has baked for 15 minutes, pay very close attention to your oven. If the cake has puffed up and risen like a muffin, it has most likely already over-baked and the inside is entirely cooked. On the other hand, if you use your finger to lightly touch the surface of the cake and feel it to be very wobbly, rest assured that it’s not yet ready.
- I replaced the 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks with 3 eggs instead. Have tested with both recipes and I don’t taste any significant difference. By using 3 eggs, you’re cutting down on fat and also not wasting an extra egg! 🙂
I hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe!
Sweet Samsations 
That looks so good especially with the chocolate flowing out!
Hi Sammy! these are delicious and decadent. I want to make these soon before the weather gets too warm in Asia. I hope you have been well. Take care, BAM
OMG Sammie, I love this cake, but have never try to make it at home…now seeing yours is a must try…and yes, I like the idea of using 3 whole eggs instead of extra egg yolks…
Absolutely decadent…gorgeous picture.
Hope you are having a great week
I love a chocolate lava cake and yours looks SO wonderful. I wish I had one in front of me right now!
Omg! Amazing! ❤
If this chocolate lava cake isn’t mouth watering, I do not know what is! 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
There is definitely a lot of appreciation for this delicious choco lava cake here. Regardless of V day or White day, I promise!
(I have a sweet little memory of the last time I was in Hong Kong.) I’d been shopping for literally hours. My mum stopped in at a little side street bakery and came back with two little warm cakes of choc. We sat down with our shopping on the side of the street & the first sign of that spoon hitting molten choc filling was heaven!!!
No sore feet after that first bite!
My stomach just gave a loud rumble after those photos. Not even joking, you can probably hear it across the ocean 😉 Looks heavenly!
Just saved to my favorites.
Such beautiful sins!!!!!!!!!!
OMG!
Absolutely gorgeous! I have never tried making this at home but so want to now.
what can I say.. YUM!!! the oozing chocolate!!!! Can’t wait to try this recipe out!!! =D
This is so decadent and lovely! Did you make this for someone special 😉
That lava pooling out! Swoon.
This looks amazing Sammie! I love chocolate lava cake and the oozing chocolate looks so mouthwatering! Such a decadent and tasty treat – totally wish I had one of these right now 🙂
I love chocolate and this looks beyond delicious 🙂
What an interesting tradition, and a great recipe!
What a successful love cake!!!! The chocolate is beautifully oozing out. I want one (at least!). 😀
Look at that oozing chocolate, even its hot I will dive quickly into those. Amazingly sinfully delicious!
Perfectly done! It seems like I’m always over-baking when I need to photograph these for my blog, so I love your tip! Going to try your recipe next 🙂
How decadent!
I *love* chocolate lava cakes! I always have to order one for dessert if they’re serving them at a restaurant. Can’t wait to make them at home now!
Who can ever resist an ooey-gooey cake? 😉
Wow Sammie, that’s an amazing post.
I had lava chocolate cake at restaurants but never prepared my own.
Now thanks to your recipe and instructions, I will.
Thanks so much for sharing this!
wow, I love chocolate lava cake, I am drooling and wish I had some of your cake! If you love chocolate, check out my recent post, Hot Fudge Cake. 🙂
Michael
http://michaelswoodcraft.wordpress.com/2014/03/17/hot-fudge-sauce-chocolate-cake-and-ice-cream/
This looks delicious! I love chocolate lava cake. Although I’ve made it several times before, I find it hard to find the right baking time. Love your blog.
I love chocolate lava cake when the centre is as runny as you have it there! 😀 Such a crowd pleasing dessert too 🙂
I’m not a big cake person, but lava cakes I can never turn down. Yours look absolutely perfect!
I’m not a big cake person, but I never turn down lava cake. Yours turned out absolutely perfect!
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