Name: Chocolate Lava Cake
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: ⅓ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips; 2 chocolate truffles (I use Lindt dark chocolate) (Or use additional ¼ cup chocolate chips); 2 tablespoons butter OR coconut oil, plus more butter, oil or oil-spray to brush ramekins; 2 eggs; 2 teaspoons flour; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; Toppings: berries, whipped cream, ice cream, and/or powdered sugar

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This easy chocolate lava cake is based on the French moelleux au chocolat, and is the perfect dessert for two! Plus, check out my secret for an extra chocolatey center!

two chocolate lava cakes on a serving platter with berries

Years ago, long before I met the husband, I went to Europe with my best friend.

Over the course of three sleep-deprived and fabulous weeks, we shopped in Paris, talked one another into buying ridiculous shoes, and got lost in Dublin. And of course, we ate so much food!

Most of the mouth-watering delicacies we ate did NOT, in fact, come from the French restaurants that our tiny budgets couldn't afford, but instead from the very sweet and generous couple we stayed with in Paris.

On our last night in Paris, our host Celine whipped out miniature lava cakes, or moelleux au chocolat.

This recipe is Celine's, with small adaptations that the husband and I have made over the years as we've baked this sweet and decadent treat for two.

Want more French recipes? Try making classic French crêpes, French crème brûlée and salted French hot chocolate.

How to Melt Chocolate + Butter Easily

There are a few different methods you can use.

I prefer to use a "fake" double boiler. I simply fill a saucepan with a little water, and top the saucepan with a heatproof bowl.

Bring the water to a simmer on the stovetop, and continue simmering it until the chocolate melts.

My husband prefers to microwave the chocolate and butter.

Either method works, and directions for both methods are in the recipe card.

How to Make the Cake Batter

After melting the chocolate and butter, whisk together two eggs, a little flour and some vanilla extract.

Next, whisk the chocolate into the eggs.

It's best to let the chocolate cool a little bit before adding it to the eggs, because you can accidentally scramble the eggs if the chocolate is too hot.

But if you get a little bit of egg scrambling, it's okay. It won't affect the final bake.

How to Make Chocolate Lava Cake with Extra "Lava"

Over the years, I've compared this cake recipe to other lava cake recipes, and it's a little different.

Typically, you simply remove the cake from the oven before the center of the cake sets.

This recipe is different-- you actually add extra chocolate to the middle of your cake batter! It melts into a thick, lava-like center with a light, fluffy cake on the outside!

How Can I Tell When Lava Cake is Done Baking?

For this lava cake, here's what to look for.

The edges should appear cooked through, but the middle will still appear soft.

That said, I recommend cooking the cakes the full 12 minutes, because the cakes will look "almost done" for the last several minutes of baking.

If you remove the cakes too early, they won't slide out of the ramekins easily.

What If I Over-Cooked The Cakes?

There's no doubt about it, lava cakes are time sensitive.

If you accidentally cook them too long and there isn't much "lava" left in the middle, you can still fix it.

Cut open each cake just slightly. Cut a chocolate truffle in half and press it into the middle of the cakes, and then press the cakes closed again.

The truffle will melt quickly and add more "lava" to the lava cakes. If you want, you can cover up the opening with a few berries.

Can I Make These Cakes Gluten-Free?

I've been testing this recipe with gluten-free flours and so far haven't been happy with any of the results.

But don't worry, I haven't given up. I'll update this post when I have a gluten-free version that I'm happy with!

Can I Use One Larger Baking Dish Instead of Ramekins?

No.

I have not personally tested this recipe with a single larger baking dish, but readers have reported that making one larger lava cake did not work.

Can I Use A Different Size Ramekin?

These lava cakes have been tested with 6-ounce ramekins.

I've also successfully made these with 4-ounce ramekins, but be aware that the cook time may be slightly different than what's stated in the recipe.

I do not recommend using ramekins larger than 6-ounces.

Can I Make This Chocolate Lava Cake Ahead of Time?

Partially.

If you're serving these cakes for date night or a dinner party, go ahead and mix up your batter and put everything in the ramekins before dinner.

These only take about 12 minutes to cook, and should be served hot, so you'll want to pop them in the oven shortly before it's time to serve dessert.

Once they're finished baking, take them out of the ramekins (or serve them in the ramekins--it's up to you!), and add a little fruit or a scoop of ice cream.

Cut the cake open, and watch the lava flow!

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5 from 9 votes