Chocolate Lava Cakes with Espresso (Printable)

Decadent chocolate cakes with molten centers, enriched by espresso for depth. Ready in 27 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chocolate Mixture

01 - 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
02 - ½ cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

→ Batter

03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 large egg yolks
05 - ½ cup granulated sugar
06 - ¼ cup all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
09 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease four 6-ounce ramekins with butter and lightly dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
02 - In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate and butter together, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until pale and thickened, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Stir espresso powder and vanilla extract into the chocolate mixture.
05 - Gently fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture until partially combined.
06 - Sift flour and salt over the mixture, folding gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
07 - Divide batter evenly among prepared ramekins.
08 - Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 11-13 minutes, until edges are set but centers remain soft.
09 - Let cakes rest for 1 minute. Run a knife around edges to loosen, then invert onto dessert plates. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The molten center feels like a secret you get to crack open with every spoonful, rich and velvety without being too sweet.
  • Espresso deepens the chocolate in a way that makes it taste expensive and complicated, even though the ingredient list is short.
  • They bake in twelve minutes, which means you can start them after dinner is cleared and serve them warm without anyone waiting too long.
  • Each person gets their own little cake, which somehow makes dessert feel more special than slicing into something shared.
02 -
  • Underbaking is better than overbaking, the centers should still jiggle when you pull them out or you'll end up with solid cake instead of lava.
  • Room temperature batter bakes more evenly than cold batter, so if you've made it ahead and refrigerated it, let it sit out for twenty minutes before baking.
  • Don't skip the cocoa powder dusting in the ramekins, it adds flavor and helps the cakes release cleanly without sticking to the sides.
03 -
  • Set a timer and pull them out even if you think they need another minute, the residual heat will keep cooking them and you can't undo overbaking.
  • Use the same size ramekins every time so your baking time stays consistent and you don't have to guess.
  • If a cake sticks, don't panic, just scoop it out and serve it in the ramekin with a spoon and call it a warm chocolate pot instead.
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