It’s not always simple to find a dessert that’s decadent enough for a special occasion but easy to make at home. This molten chocolate lava cake is delightfully rich, and you can count all of the ingredients on one hand. Molten cakes were the star of 1990s dessert menus in restaurants across the country, and now that 90’s fashion is back, it’s high-time they graced our tables again. Grab your butter, switch on your oven, and get ready to create a dessert that will make your dinner companion swoon.
The first step on your dessert journey is melting the chocolate and butter together. The easiest way to do this in the microwave. Just combine the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl or measuring cup and microwave in 10 second bursts, stirring between each stint, until the mixture is smooth. If you don’t have a microwave you can also accomplish this with a double boiler.
After it’s melted, set this mixture aside and turn to the eggs. You’ll need to whip the egg, egg yolk, and sugar into a voluminous cloud. This may feel like a bit of an arm workout, but you’ll be forming the heart and soul of your future cakes.
The next step is to carefully combine the chocolate and egg mixtures. Do this by folding carefully, you don’t want to deflate all that volume you created.
Finally, pour the batter into buttered, floured ramekins and bake. They only need to bake for about 10 minutes, so place them in the oven after you’ve finished dinner. That way they’ll be ready just in time for dessert.
We like to serve ours with berries and a little whipped cream, but they’re also delicious on their own, or with a scoop of ice cream.
Don’t miss the rest of our five-ingredient desserts, like tiramisu and apple turnovers.
Easy Chocolate Molten Lava Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 2 ounces salted butter
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Butter and flour two 6-ounce ramekins, tapping out the excess flour. Place the prepared ramekins on a baking sheet.
Melt the chocolate and butter in either your microwave (using 10-second intervals and stirring frequently to avoid burning the chocolate) or a double boiler. Whisk until smooth.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, yolk and sugar, stirring until the mixture is thickened and pale, about 5 minutes. It will also grow in volume. If you have a kitchen aid mixer or a hand mixer you will save your arm the effort.
Gently fold the chocolate butter mixture and flour into the whipped eggs. Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the sides are firm but the middle is still soft.
Serve the cakes in the ramekins or invert each onto a plate. Accompany with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
This recipe makes lava cakes for two. If you’re serving a bigger crown, it can easily be doubled.
