Chocolate Lava Cake
The Story
Pure indulgence. That's what these are. A crisp outer shell giving way to a molten chocolate centre — the kind of dessert that makes people go quiet for a moment.
I used to think lava cakes were restaurant-only territory, something too fiddly for home cooking. But they're actually surprisingly straightforward, and the timing is forgiving. The secret is good chocolate and a gentle hand when you invert them onto the plate.
Serve them warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into that flowing centre. It's the sort of dessert that turns a regular Sunday into something a little bit special.
Ingredients
- 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
- 80g butter, plus extra for greasing
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 50g caster sugar
- 30g plain flour
- Cocoa powder, for dusting
- Cream or ice cream, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C. Generously butter two 180ml ramekins and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar together until pale and slightly thickened.
- Gently fold the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs until combined.
- Sift in the flour and fold through gently — don't overmix. You want to keep it light.
- Divide the batter between the prepared ramekins. At this point, you can refrigerate them for up to 4 hours if you're making them ahead.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes. The edges should be set but the centre should still have a gentle wobble. This is key — don't overbake.
- Let them rest for 1 minute, then carefully invert onto serving plates. Serve immediately with cream or ice cream.
Nutrition
580
Calories
12g
Protein
42g
Carbs
42g
Fat
