Chocolate Lava Cake

Fudgy lava cake filled with a rich chocolate lava in the center and a hint of chocolate hazelnut. This chocolate lava cake is delicious and easy to make, perfect for impressing guests.

Chocolate Lava Cake | Cooking with a Wallflower

Happy Sunday!

It’s kind of a special occasion today. We’re celebrating my 33rd birthday!! And with chocolate lava cake!

Chocolate Lava Cake | Cooking with a Wallflower

In all honesty, it’s been a little rough the past few weeks. With all the things that have been going on locally and in the world, it’s been difficult staying positive and not worrying about all the little things. I wasn’t really sure whether to address the coronavirus on my blog or on social media mostly because I generally like to keep things light and happy here. Then again, it also felt weird talking about all things food when we know what’s happening out in the world. And it is out there, and it’s affecting all of us. Some of us more than others. And it’s absolutely scary.

But because it’s scary and stressful, I feel like we need a place that’s free from all that. Something temporary to take our minds off of all the worries of the world. Because right now, we’re all in the same place. We all face the same fears and uncertainty.

Food is my comfort zone. It always has been. Whether I’m out trying amazing food or testing out recipes to share with you here. So I will almost always fall back on talking about food. And I’m going to continue to create a space that’s filled with happy thoughts and as you already know, my obsession with all things food.

That said, we’re going to celebrate my birthday with chocolate lava cake. Because chocolate + cake makes me happy.

Chocolate Lava Cake | Cooking with a Wallflower

These chocolate lava cakes are soooo good. The richness of the chocolate. The fudginess of the cake. A hint of Nutella or any chocolate hazelnut spread just because. And the anticipation of that first slice into the cake to see if the chocolate lava will flow.

Chocolate Lava Cake | Cooking with a Wallflower

Three years ago, my friend Kim and I went on a cruise for my birthday, and I had my first chocolate lava cake. I was obviously deprived until the moment I sliced into my first lava cake. But it was soo good that we ordered the chocolate lava cake with every dinner that we had on that trip. And to this day, I can still remember how that chocolate lava cake was probably the best thing I ate on that cruise trip.

So now, I get to make it at home whenever I want. Just a few simple ingredients. 30 minutes. And I can happily indulge in that chocolate lava cake. Did I mention I made this for Valentine’s Day too?

I hope you’ll make this at home and enjoy it with me. =)

Chocolate Lava Cake | Cooking with a Wallflower

Spray four 6 ounce ramekins with nonstick cooking spray and dust with cocoa powder. This will help the cakes come out easily when it get turned upside down onto a plate later.

Chocolate Lava Cake | Cooking with a Wallflower

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Chop up the chocolate into small pieces. Place butter into a medium sized heat safe bowl, then add the chocolate on top. Microwave for 30 seconds, then remove from microwave and stir. Continue to microwave in 10 second increments, stirring after each until completely smooth. Set aside.

Chocolate Lava Cake | Cooking with a Wallflower

Whisk flour, powdered sugar, and salt together in a small bowl.

Chocolate Lava Cake | Cooking with a Wallflower

Whisk the eggs and egg yolks together until combined in another small bowl.

Pour the flour mixture and eggs into the bowl of chocolate. Add chocolate hazelnut spread to the mixture. Slowly stir everything together using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. If there are any lumps from the flour, gently use your whisk to get of rid them. The batter will be appear a little thick.

Spoon chocolate batter evenly into each of the prepared ramekins.

Chocolate Lava Cake | Cooking with a Wallflower

Place the ramekins onto a baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges appear solid and firm but the middle will still look soft.

Allow to cool for 1 minute, then use an oven mitt to hold the ramekin. Cover each with a plate and turn over. The chocolate lava cake should slide out easily. If it gets stuck, just gently run a fork or spoon around the edges to help release it.

Top the chocolate lava cake with fresh berries, powdered sugar, and mint leaves if desired.

Chocolate Lava Cake | Cooking with a Wallflower

Serve the chocolate lava cake warm.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Lava Cake | Cooking with a Wallflower

Chocolate Lava Cake
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Fudgy lava cake filled with a rich chocolate lava in the center and a hint of chocolate hazelnut. This chocolate lava cake is delicious and easy to make, perfect for impressing guests.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 6 ounces high quality semi-sweet chocolate
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • ⅓ cup chocolate hazelnut spread
Garnish
  • Powdered sugar
  • Berries
  • Mint
  • Ice Cream
Directions:
  1. Spray four 6 ounce ramekins with nonstick cooking spray and dust with cocoa powder. This will help the cakes come out easily when it get turned upside down onto a plate later.
  2. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  3. Chop up the chocolate into small pieces. Place butter into a medium sized heat safe bowl, then add the chocolate on top. Microwave for 30 seconds, then remove from microwave and stir. Continue to microwave in 10 second increments, stirring after each until completely smooth. Set aside.
  4. Whisk flour, powdered sugar, and salt together in a small bowl.
  5. Whisk the eggs and egg yolks together until combined in another small bowl.
  6. Pour the flour mixture and eggs into the bowl of chocolate. Add chocolate hazelnut spread to the mixture. Slowly stir everything together using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. If there are any lumps from the flour, gently use your whisk to get of rid them. The batter will be appear a little thick.
  7. Spoon chocolate batter evenly into each of the prepared ramekins.
  8. Place the ramekins onto a baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges appear solid and firm but the middle will still look soft.
  9. Allow to cool for 1 minute, then use an oven mitt to hold the ramekin. Cover each with a plate and turn over. The chocolate lava cake should slide out easily. If it gets stuck, just gently run a fork or spoon around the edges to help release it.
  10. Top the chocolate lava cake with fresh berries, powdered sugar, and mint leaves if desired.
  11. Serve the chocolate lava cake warm.

Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

22 comments

  1. Alanna Smith says:

    I LOVE chocolate lava cake. I used to order this everytime we went to East Side Mario’s until one day they said they discontinued it. I could have cried lol I’ve not had it since moving to the UK so I may need to try out this recipe as this is what’s missing in my life 😉 How do you get the liquid chocolate mixture in the middle? Do you need to create a bit of a well in the middle of the batter to spoon it into? Thanks!

  2. katelon says:

    Happy Birthday Andrea! Hope you have a wonderful celebration today!

    I’ve always wondered how Lava Cake was made since hearing about it in the movie “Chef”.

  3. walterthinnes says:

    Andrea: Happy Birthday. Love your recipes. Note that you did not include ramekin prep in the recipe section but did in the article. Thought you might want to paste it in. See? Someone does read your recipes with close interest! No need to publish this reply but thought you would want to make the correction! Thanks and keep up the great work. Walter

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