Chocolate Lava Cakes with Espresso (Printable Version)

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

# What You Need:

→ Chocolate Mixture

01 - 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

→ Batter

03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 large egg yolks
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 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 simmering water, melt chocolate and butter together, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and 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 cooled chocolate mixture.
05 - Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture using a spatula.
06 - Sift flour and salt over the combined mixture, folding gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
07 - Divide batter evenly among the 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 Advice:

01 -
  • The molten center is pure drama on a plate, and it works every single time once you know the timing.
  • Espresso doesn't make it taste like coffee, it just makes the chocolate taste more like itself, richer and fuller.
  • You can make the batter hours ahead and bake right before serving, so you look effortless when you're actually just clever.
  • Four ramekins means four personal servings, no awkward slicing or sharing required.
02 -
  • The difference between a molten center and a fully baked cake is about 60 seconds, so watch the timer closely and trust the jiggle test.
  • If you refrigerate the batter ahead of time, let it come to room temperature for 20 minutes before baking or add an extra minute to the bake time.
  • Greasing and dusting the ramekins isn't optional, I learned this the hard way when a cake refused to come out and I had to serve it in the ramekin like some kind of sad pudding.
03 -
  • Use room temperature eggs so they blend more easily with the warm chocolate and create a smoother batter.
  • Don't open the oven door during baking, the temperature drop can cause the centers to set too much and you'll lose that lava effect.
  • Invert the cakes as soon as they come out of the oven, waiting too long makes them stick and the centers can overcook from residual heat.
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