Chocolate Lava Cakes with Espresso (Print Version)

Decadent individual cakes with molten chocolate centers, enhanced with espresso for rich, complex flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chocolate Mixture

01 - 4 oz 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease four 6 oz 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 chocolate mixture.
05 - Gently fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture using a spatula.
06 - Sift flour and salt over batter, folding gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
07 - Divide batter evenly among prepared ramekins.
08 - Place ramekins on 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 magic trick every single time, even when you know exactly how it works.
  • Espresso deepens the chocolate without making it taste like coffee, just richer and more grown-up.
  • You can make the batter ahead and bake right before serving, so you look effortlessly elegant.
  • Individual servings mean no awkward slicing and everyone gets their own perfect lava flow.
02 -
  • The difference between molten perfection and fully baked cake is about 60 seconds, so watch your oven like a hawk starting at the 11 minute mark.
  • If you refrigerate the batter ahead of time, let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking or add an extra minute to the bake time.
  • Inverting the cakes immediately is crucial, if you wait too long they'll stick to the ramekins no matter how well you greased them.
03 -
  • Invest in proper ramekins with straight sides, they conduct heat evenly and make inverting the cakes so much cleaner and easier.
  • Always use a kitchen timer and check your cakes a minute early rather than a minute late, because there's no rescuing an overbaked lava cake.
  • If you're nervous about inverting, practice the motion once with an empty ramekin so your hands know what to do when it counts.
  • Leftover batter can be baked in a small greased dish as a regular chocolate cake, it won't have the molten center but it's still delicious.
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