This giant Chocolate lava cake is a magical chocolate dessert with a molten chocolate center and a soft cakey exterior. It’s also known as molten lava cake/molten chocolate cake. The batter is under-cooked and baked just until the edges are set and slightly crispy but the center is still soft, gooey and molten. When cut into, the cake oozes out molten chocolate. It is made with basic ingredients: chocolate, cocoa powder, flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. It is quick and easy to whip up and with this recipe version there is no fiddling around with tiny individual sized ramekins. It all bakes up in one large baking dish with the same result, maybe slightly less dramatic – but still just as delicious and magical! Serve with ice cream, or whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh berries. Perfect for special occasions but easy enough to whip up anytime.
Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe Ingredients
- CHOCOLATE: I like to use a blend of dark chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips but you could use one or the other or even bittersweet chocolate. You can use chocolate chips or chopped chocolate as well.
- SUGAR: White granulated sugar is what I typically use for this recipe.
- ALL PURPOSE FLOUR: Either plain flour or a good quality 1-1 all purpose gluten-free flour.
- COCOA POWDER: Use a good quality cocoa powder, or a good dutch-process cocoa powder for a more intense chocolate flavor. If you enjoy dark and rich desserts, use dark cocoa powder. A dark cocoa powder will yield a rich and bitter-sweet chocolate flavoured cake. A normal unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Hershey’s unsweetened, will yield a milder chocolate flavoured pudding. You will taste the difference.
- SALT: Brings out the sweetness and balances the flavors
- INSTANT ESPRESSO POWDER: It is optional but enhances the rich chocolate flavor.
- BUTTER: Unsalted butter is what I used.
- EGGS: You will need 4 large eggs at room temperature.
- VANILLA EXTRACT: A must for any good chocolate dessert! For a variation you could use almond extract or even orange extract for a chocolate orange version or peppermint extract for a chocolate mint version
- OPTIONAL ADD INS: Fee free to add some spices to this chocolate lava cake – like cinnamon or a pinch of chili powder for some extra flavour You can also add some chopped walnuts or even extra chocolate chips to the batter – ½ cup of either.
How To Make Chocolate Lava Cake
- Preheat Oven & Grease Baking Dish: We use one large dish for this recipe no need to run and get your ramekins for this version.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: Flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt (you could sift if you would like to)
- Melt Chocolate & Butter: On the stove-top or in the microwave
- Beat Eggs & Sugar: Whip them until doubled in volume and nice and pale and creamy
- Beat In Dry Ingredients & Chocolate: Incorporate these in slowly and on low speed so you don’t deflate the air in the eggs.
- Pour Batter Into Pan & Bake: Bake until edges are set and middle has a slight jiggle.
- Serve Immediately: Dig right in and serve with that magical chocolate lava sauce. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, caramel sauce, strawberries or any fresh berries – you choose!
Chocolate Lava Cake Storage, Freezing & Re-heating
- STORAGE: Chocolate lava cake is best eaten immediately. Cooked lave cake, once cooled down, can be stored in the refrigerator, covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.
- FREEZING: Place cake in a freezer friendly container, and store in the freezer for up to 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat as directed.
- REHEATING: Either reheat the cake in the microwave (30 second spurts until warm) or in a preheated oven. The cake will be extra moist, as most of the fudge sauce will have been soaked up already. So don’t expect there to be too much of it to spoon over the cake.
