Chocolate Lava Cakes with Espresso (Printable)

Individual chocolate cakes with molten centers, enhanced by espresso. An indulgent dessert in just 27 minutes.

# What You'll 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 chopped 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 chocolate mixture into egg mixture using a spatula.
06 - Sift flour and salt over the mixture, folding gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
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 1 minute. Run a knife around edges to loosen, then invert onto dessert plates. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The molten center is a showstopper that makes everyone lean in closer and ask how you did it.
  • Espresso deepens the chocolate without tasting like coffee, just pure richness.
  • They bake in under 15 minutes, so you can pull off something impressive on a random Tuesday.
  • Each person gets their own little cake, which feels special and indulgent without the fuss of slicing and plating.
02 -
  • Timing is everything, overbaking by even two minutes will give you a fully cooked center instead of that molten lava flow, so watch the clock closely.
  • Buttering and dusting the ramekins is non-negotiable, skip it and your cakes will stick and crumble when you try to turn them out.
  • If you make the batter ahead and refrigerate it, let it come to room temperature before baking or add an extra minute or two to the bake time.
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale to measure your flour, too much will make the cakes dense and too little will cause them to collapse.
  • Invest in good ramekins that conduct heat evenly, cheap ones can bake unevenly and ruin your centers.
  • Serve these immediately, they lose their magic as they cool and the molten center starts to set.
  • If you're nervous about timing, do a test run before serving them to guests so you know exactly how your oven behaves.
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