Chocolate Lava Cakes with Espresso (Printable)

Decadent individual chocolate cakes with molten centers, enriched by espresso for depth and intense flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chocolate Mixture

01 - 4 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
02 - ½ cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

→ Batter

03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 large egg yolks
05 - ½ cup granulated sugar
06 - ¼ cup all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
09 - Pinch of salt

# How-To Steps:

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 deliberate strokes.
06 - Sift flour and salt over mixture, 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 1 minute. Run knife around edges to loosen, then invert onto dessert plates. Serve immediately.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The molten center is pure drama on a plate, and it never fails to impress even if youre serving it to yourself on a Tuesday.
  • Espresso deepens the chocolate flavor without making it taste like coffee, just richer and more grown up.
  • You can make the batter ahead and bake it right before serving, so youre not stuck in the kitchen while everyone else is at the table.
02 -
  • The baking time is crucial, one or two extra minutes can turn molten into merely moist, so watch them closely and trust the jiggle in the center.
  • If you make the batter ahead and refrigerate it, let the ramekins sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before baking or add a minute or two to the bake time.
  • Greasing and dusting the ramekins is not optional, it is the only way to get a clean release without heartbreak.
03 -
  • Butter and cocoa powder the ramekins thoroughly, especially around the top rim, or the cakes will cling and tear when you try to invert them.
  • Do not skip the resting minute after baking, it lets the structure settle just enough so the cake holds together when you flip it.
  • If you are nervous about timing, do a test cake first and cut into it to check the center, then adjust your bake time for the next batch.
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