Chocolate Lava Cakes with Espresso (Print Version)

Individual chocolate cakes with molten centers, enhanced with espresso for a rich, indulgent dessert experience.

# What You 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

# Directions:

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 a pan of 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 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 for 1 minute. Run a knife around edges to loosen, then invert onto dessert plates. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They bake in barely over ten minutes but feel like a secret weapon for impressing anyone who matters.
  • The molten center happens almost by magic, no guesswork once you learn the timing.
  • Espresso makes the chocolate taste more like itself, richer and somehow more serious.
  • You can make the batter ahead and bake right before serving, so no sweating over dessert mid-meal.
02 -
  • The difference between 11 and 13 minutes is everything, watch the edges and trust the jiggle in the center.
  • If you refrigerate the batter ahead, bring it back to room temperature before baking or add a minute or two to the time.
  • Greasing and dusting the ramekins properly is the only way to get a clean release, do not skip the cocoa powder step.
03 -
  • Use the best chocolate you can afford, it is the star and there is nowhere for it to hide.
  • If a cake does not release cleanly, let it sit for another 30 seconds, sometimes patience is the only trick you need.
  • Serve these straight from the oven, the molten center starts to set within minutes and the magic fades fast.
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