Chocolate Lava Cakes with Espresso (Print Version)

Decadent chocolate cakes with molten centers, enriched by espresso for depth. Ready in 27 minutes for 4 servings.

# 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

# 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 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 until incorporated.
06 - Sift flour and salt into batter, folding gently until just combined without 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 Suggestions:

01 -
  • The molten center feels like a magic trick you can actually pull off on a weeknight.
  • Espresso deepens the chocolate without making it taste like coffee, just richer and more grown-up.
  • They look fancy enough to impress anyone, but the batter comes together in one bowl.
  • You can make them ahead and bake right before serving, so no sweating over timing during dinner.
02 -
  • The baking time is crucial: 11 minutes if your oven runs hot, 13 if it's temperamental. Overbaking by even a minute turns these into regular cakes, which are fine but not the point.
  • Butter and cocoa powder the ramekins like your life depends on it. I once used only butter and had to serve the cakes in the ramekins with spoons, which was delicious but defeated the whole dramatic presentation.
  • Don't skip the resting minute before inverting. I flipped one too soon once and the whole center ran out onto the counter instead of the plate.
03 -
  • Invest in good ramekins that conduct heat evenly; cheap ones can bake unevenly and ruin the molten center.
  • Set a timer and watch the oven like a hawk in the last two minutes. The difference between perfect and overdone is razor-thin.
  • If a cake doesn't want to come out of the ramekin, let it sit for another 30 seconds and try again. Patience saves the day more often than force.
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