Warm, rich, indulgent lava cake is the perfect dessert to complete any romantic dinner. Easy to make and comes together in just 30 minutes. Top with vanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries for a dessert that’s sure to impress!

I am a chocolate lover through and through! And I absolutely love chocolate lava cake. I remember having my first lava cake at a nice restaurant my husband and I went to on one of our date nights. I thought about making lava cakes myself at home, but I assumed they must be tricky to make. Boy, was I wrong!! These are easier to make than most desserts. So if you have some basic baking ingredients and 30 minutes to spare, you could make these amazing chocolate lava cakes yourself! And trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

Chocolate Lava Cakes Are Easy…

There are no tricks or secrets here, just a simple recipe with delicious results. But I’ll go through the steps.

• This recipe is written using 8-ounce ramekin dishes. You could use different-sized baking dishes, but you will need to adjust the baking time. I recommend using something comparable to this 8-ounce size.
  • Begin by greasing the ramekin dishes with butter or shortening, then lightly dust them with cocoa powder. This allows the baked cakes to release cleanly from the dish when you flip them over to serve.

• Next, melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat. Cut the butter and chocolate into smaller pieces to speed up the melting time. Stir occasionally until the butter and chocolate are completely melted, smooth, and creamy. You could also melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave. Place the cut-up butter into a medium heat-proof bowl, then add the chopped chocolate on top. Microwave on high for 20 seconds, then in 10-second increments, stirring after each until completely smooth. Set aside.
  • A note on the chocolate – Do not use chocolate chips. They have an ingredient in them that prevents them from melting smoothly. That is why they hold their shape when used in chocolate chip cookies. When you are melting chocolate, you want to use chocolate baking bars because they are made to be melted and will yield smoother melted chocolate.
• Sift together the flour, powdered sugar, and instant coffee. **Instant coffee enhances the chocolate flavor, and I highly recommend using it to get that rich, decadent chocolate flavor.
• Whisk the eggs until they are pale and foamy.
• Add the chocolate mixture, eggs, vanilla, and salt to the flour mixture. Stir with a whisk until combined.
• Pour equal amounts into the prepared ramekin dishes and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. **They will look under-baked. The sides should look done, but the center should still be soft. If you bake these too long, the center won’t be runny like you want it to be.

• Allow it to cool for two minutes. Then place an inverted plate on top of the cake, and using a kitchen towel or oven mitts, flip the cake and the plate over. It should release easily from the ramekin.

Lava Cake Toppings:

This is where you can get creative! Once you flip the cakes over, you have all kinds of options for toppings. I typically go with vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, and strawberries or raspberries. But you could use any flavor of ice cream you like; chocolate, mint chocolate chip, rocky road, etc…Some other great options are salted caramel, whipped cream, raspberry sauce, sprinkles, or chopped nuts…Let your imagination run wild! Whatever you decide, Enjoy!