Molten Chocolate Cakes for Two
These individual chocolate cakes have a rich and gooey chocolate center! The recipe makes just two, so it’s perfect for sharing with someone special.
There’s just something extra special about molten chocolate cake. They’re simply irresistible! That soft, fudge-like center that oozes out when you dig your spoon in is a chocolate lover’s dream come true.
These chocolate molten lava cakes are a cinch to put together with only 7 ingredients and 20 minutes needed start to finish. They’re the answer when you need a chocolate fix quickly, or if you’re looking for a sweet ending to your date-night in, or for special occasions like Valentine’s Day. This recipe makes just two chocolate cakes, perfect for sharing!
Table of Contents
- What is a molten chocolate cake?
- Ingredients you'll need
- Step-by-step instructions
- Tips for making molten chocolate cake
- Toppings and serving suggestions
- How to make molten chocolate cakes ahead of time
- Get the recipe
What is a molten chocolate cake?
A molten chocolate cake (aka chocolate lave cake) is a cake with a runny chocolate middle. The cake is made with melted chocolate and butter, with sugar, eggs, flour, salt and flavorings (like vanilla or a liqueur) folded in. In the oven, the edges bake up with a brownie-like texture and if you pull the cakes out at just the right time, the center is still soft and gooey. These cake are meant to be enjoyed immediately while they’re still warm.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Semi-sweet chocolate (or bittersweet chocolate if you want a more dark chocolate flavor)
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Liqueur such as brandy, Chambord or Grand Marnier (or vanilla extract)
You’ll also need two 6-8oz oven safe ramekins or custard cups. If you don’t have ramekins, half-pint canning mason jars or a jumbo muffin pan are good substitutions.
Step-by-step instructions
- Melt butter and chocolate. You can use a double boiler, or simply a small saucepan over low heat.
- Stir in remaining ingredients. Remove the chocolate mixture from the stove and stir in the sugar, followed by the egg and liqueur/extract, and finally the flour and salt. Mix just until no streaks of flour remain.
- Bake in ramekins. Grease 2 ramekins with nonstick baking spray, or coat with butter and a dusting of cocoa powder, and bake in a 425°F oven for 10-11 minutes just until the tops appear set and dry. Don’t over bake!
- Serve right away. Let the cakes rest in the ramekins for just a minute, then invert onto serving plates and serve as desired (see toppings suggestions below).
Tips for making molten chocolate cake
- The higher quality of chocolate you use, the better the finished cakes will be. Callebaut is my favorite premium chocolate, but it is expensive. Guittard is a fantastic brand I use all the time and you can find it in many stores. More accessible brands such as Baker’s or Ghirardelli are great too.
- Don’t be afraid to bake with liqueur! Adding a liqueur like Chambord (raspberry liquor), Grand Marnier (orange liqueur) or brandy is optional, but it really does add a certain special “fancy” flavor. Brewed espresso would also be great, or you can use a teaspoon of vanilla extract instead.
- DO NOT overbake. The most important thing to remember when baking molten chocolate cakes is to not over bake them! If you do, you’ll bake and set the molten centers and you’ll lose all the gooeyness. Always error on the side of under-baking.
- Serve immediately! These molten chocolate cakes are meant to be enjoyed right away. The warmer they are, the more molten the centers will be.
- How to reheat molten lava cake: If your cakes happen to cool before you’ve had a chance to enjoy them, place a damp paper towel over the tops and microwave in short 5-10 second bursts until warm (30-60 seconds total).
Toppings and serving suggestions
You can’t go wrong with any of these toppings. Keep it simple and stick to just one topping, or go all out and do a bunch!
- Sweetened whipped cream
- Vanilla ice cream
- A dusting of powdered sugar
- Fresh berries such as sliced strawberries or raspberries
- Berry sauce
- Chocolate sauce
- Caramel sauce
How to make molten chocolate cakes ahead of time
The best way to make these molten chocolate cakes ahead of time is to prep the batter and store it in the fridge for up to 1 day before baking. You can chill the filled ramekins, or chill all of the batter together in a bowl. Just be sure to bring the batter to room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.
Get the recipe
Recipe originally published February 2019. Updated February 2025 with more tips and instructions.
Molten Chocolate Cakes for Two
Ingredients
- 4 ounces quality semi-sweet chocolate , chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Chambord, Grand Marnier, or brandy (optional, or use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease two 6-8 oz oven-proof ramekins or custard cups with butter or nonstick baking spray.
- In a saucepan set over medium low heat, melt chocolate butter until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, and then eggs one at a time. Stir in liquor if using.
- Add flour and salt and fold in with a spatula just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide batter between the two ramekins and bake for 10-11 minutes, or just until the centers of the cakes appear set and are no longer moist. DO NOT OVERBAKE or you'll ruin the soft molten center.
- Let cakes sit in the ramekins for 1-2 minutes, then invert onto a plate and remove the ramekin. The cakes will continue cooking in the ramekin out of the oven, so don’t let it sit too long.
- Serve immediately while the cakes are still warm. Top with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream, fresh berries, chocolate sauce, or however you'd like.
Notes
- These cakes will only be as good as the chocolate you use. Use a high quality brand like Guittard or even Callebaut. More accessible brands like Baker’s and Ghirardelli will be good too, just not as exceptional.
- Using a liqueur for flavor is highly recommended! It adds a certain “fancy” flavor. If you choose not to add a liqueur, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract instead.
- Can be made-ahead: Chill prepared batter for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
Look so yummy! cant wait to make this tonight!