Chocolate Lava Cakes Vanilla (Printable)
Molten chocolate cakes paired with creamy vanilla bean ice cream for an indulgent treat.
# What You Need:
→ Chocolate Lava Cakes
01 - 4 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
02 - ½ cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 large egg yolks
05 - ⅔ cup powdered sugar
06 - ¼ cup all-purpose flour
07 - ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
08 - ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ For Serving
09 - 4 scoops vanilla bean ice cream
10 - Cocoa powder or powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
11 - Fresh berries or mint leaves, for garnish (optional)
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously butter four 6 oz ramekins and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
02 - Melt chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Let cool slightly.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk whole eggs, egg yolks, and powdered sugar until pale and thick, about 2 minutes.
04 - Stir the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract into the egg mixture until well combined.
05 - Sift in the flour and salt, then gently fold until just incorporated without overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared ramekins placed on a baking sheet.
07 - Bake for 11 to 12 minutes until edges are set but centers remain soft and slightly jiggly.
08 - Let cakes rest for 1 minute. Run a thin knife around edges and invert each onto a dessert plate. Serve immediately with vanilla bean ice cream and garnish as desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- They look impossibly fancy but come together in under 40 minutes, so you can actually pull off an impressive dessert on a regular Tuesday.
- That warm chocolate center against cold vanilla ice cream is the kind of contrast that makes people close their eyes and forget to talk for a moment.
02 -
- The jiggle in the center is your only real timer—overcooked lava cakes are just regular cakes, so watching them closely in those last few minutes is non-negotiable.
- The extra egg yolks are what create that signature molten center, so don't try to cut them out thinking you're being virtuous, because the result won't be the same.
03 -
- Invest in good ramekins with thick walls so they heat evenly, and avoid flimsy ones that can burn hot spots into your cakes.
- If your kitchen is warm, chill your batter slightly before baking—it gives you a wider window where the edges set while the center stays molten.