Our Chocolate Molten Lava Cake Is Absolutely Swoon-Worthy

Chocolate molten lava cakes are one of those desserts that just feel positively decadent, and though you could enjoy one for any occasion, they feel particularly perfect for those special (and perhaps even romantic) occasions. Perhaps the most special and romantic day of the year would be Valentine's Day, so if you're looking for an impressive and swoon-worthy option to woo your sweetheart, this chocolate molten lava cake recipe from developer Katie Rosenhouse fits the bill.

There's no denying the visual appeal of a chocolate lava cake, one that seems immaculate and hard to pull off from an outside perspective — but your date doesn't have to know that this isn't necessarily the case. "What's extra fun about making molten chocolate cakes is that even though they look incredibly impressive and difficult to pull off, they're surprisingly simple to pull together, and even easier to customize based on flavors you love," Rosenhouse tells us. She also describes her rich, indulgent, gooey, chocolate-oozing creation as "over-the-top delicious." Perfect for capping a romantic homemade Valentine's Day dinner (or for serving at a dinner party, as this recipe does yield six individual servings), these chocolate molten lava cakes deliver just the right special touch without being too complicated.

Playing into the overall ease of the recipe, you also don't need a whole lot of ingredients to make molten magic happen (and many that you do need are fridge or pantry staples). To start, you'll want butter, all-purpose flour, bittersweet chocolate chips, vanilla bean paste, eggs, granulated sugar, and kosher salt. Then it's a matter of optional ingredients, including chocolate hazelnut spread or fruit jams for a sort of pairing option, fresh berries and confectioners' sugar as a final garnish, and ice cream for serving.

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

Grease six 4-ounce ramekins generously with butter, coat them lightly with flour, and shake out excess.

Grease six 4-ounce ramekins generously with butter, coat them lightly with flour, and shake out excess.

Take the pan off the heat, add the chocolate and vanilla, and stir until smooth. Set aside.

Beat the eggs and sugar until thickened and doubled in volume.

Fold in the chocolate mixture, 3 tablespoons of flour, and salt until uniform.

Divide the batter between ramekins and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set but the centers are slightly jiggly.

In the meantime, prepare the plates with chocolate hazelnut spread, fruit coulis, or any other sauces, as desired.

Let the baked cakes rest for 1 minute.

Flip one ramekin at a time onto plates and unmold. (Run a small paring knife around the edges to loosen, if needed.)

If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar and garnish with berries and ice cream.

Serve immediately.

• Oven to Cast Iron Reverse Sear Steak Recipe
• Broiled Buttery Lobster Tails Recipe
• Easy Sheet Pan Surf and Turf Recipe
• Easy Coq Au Vin Recipe
• Fruity and Fun Blood Orange Crush Cocktail Recipe

While this chocolate molten lava cake recipe is a pretty easy one to follow, there are some tips and best practices to keep in mind before diving in. For starters, make sure you get the oven preheating right away, and make sure you set it specifically to 450 F, as this high temp is crucial to ensuring the cakes bake up properly. "While 450 F might seem high, the cakes need that burst of heat to bake and set along the edges before the centers lose their molten quality," Rosenhouse explains.

Next, make sure your ramekins are prepped properly — with a generous greasing of butter and sprinkling of flour — otherwise the cakes might stick when you try to unmold them. If they do stick, you can simply serve the cakes in the ramekins. 

Much of the cakes' structural integrity comes down to the whipped egg whites, so take caution as you're preparing the batter to avoid deflating them. "Fold the batter gently to avoid deflating the whipped egg mixture, but it should be uniform in color before you pour it into the ramekins," Rosenhouse advises. Finally, when it does come time to bake, make sure you're pulling the cakes once they're set around the edges but still nice and jiggly in the middle. A toothpick inserted around the edge of a cake should come out clean once they're baked, but a toothpick inserted in the middle will still be wet, and that's desired.

These lava cakes are pretty straightforward, allowing rich, bittersweet chocolate be the star flavor. Of course, this doesn't mean you can't choose another type of chocolate to take center stage. "If you're into a more bitter flavor, opt for darker chocolate (70% and up), or for a sweeter finish, milk chocolate," Rosenhouse suggests. The other main flavoring agent in the cakes themselves is the vanilla bean paste, and you can swap this out for something different as well. Rosenhouse specifically recommends espresso powder, orange zest, or even a splash of Grand Marnier or bourbon for a boozy touch. Another easy way to add flavor depth to the cakes is by way of spices — cinnamon, nutmeg, or even chile powder would all provide unique spiced touches.

Rosenhouse has a hack to ensure you end up with that perfectly wet, lava-like center. "Freeze some store-bought truffles until firm, then press them into the center of the cakes right before baking," she says. "This can be any type you love, whether caramel, white chocolate, peppermint, and more." This way, even if you bake your cakes for a few minutes too long, they'll still have perfectly luscious, chocolatey, oozing centers (and perhaps some added flavor to boot).

• Raspberry and Cream Tiramisu Recipe
• Chocolate Cherry-Stuffed Cookies Recipe
• Best Chocolate Mousse Recipe
• Classic Foolproof Crème Brûlée Recipe
• Flourless Italian Gianduja Chocolate Cake Recipe