Chocolate Lava Cakes with Vanilla Ice Cream (Printable)
Rich molten chocolate cakes with gooey centers, served warm with creamy vanilla ice cream for an indulgent dessert experience.
# What You Need:
→ For the Lava Cakes
01 - 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 large egg yolks
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
08 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ For Serving
09 - 4 scoops high-quality vanilla ice cream
10 - Cocoa powder or powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
11 - Fresh berries or mint leaves (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease four 6-ounce ramekins with butter and dust lightly with cocoa powder or flour; tap out excess.
02 - In a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (or using a microwave in 20-second bursts), melt the chocolate and butter together. Stir until smooth and let cool slightly.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until pale and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
04 - Whisk the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract into the egg mixture until combined.
05 - Fold in the flour and salt just until no streaks remain—do not overmix.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared ramekins.
07 - Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. The tops should look puffed and firm.
08 - Let rest for 1 minute, then run a knife around the edges and carefully invert each cake onto a serving plate. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar and garnish with berries or mint, if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It delivers that restaurant quality wow factor with surprisingly minimal effort.
- The contrast between the hot molten center and cold ice cream is simply unbeatable.
02 -
- Trust the wobble in the center rather than a fixed timer, as ovens vary.
- Letting them rest for exactly one minute after baking makes inversion much safer.
03 -
- Use a pastry brush to coat the ramekins with butter for an even non stick layer.
- A serrated knife helps loosen the edges without scratching the ramekin.