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Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

I love making this chocolate molten lava cake! It’s simple to make, doesn’t take very long and tastes amazing! It’s super decadent and full chocolate flavor. It also looks fancy but is secretly so easy to make!

This recipe is perfect for 2 – 4 people. Me and my husband actually share one molten lava cake and my kids share the other. They are great with just a dusting of powdered sugar or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Once you learn how to make these, they will be your go-to quick chocolate fix. They take about 15 minutes to make, bake and serve, so it’s all about instant chocolately goodness. They are also perfect for entertaining because you won’t be swamped in the kitchen while guest are there, just slip away for 5 minutes, let them bake and come back to almost ready to serve dessert that everyone will love.

These can be made with whatever type of chocolate you want to use. I have made them with while chocolate, milk chocolate and semi-sweet and they would be divine with dark chocolate too.

Everyone’s ovens will vary in true temperature so cooking time will vary. I suggest keeping the cook time between 8-9 minutes, with 8:30 being the perfect time for me in my oven and at my elevation. I am cooking at higher elevation so my cook time may be longer than yours. If you are making these for a party or entertaining you might want to do a test run if you are aiming for perfection. If you don’t mind how much chocolate “lava” comes out of the cake then don’t stress it and bake for 8:30 and enjoy! extra lava like or not so lava like, this cake is delicious at any state of cooking.

What you need to make chocolate molten lava cake:

Makes 2 – 3 inch mini cakes

  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips – milk chocolate, semi-sweet, dark or white
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon flour or gluten free baking mix
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar – optional

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 450 F.
  2. Prepare 2 – 3 ” mini cake pans by spraying them with non stick spray or rub the insides of the pans with butter and then dust with flour.
  3. In a medium sized microwave safe bowl, melt butter for 30 seconds.
  4. Add chocolate chips and let sit them for a minute.
  5. Stir chocolate chips and butter together until chocolate chips are melted. *If the chocolate chips do not melt then microwave for 5 second intervals until they are all melted into the butter.
  6. Add vanilla, sugar and salt to the butter mixture and stir.
  7. Add egg and egg yolk and stir again.
  8. Sprinkle flour over the top of batter and mix it in well.
  9. Pour cake batter into prepared mini cake pans and bake for 8:30-9 minutes. In my experience 10 minutes will be too long but all ovens vary slightly. If you are at a lower elevation you may only need to cook for 8 minutes. The sides will feel like they are starting to set but the middle will feel giggly.
  10. Remove from the oven and let cakes cool for 1-2 minutes before gently running a butter knife along the sides of the cake pan to loosen it for easy cake removal.
  11. For easiest removal, place serving plate on top of cake pan and holding the serving plate with one hand and lifting the cake pan with the other hand, flip over so the cake gently falls out onto the serving plate.
  12. Dust with powdered sugar if desired and enjoy!

Here are a few other cakes you may love:

The Best Chocolate Cake
Cherry Lime and Citron Icebox Cheesecake
Red Velvet Cake
Island Honey Cake
Chocolate Oreo Cheesecake
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Vanilla Birthday Cake
Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

Decadent and delicious chocolate molten lava cake!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time9 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Chocolate, Dessert
Keyword: Cake, Chocolate, Easy Recipes
Servings: 2 3 inch cakes
Author: Aryn Tharp

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips – milk chocolate, semi-sweet, dark or white
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon flour or gluten free baking mix
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar – optional

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 450 F.
  • Prepare 2 – 3 ” mini cake pans by spraying them with non stick spray or rub the insides of the pans with butter and then dust with flour.
  • In a medium sized microwave safe bowl, melt butter for 30 seconds.
  • Add chocolate chips and let sit them for a minute.
  • Stir chocolate chips and butter together until chocolate chips are melted. *If the chocolate chips do not melt then microwave for 5 second intervals until they are all melted into the butter.
  • Add vanilla, sugar and salt to the butter mixture and stir.
  • Add egg and egg yolk and stir again.
  • Sprinkle flour over the top of batter and mix it in well.
  • Pour cake batter into prepared mini cake pans and bake for 8:30-9 minutes. In my experience 10 minutes will be too long but all ovens vary slightly. If you are at a lower elevation you may only need to cook for 8 minutes. The sides will feel like they are starting to set but the middle will feel giggly.
  • Remove from the oven and let cakes cool for 1-2 minutes before gently running a butter knife along the sides of the cake pan to loosen it for easy cake removal.
  • For easiest removal, place serving plate on top of cake pan and holding the serving plate with one hand and lifting the cake pan with the other hand, flip over so the cake gently falls out onto the serving plate.
  • Dust with powdered sugar if desired and enjoy!