Chocolate Lava Cakes for Two

If you have ever wanted to make restaurant-quality dessert at home and impress someone without actually spending two hours in the kitchen, this is it. Chocolate lava cakes look dramatic, taste incredible, and take about 20 minutes start to finish.

The whole trick is the timing. These are scaled for two, which makes them perfect for date night or honestly just a Tuesday when you and your partner want something decadent. I have made these probably a dozen times and they get me every single time that molten center pours out.

The Chocolate Matters Here

This is not the place for chocolate chips. Use a good quality bar chocolate, semi-sweet or dark, something with at least 60 percent cacao. You are going to taste every bit of it. Ghirardelli baking bars, Guittard, even a good dark chocolate bar from the candy aisle all work great. I usually grab whatever looks good and is around 70 percent.

The ramekins need to be generously buttered AND dusted with cocoa powder. Flour works but cocoa powder is better because it blends into the chocolate and you do not get white floury spots on your beautiful cake. Small detail, big difference.

Can You Make These Ahead?

Yes, and this is the move for dinner parties. Make the batter, fill the ramekins, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you are ready, bake straight from the fridge adding 1 to 2 extra minutes to the bake time. Everyone thinks you are a genius because you produce warm lava cakes right after dinner with zero stress.

Chocolate Lava Cakes for Two

Deeply chocolatey individual cakes with a warm, gooey molten center. They look like a restaurant dessert and come together in about 20 minutes. Perfect for date night.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 22 minutes mins

Servings: 2 cakes

Course: Dessert

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 oz good quality dark or semi-sweet chocolate chopped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• vanilla ice cream for serving
• powdered sugar for dusting

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Generously butter two 6-oz ramekins and dust with cocoa powder. Tap out the excess.
2. Melt chocolate and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Let cool slightly.
3. Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and powdered sugar until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
4. Stir chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Add flour, salt, and vanilla and stir until just combined.
5. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared ramekins.
6. Bake 11 to 12 minutes until the edges are firm but the center still jiggles. Do not overbake.
7. Let cool 1 minute. Run a knife around the edges and invert onto plates. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

The key is not overbaking. Check at 11 minutes. The edges should be set and the center should still wobble slightly when you shake the pan.

Serve with vanilla ice cream, always. The hot and cold contrast is non-negotiable. Let me know how yours turned out in the comments! So glad you are here. Pam