These small chocolate cakes are more straightforward to make than you might think. By following my tips and pointers, it's easy to get great results: soft cake with a rich and gooey molten center that spills out when you cut into it. It's a bit dramatic, and that's the point of this classic chocolate dessert.

Open chocolate lava cake with molten center and fresh raspberries. White plate, powdered sugar dusting.

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Gooey dessert

This classic recipe for this much-loved vintage French chocolate dessert took the world by storm in the 90's. It was everywhere! I know; I was there.

The moment you forked into it and saw if it lived up to the name. Will the center ooze out as it should? It was the highlight of many meals and many frustrations where sometimes all you got was a good, fudgy cake but not runny enough.

And just like chocolate mousse, it's a recipe we should all try and master. It's that good.

Paula's top tip

Do a test bake!

The key is to know your oven and test the baking time until you get the perfect center according to your parameters. Some people like it less runny, for example.

Also, the type and size of ramekin you use affects how the dessert bakes. A few more or less minutes in the oven can make a big difference in how the center flows when the dessert is cut.

Top view of two chocolate volcano cakes with berries. White plate.

Ingredient Notes

Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.

Semisweet chocolate: use good chocolate bars, wafers or callets. I don't recommend chocolate chips as they don't always melt well.
Eggs: fresh, large.
Flour: both all-purpose and cake flour work. It's a small amount.
Butter: I use unsalted and a pinch of salt, but salted butter also works.

Make the batter in advance

Batter: it can be made and stored in the fridge for up to two days. You can also fill the ramekins with batter, cover them with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
Freezing: For longer storage, you can freeze the batter. You can also bake the lava cakes, cool them completely, freeze them until solid, then wrap them well in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container for up to 1 month. You can bake frozen lava cake for an additional 2 minutes.
Baking from chilled: If refrigerating the batter in the ramekins, they will take a few minutes longer to bake.
Remixing: If you refrigerate the batter, the butter and chocolate may harden, causing the batter to separate somewhat, so you may have to remix before baking.
Pre-baked: Molten cakes served in restaurants are often pre-baked and then warmed to order.

Steps to make lava cakes

Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.

Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.

Melt

Always start with chopped chocolate and pieces of butter in a microwavable or glass bowl. You can use the microwave (short 15-20 second spurts; stir or whisk well between each one until it's fully melted) or a double boiler with the bowl containing the chopped chocolate not touching the water. In both cases, make sure it doesn't scorch.

Beat

The eggs and sugar must be beaten for several minutes until pale and thick. This is another essential step for the success of these small chocolate cakes.

I use an electric mixer and highly encourage it.

Sift

It's important to sift the flour over the egg and sugar mixture to remove impurities and integrate more quickly and easily.

Close up white ramekins white chocolate lava cake batter. Black oven tray.

Pour

Fill the ramekins almost to the rim, dividing the batter evenly. The yield depends on the size of the molds you use; 6-ounce ramekins are the classic size.

Bake

They're not the most appealing as they come out of the oven.

The edges should be firm and sometimes slightly browned, and the center still slightly jiggly to ensure it's runny.

Removing cakes from the ramekins

To ensure your lava cakes don't stick and unmold well, here are some tips:

Greasing the molds: spray generously with baking spray that contains flour. If you don't have this type of spray, grease the ramekins with soft butter and then dust them with cocoa powder or flour.
Parchment paper: Line the bottoms of the ramekins with paper before spraying. This is particularly helpful if the cakes will sit for a while before baking.
Releasing the sides: After baking, let the lava cakes cool in the ramekins for 1-2 minutes. Then, gently run a smooth-bladed knife around the sides of the cake to loosen them before inverting onto a plate.
Inverting: To unmold, place a plate upside down on top of the ramekin and carefully flip the plate and ramekin together. Gently lift the ramekin to release the cake.
Serving in the ramekins: This is an option to avoid unmolding altogether, but you won't get the dramatic effect of diving into the cakes and watching the melted chocolate ooze out.

Raspberries and powdered sugar dusted chocolate volcano cake on a white plate.

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