Chocolate Lava Cakes Vanilla (Printable)

Warm chocolate cakes with molten centers served alongside creamy vanilla bean ice cream.

# Ingredient List:

01 - 4 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter

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 teaspoon fine sea salt

08 - Butter and cocoa powder for greasing ramekins

09 - 2 cups premium vanilla bean ice cream

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter four 6 oz ramekins generously and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.

02 - Combine chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

03 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until pale and thick, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

04 - Fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Gently incorporate flour and salt until just combined.

05 - Divide batter evenly among prepared ramekins and arrange them on a baking sheet.

06 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and centers remain soft. Avoid overbaking to maintain molten centers.

07 - Let cakes rest for 1 minute. Run a knife around the edges and invert each cake onto serving plates.

08 - Serve immediately with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

01 -

The batter comes together in under 20 minutes, and you'll actually have time to set the table before they bake.
That molten center happens almost by accident—underbaking becomes your secret weapon instead of something to fear.
Serving these warm with cold vanilla ice cream is the kind of contrast that makes people close their eyes and smile.

02 -

Overbaking by even two minutes hardens the center—this dessert lives on the edge, and that's exactly the point.
Bringing refrigerated batter to room temperature before baking prevents the outside from setting too quickly and sealing in cold batter in the middle.
If your chocolate doesn't seem melting smoothly, you may have gotten water into it—start over with fresh chocolate rather than fighting a seized batch.

03 -

Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly and incorporate better air—pull eggs and butter from the fridge 30 minutes before you start.
The difference between 10 and 12 minutes of baking can mean the difference between a molten center and a fully baked cake, so don't wander far from the oven.