What? Another lava cake recipes? Isn’t every recipe blogger doing that? Okay, okay. But this is the last part of my red-themed-anti-Valentine’s Day dinner, and I wanted to post it.
There are many different ways to make this moist, delicious cake with a melty center. Sometimes the center is made separately from the rest of the cake, sometimes not. Either way, I’ve never met a lava cake I didn’t like (and that’s saying something since I’m generally not a cake fan). I found this recipe on the Ghirardelli web site. (Hey, I might as well go to the pros.) It is…amazing!
I have one caution: get yourself some 4-ounce ramekins…or maybe just double the recipe. I used larger ramekins, because that’s what I had on hand. The cakes were a little shallow as a result. Did that effect the flavor or texture? Heck no! They were just too shallow to completely submerge the centers. When I turned them out onto serving plates, there was a hole in the top of each cake. They sort of looked like donuts. I cleverly hid each hole with raspberries, so no harm done. They were still divine!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate baking bar, divided
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup cake flour
Instructions
- To make centers, melt 2 ounces of chocolate and cream in double boiler. Whisk gently to blend. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm. Form into 6 balls; refrigerate until needed.
- To make cake, heat oven to 400°F. Spray six 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups with cooking spray. Melt 4 ounces of chocolate and butter in double boiler; whisk gently to blend. With an electric mixer, whisk eggs, yolks, sugar, and vanilla on high speed about 5 minutes or until thick and light. Fold melted chocolate mixture and flour into egg mixture just until combined. Spoon cake batter into ramekins. Place a chocolate ball in the middle of each ramekin.
- Bake about 15 minutes or until cake is firm to the touch. Let it sit out of the oven for about 5 minutes. Run a small, sharp knife around inside of each ramekin, place a plate on top, invert and remove ramekin.
- If desired, garnish with powdered sugar, raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
I added some coffee extract to the whipped cream I served these with. The flavor was a wonderful complement to the rich chocolate.
oooh wow! This looks like “who needs men when you have chocolate” typea food! hehe
Raspberries are always a great touch too!
Mmm lava cake. I prefer this way of making it — with a chocolate ganache center.
I was just wondering if you can do these for a party and take them to someone? I have a bakery out of my home and wondering if there is any kind of tin type pans I can put them in and then make and deliver? Thanks
Oh gosh, that’s a tough one. If you can make them just before delivery and keep them warm on the way perhaps it would work. As far as a tin pans go, I think even a mini pie pan would be too big, and I don’t know of anything smaller. I wish I could be more help!