Welcome to my easy 20-minute gooey chocolate lava cake recipe for two! You may think that lava cakes are hard to make, but they’re surprisingly simple! This recipe is quick, rich, moist, and a nice dessert to share with others (or your future self). Before we start, here are a few things you should know about this recipe!
Why Make This Recipe?
I would highly recommend trying out this gooey, homemade lava cake recipe because it’s easy to share, easy to make, and easy to enjoy! Chocolate cake is always good, and this lava cake is actually easier than a regular chocolate cake, in my opinion! Lava cake also isn’t just tasty. Lava cakes are really fun to eat! When I made this recipe for the first time, I had so much fun cutting into the molten cake!
Aren’t Lava Cakes Raw?
One reason people don’t make lava cakes at home is that they look hard to make. As I already told you, it’s actually really easy! Another reason is that they’re raw. Well, let me explain!
Lava cakes aren’t fully cooked to get that gooey center that’s so satisfying to cut into. Baking until the internal temperature reaches about 165°F is generally considered safe. That means if you bake the lava cake, the internal temperature should reach 165, which should kill most of the bacteria while keeping the center gooey.
To be 100% safe, you can use a thermometer to see if the center reaches 165 degrees F. I would definitely recommend doing this if you’re serving this recipe to others.
How to Make this Easy 20-Minute Gooey Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe for Two
Now, it’s time to learn how to make lava cakes! Let’s dive in!
Prep
First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 C). This high heat makes the outside crispy and firm while keeping the inside gooey!
Generously spray two ramekins with cooking spray. Make sure that you spray all over the ramekin, especially the bottom. This makes removing the lava cake much easier! Set these aside.
Lava Cake Batter
To make the lava cake batter, melt butter and chocolate chips in the microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring after each time. It took me about 45 seconds for my chocolate to melt, but it varies from microwave to microwave. Set this aside to let it cool as you prepare the other ingredients.
Whisk the egg, egg yolk, sugar, vanilla, espresso powder, and salt. Pour in the chocolate mixture, whisking vigorously after you add it. This prevents the chocolate from cooking the egg. So don’t skip this! Add the cocoa powder and flour. I whisked it separately before adding, but you don’t have to.
Divide the lava cake batter between two ramekins. Each of my lava cakes had about 3/4 cup of batter. Depending on the size of your ramekins, they should be about 1/2 to 3/4 full.
Baking and Cooling
To bake the lava cakes, place them directly on the middle oven rack. Bake for 10 minutes. This is when you can insert the thermometer to check if the internal temperature is above 165. Take out and let cool on a baking sheet for at least ten minutes.
Ten minutes allows the lava cakes to set up while keeping them warm. I tried immediately taking the lava cakes out, and the bottom wasn’t fully set, so it stuck when I flipped it over on the plate. Please don’t skip cooling!
Serving and Storing
To serve, gently run a butter knife around each ramekin. Then, place a plate on top of the ramekin. Flip the plate over so that the ramekin is upside down. The cake should come out easily, but if it doesn’t, try tapping the ramekin with a spoon.
After the cakes are out and on the plate, use a sift to dust powdered sugar on them. Serve with raspberries as I did or even ice cream! Whatever you choose to eat your lava cake with, I’m sure it will be delicious!
You get two lava cakes, meaning you can share with a friend. I shared my second lava cake with my family, and they loved it! This is a great recipe to share! But you can share this recipe with your future self, too. To store this lava cake, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze for three months. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use dairy-free ingredients? I’ve never used dairy-free ingredients, but let me know how it goes if you try it!
- Why should I use espresso powder? Espresso powder makes these lava cakes extra rich and chocolaty!
- Can I use flax eggs? I’ve never done it, and I wouldn’t recommend it because you need one egg and one egg yolk.
- What type of sugar should I use? I used granulated sugar, but turbinado, castor sugar, or coconut sugar should work fine!
- How do I reheat these lava cakes? You probably shouldn’t reheat these. Reheating these lava cakes in the microwave will cook the center fully, causing them to lose the gooey center.
Related Posts:
- My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe: a soft, crispy, and chewy cookie with browned butter!
- Strawberry Lemon Cookie Bars: a great frozen treat for summer!
- What Ice Cream Flavor Are You Personality Quiz: This lava cake goes well with ice cream, so why not take this quiz?
- Easy and Fudgy Peanut Butter Chocolate No-Bake Cookies: my go-to dessert when I want an after-dinner treat!
- My Breakfast Cookie Recipe: another chocolate dessert, only you can eat this one for breakfast!
Make This Recipe Today!
That’s all you need to know about this lava cake recipe! I’m so glad you’ve decided to try this recipe. I mean, lava cakes are so much fun! They may look super hard, but they’re actually so effortless! This 20-minute dessert makes two lava cakes, which is perfect for sharing with a friend, family member, or yourself! Are you ready to make this recipe? Let’s make it!
Easy 20 Minute Gooey Chocolate Lava Cake for Two
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Generously spray two ramekins with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a microwavable bowl, microwave the butter and chocolate chips in 15 second intervals until fully melted and smooth. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg, egg yolk, sugar, vanilla, espresso powder, and salt. Add the chocolate mixture, whisking vigorously after adding to avoid the warm chocolate cooking the egg. Add the flour and cocoa powder, and divide into the two ramekins.1/4 cup butter, 1/3 cup chocolate chips, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- After dividing the batter, bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. You can insert a thermometer to check for the internal temperature if you want to before pulling it out. Let cool for at least ten minutes.
- After ten minutes, gently run a butter knife around each cake in the ramekin. Place a plate on top of the ramekin and flip the cake upside down to release it. It should come right out, but if it doesn’t, the tapping it with a spoon. Dust with powdered sugar, serve with berries, and enjoy!powdered sugar for topping
Thank you so much for making this easy 20-minute gooey chocolate lava cake recipe for two! It’s surprisingly simple, so much fun to eat, and perfect for sharing. If you tried this recipe, please let me know in the comments section below how it went. Share if you loved this recipe and if you did any variations. Thanks for reading! That’s all! Bye!
About Danya Grace
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