Baking · serves 2

Molten Lava Cake

Twelve minutes in a hot oven. Under-bake it on purpose and the middle runs.

30 min Some work Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 120g dark chocolate
  • 100g butter
  • 100g sugar
  • 80g plain flour
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 80ml milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • A pinch of salt
  • Cocoa for dusting

Method

  1. Grease four ramekins and dust with cocoa.
  2. Melt the chocolate and butter together, then stir in the sugar.
  3. Sift in flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt, then the milk and vanilla. Smooth batter.
  4. Divide between the ramekins.
  5. 200°C for 12 minutes. The edges set and the centre still wobbles — that wobble is the lava.
  6. One minute standing, then turn out. Serve immediately with ice cream.

Questions people ask about Molten Lava Cake

How long does Molten Lava Cake take?

About 30 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is a bit of work. Most of that is active, so read the method through before you start rather than chopping as you go.

What can I use instead of chocolate in Molten Lava Cake?

Use cocoa powder plus butter, roughly 3 tbsp cocoa and 1 tbsp butter per 30g chocolate.

Can I make Molten Lava Cake ahead of time?

You can prepare it a few hours ahead and reheat gently. It keeps two days in the fridge, though it is best on the day.

Is Molten Lava Cake vegetarian?

Yes, it is vegetarian. It is not vegan as written because it contains dairy; swap the dairy for a plant alternative and the rest of the method is unchanged.

Do I need an oven for Molten Lava Cake?

Yes, this one needs an oven. If you do not have one, look at the no-oven filter on the baking page: eleven of the bakes here are built for a cooker, a pan or the fridge.

What do you serve with Molten Lava Cake?

Serve immediately with ice cream. Baking is chemistry, so scale it by weight rather than by eye: double every quantity, use a tin with roughly double the area, and expect to add ten minutes or so. Judge it by the skewer, not the clock.

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