Molten Chocolate Cake Recipe
With a Melted Chocolate Center. Served with Vanilla Ice Cream
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Ingredients
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Cake batter
Finishing & serving
Method
Prepare ramekins
- 1
Butter and dust
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Generously butter four 6-ounce (180 ml) ramekins with the 15 g unsalted butter, then dust the insides with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and set aside.
Make the batter
- 2
Melt chocolate and butter
Combine 170 g chopped bittersweet chocolate and 113 g unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl. Melt over a double boiler (simmering water, bowl not touching water) or gently in short bursts in the microwave (20–30 seconds, stirring between). Stir until fully melted and glossy. Remove from heat and let cool slightly (2–3 minutes).
- 3
Whisk eggs and sugar
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 3 whole large eggs, 2 egg yolks and 100 g granulated sugar until thick, slightly pale and ribbon-like when the whisk is lifted (about 2–3 minutes by hand or 1–2 minutes with an electric mixer on medium).
- 4
Combine chocolate and egg mixture
Tempering: Pour about one tablespoon of the warm melted chocolate into the egg-sugar mixture and whisk quickly to temper. Then pour the tempered egg mixture back into the bowl with the remaining melted chocolate and fold gently until uniform.
- 5
Add flour and flavor
Sift 40 g all-purpose flour and a pinch of salt over the chocolate mixture, add 1 tsp vanilla extract, and fold gently with a spatula until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix; batter should be smooth and slightly thick.
Fill and bake
- 6
Portion batter
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared ramekins (about 3.5–4 ounces / 100–115 g batter per ramekin). Smooth the tops with the back of a spoon.
- 7
Bake
Bake on the middle rack in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 10–12 minutes. Timing depends on oven and ramekin size: cakes are ready when the edges are set and firm but the centers still look slightly soft and jiggly. For a more molten center, err toward 10 minutes; for a slightly more set center, go 11–12 minutes.
- 8
Rest briefly
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cakes rest for 1 minute on the counter—this helps them release cleanly from the ramekins.
Unmold and serve
- 9
- 10
Finish and accompany
Dust each cake with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar if using. Serve immediately with one scoop of vanilla ice cream placed beside or on top of each warm molten chocolate cake so the ice cream begins to melt into the center.
