Chocolate Lava Cakes Raspberry (Printable Version)

Rich molten chocolate cakes paired with tangy raspberry sauce for a delightful, sophisticated dessert.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Chocolate Lava Cakes

01 - 4 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 large egg yolks
05 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
08 - Pinch of salt

→ For the Raspberry Sauce

09 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
10 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
11 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
12 - 1 tbsp water (if using fresh raspberries)

→ For Serving (optional)

13 - Fresh raspberries
14 - Powdered sugar for dusting
15 - Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously butter 4 individual ramekins (6 oz each) and lightly dust with cocoa powder; tap out the excess.
02 - Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until thick and pale.
04 - Gently fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until just combined.
05 - Sift in the flour and fold gently, taking care not to overmix.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet.
07 - Bake for 11–12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. Do not overbake.
08 - While cakes bake, combine raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and water (if using fresh berries) in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until berries have broken down. Press through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. Set aside to cool.
09 - Let cakes rest for 1 minute, then run a thin knife around the edges and invert onto serving plates.
10 - Spoon raspberry sauce around or over the cakes. Garnish with fresh raspberries and a dusting of powdered sugar. Serve immediately, optionally with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between hot, molten chocolate and cool, bright raspberry sauce hits every pleasure center at once
  • These look incredibly impressive but come together in about thirty minutes with ingredients you probably already have
  • The batter can sit in the fridge for hours, so you can actually enjoy your own dinner party
02 -
  • Do not grease the ramekins with oil or cooking spray because the cakes need the friction of butter to climb up the sides properly
  • The center continues cooking after you remove them from the oven, so when in doubt, underbake rather than overbake
  • You must serve these immediately because the lava effect only lasts about ten minutes before the centers set
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs incorporate much more easily and create a lighter texture than cold eggs
  • Use cocoa powder instead of flour to dust the ramekins for an extra layer of chocolate flavor

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