Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

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Looking for a gooey, moist and intense chocolate treat? Then try this extremely decadent Chocolate Lava cake that boasts of a lovely super moist devil’s food chocolate cake combined with the richness of chocolate fudge. Top it off with some creamy vanilla ice cream and a 2 ingredient Magic Shell Ice Cream topper, and you have yourself one praise-worthy dessert.

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I’ve tried several recipes for Molten cakes before, but none have been as good as this one. Unlike the normal lava cakes, these get stuffed with chocolate ganache/chocolate fudge sauce and i can definitely say that it makes them about a billion times better. It actually does, I’m not kidding!! Moreover here you don’t have to worry about the critical oven temperature and baking time to get the perfect cakes.

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So isn’t this the perfect recipe? I do think so. All thanks to my dear friend Sadiya Gafoor. Yeah, she is my name twin. 😉 She is actually an encyclopedia of cakes, desserts and all things chocolate, i guess. She did a lot of research and trials on lava cakes and finally she concluded that this is THE best method to get THE perfect ooey gooey cake. Thanks a loot dear. Muuaahz!

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Oh yeah! I forgot to mention that you can freeze them too. The recipe makes about 20 small cakes if you are making them in a ramekin or exactly 24 of them if you are using muffin tins. If you don’t need them all at once just freeze the rest for later. All you need to do is warm them in a microwave oven for 20-30 seconds at the time of serving. Isn’t that great? You can be prepared if unexpected guests show up at your place just anytime.

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So here goes the million dollar worth recipe with the step by step instructions. Enjoy!!!

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For Cakes:
Makes 20-24
Recipe courtesy: Maria of Maria’s Menu

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1/2 cup (113 gms) butter( room temperature)
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream (low fat or full) -can be substituted with yogurt or cream mixed with a tsp of yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2-oz (57 gms)dark chocolate
1 cup water( boiling)

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1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180 C and lightly grease two 12-cup muffin tins or ramekins.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs one at a time.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Add half of flour mixture to the butter mixture, followed by the sour cream and vanilla extract, followed by the addition of the rest of the flour mix. Stir well between each addition and mix until no streaks of flour remain.
4. Stir the cocoa powder and the dark chocolate into the boiling water. Pour chocolate water into the rest of the batter and stir until uniform.

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5. Evenly distribute batter into prepared baking cups. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the cakes spring back when lightly pressed.
Turn cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

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For the hot fudge sauce:
Makes 1 1/2 cups
Recipe courtesy: Sadiya Gafoor

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1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1teaspoons vanilla

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1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
2. Over medium heat, combine milk, butter and vanilla until the butter has melted. Add dry ingredients to the milk mixture, constantly whisking. Boil, stirring constantly until thick and smooth, about 5 or 7 minutes. Cool and refrigerate unused portion.

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For the magic shell:
Recipe courtesy: Shawn of iwashyoudry

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1/2 cup coconut oil
12 oz. (340 g) semi sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate or dark chocolate

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1. In a large (microwavable) measuring cup or bowl combine the coconut oil and chocolate chips.
2. Microwave in intervals of 30 seconds at 50% power, stirring in between until smooth. Took me 3 intervals to reach the perfect consistency.
3. Drizzle over ice cream and let sit for 30-45 seconds to harden.
4. Store in an air tight container at ROOM TEMPERATURE. (The Magic Shell may harden slightly, but just microwave for a few seconds till it is liquid again.)

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Assemble:
Thanks for the idea Sadiya! 🙂

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1. Let cakes cool for 10 minutes in pan, then take a knife and loosen the edges. Carefully remove cakes from the pan, and place on a wire rack to cool.
2. Then take a knife and slice the ‘dome’ off the top of the cakes, so they are flat. Once the tops are flat, turn the cakes upside down. Using a sharp knife, cut out a 1-inch circle out of the center of the bottom (now the top) of each cake. The hole should be at least 1-inch deep. Scoop out the chunk of cake and discard. Repeat this process with all the cakes.

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3. Spoon 2 Tablespoons of hot fudge into each of the holes in the cakes.
4. When ready to serve, take one cake and place on a microwave-safe plate. Heat for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and top with one big scoop of vanilla ice cream, then drizzle on Magic shell. Serve and enjoy!

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Notes:

✔️ Store the cakes in a sealed container in the freezer and you can store them for up to 2 months.
✔️ If you feel lazy to prepare the chocolate cake from scratch, choose the easy way and use 1 box of devil’s food cake mix or just any chocolate cake mix for that matter.
✔️ You can also skip making the hot fudge at home and make use of Hershey’s ready made hot fudge.

 

Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

Ingredients
  

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup 113 gms butter( room temperature)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup sour cream low fat or full -can be substituted with yogurt or cream mixed with a tsp of yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2- oz 57 gmsdark chocolate
  • 1 cup water boiling

For the hot fudge sauce

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla

For the magic shell

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 12 oz. 340 g semi sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate or dark chocolate

Instructions
 

DIRECTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 350F/180 C and lightly grease two 12-cup muffin tins or ramekins.
  • 2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs one at a time.
  • 3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Add half of flour mixture to the butter mixture, followed by the sour cream and vanilla extract, followed by the addition of the rest of the flour mix. Stir well between each addition and mix until no streaks of flour remain.
  • 4. Stir the cocoa powder and the dark chocolate into the boiling water. Pour chocolate water into the rest of the batter and stir until uniform.
  • Evenly distribute batter into prepared baking cups. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the cakes spring back when lightly pressed.
  • Turn cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

For fudge sauce

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
  • 2. Over medium heat, combine milk, butter and vanilla until the butter has melted. Add dry ingredients to the milk mixture, constantly whisking. Boil, stirring constantly until thick and smooth, about 5 or 7 minutes. Cool and refrigerate unused portion

For Chocolate Shell

  • In a large (microwavable) measuring cup or bowl combine the coconut oil and chocolate chips.
  • 2. Microwave in intervals of 30 seconds at 50% power, stirring in between until smooth. Took me 3 intervals to reach the perfect consistency.
  • 3. Drizzle over ice cream and let sit for 30-45 seconds to harden.
  • 4. Store in an air tight container at ROOM TEMPERATURE. (The Magic Shell may harden slightly, but just microwave for a few seconds till it is liquid again.)

Assembly

  • Let cakes cool for 10 minutes in pan, then take a knife and loosen the edges. Carefully remove cakes from the pan, and place on a wire rack to cool.
  • 2. Then take a knife and slice the ‘dome’ off the top of the cakes, so they are flat. Once the tops are flat, turn the cakes upside down. Using a sharp knife, cut out a 1-inch circle out of the center of the bottom (now the top) of each cake. The hole should be at least 1-inch deep. Scoop out the chunk of cake and discard. Repeat this process with all the cakes.
  • Spoon 2 Tablespoons of hot fudge into each of the holes in the cakes.
  • When ready to serve, take one cake and place on a microwave-safe plate. Heat for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and top with one big scoop of vanilla ice cream, then drizzle on Magic shell. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Notes:
✔️ Store the cakes in a sealed container in the freezer and you can store them for up to 2 months.
✔️ If you feel lazy to prepare the chocolate cake from scratch, choose the easy way and use 1 box of devil’s food cake mix or just any chocolate cake mix for that matter.
✔️ You can also skip making the hot fudge at home and make use of Hershey’s ready made hot fudge.

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118 thoughts on “Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

  1. Oh my goodness Sadiya!!! My mouth is watering like crazy! Those pictures are to die for.. I’ve always wondered how people get that perfectly molten center because when I bake these molten lava cakes, the centre isn’t flowy., I’m going to try your technique! It’s brilliant really!

    1. Thank you Radhika. I know, it used to be kinda the same story for me too. But with this technique it came out perrfect. Do try making them this way and lemme know how it turned out for you. 🙂

  2. OH MY GOOD LORD….. !

    My eyes popped out seeing the pics Sadiaaaaa….

    It looks nothing short of a professional’s work – the cake and of course your fabulous pics….

    When I had this from Chili’s last november, the first n the only time, I wondered when I would be going back there to have this heavenly dessert??? Now I guess I can try it out myself in my kitchen with the help of your super, detailed and best recipe…

    Jazakallah Khair Sadiaaaa….

    OH MY GOD, IT LOOKS AWESOME, YUMMY…..

    PURE CHOCOLATEY PLEASURE….

  3. What lovely presentations! I think your friend nailed it on the idea of making the cake and fudge separately. We love molten lava cakes, and I make them every now and then, and I admit the whole timing thing is so daunting!

  4. gosh! i am speechless!!! gorgeous pictures and a beautiful dessert. You have to do a post on food photography. You really are good with “drips and pours” in your pictures.

    1. Aww! How sweet! Thanks for the sweet comment darling! Woah! I am soo not ready for a photography post yet. Have lots more to learn about the camera. Maybe i will make a post on photography, someday. I must be confident enough for that.

  5. Can I add any other oil as m bit doubtful of the coconut y taste in chocolate. .Help me out dear I wanna make soon

    1. Hey Farha! Actually coconut oil is THE best option for this. And i felt there was no much coconut taste on the chocolate. Yeah, but a slight harmless change in taste would be there.
      But if you don’t wanna use coconut oil, the substitute would be butter or shortening. But the shell would be softer and you will have to keep it in the fridge for it to harden well, i guess. With coco oil, you will just have to pour the chocolate over ice cream and it will form a nice shell.

  6. Oh, Sadia, what are you doing to me–this looks fabulous! An interesting take on the chocolate molten lava cake with the removal of the dome technique! I love all your step-by-step photos!

  7. Wow! What a perfect creation! And the pictures are so stunningly beautiful! Awesome job. Now the only problem is I am craving it so badly. Actually I also like that you baked it in muffin pans – that makes it a mini indulgence! 🙂

  8. Are you trying to kill us? 😉 This is total death by chocolate…..! And I love your food photographs. Just waiting for my student life to end(which is not anytime soon 🙁 ), so i have the time to take pics like that myself using something other than iphone 🙂 😛

    1. You are right, you have to have the time and patience to take droolworthy food fotos. In shaa Allah you will take pictures much better than this soon. Btw thanks a lot for the comment. 🙂

  9. Seriously? Can I please come to your house and get one of these right now? What’s that? You gave us the recipe and pictures? Sigh…I guess I will just have to make them myself! But, what a great dish to bring to a party!

  10. These cakes look perfect! I have often looked at recipes of the molten chocolate cakes but have never made them. I like your method and I think I will give it a try. Thanks for sharing!

  11. How incredible! Your photographs are stunning. I am now experiencing a massive chocolate craving! 🙂 This looks scrumptious.

  12. I love, love the shots of the chocolate fudge oozing out! And the chocolate shell – didn’t realise I can make them at home. Bookmarked! 😀

  13. Oh, this is so beautiful!! I had molten lava cake planned for Valentines Day… and things just didn’t work out due to a dead furnace and frozen pipes at our cabin two hours away! Now I know why..I was meant to try your recipe instead! LOVE this.. I look forward to catching up on your blog.. 🙂

    1. Aha! 🙂 YAAY! that you couldn’t make the cake before. Hehe! Sorry to say that! But, happy that you will be making the cakes from here. 🙂 🙂 hop you will like it. Lemme know. 🙂

  14. Sadia, this is the ultimate chocolate lava cake! You win, hands down! It’s very hard to achieve that molten lava oozing out of the cake, so your method is ingenious. I will definitely try it. Thanks for bringing this to Fiesta Friday, hon. I think you’re everybody’s best friend now, but I’m bestest friend, so nobody touch my cake, actually make that 2 cakes! 🙂

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  16. After I originally commented I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I get 4 emails with the exact same
    comment. There has to be a way you are able to remove me from that service?
    Thanks!

    1. Oh really? That must be soo annoying. I currently don’t know how to fix this. Lemme check with someone and will do something soon for sure. Apologies for the late reply.

  17. You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I
    find this matter to be really something that I think I would never understand.
    It seems too complex and extremely broad for me. I am looking forward for your
    next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!

    1. Hello Ashlin! Sorry for the late reply. For 6 cakes in ramekin, reduce the ingredients quantity to half.

  18. Just a question please: When freezing, you mention just to heat in a microwave for 20 -30 seconds… is this after the fondant has defrosted?
    Thank you

    1. Yeah it would be better to keep the cake outside for half an hour before heating it. Then 30 seconds in the microwave and enjoy. You can add extra sauce into the cavity before heating.

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