Valentine Molten Chocolate Cakes (Printable Version)
Decadent individual chocolate cakes with a gooey molten center, ideal for special occasions.
# What You Need:
→ Chocolate Mixture
01 - 4 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
→ Batter
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 large egg yolks
05 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
08 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ For Serving
09 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
10 - Fresh raspberries or strawberries
11 - Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously butter four 6 oz ramekins and lightly dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
02 - In a heatproof bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter together, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and powdered sugar until pale and slightly thickened.
04 - Add the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract to the egg mixture, whisking until fully combined.
05 - Sift in the flour and salt, and gently fold until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
06 - Evenly divide the batter among the prepared ramekins.
07 - Place ramekins on a baking tray and bake for 11-12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers are still soft and slightly jiggly.
08 - Let rest for 1 minute, then carefully run a knife around the edge of each cake. Invert onto plates and let stand for 10 seconds before lifting off the ramekin. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately with berries and ice cream.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The moment you break through that top crust and hot chocolate flows onto the plate feels like pure magic.
- They come together in under 30 minutes but look like something from a fancy restaurant.
02 -
- That 30 second window between perfectly molten and fully set is everything—set a timer and trust it.
- The cakes continue cooking slightly in the ramekins after they come out, so underbaking is better than overbaking.
03 -
- Room temperature eggs incorporate more easily into the batter for a smoother texture.
- Serving these on warmed plates keeps them molten longer at the table.