Salted Caramel Lava Cakes
This is a very forgiving recipe and you cant go wrong with this cake. For very little time and effort you get outstanding results each and every time. You can make the batter ahead of time and refrigerate it. If you have left the cake in the oven for a bit too long, it might not have a runny center but the inside will still be moist and fudgy and still yummy. The same recipe bakes equally well in a mini muffin pan. I set the temperature to 350 degrees and baked for 10-12 minutes.
This is a very forgiving recipe and you cant go wrong with this cake. For very little time and effort you get outstanding results each and every time. You can make the batter ahead of time and refrigerate it. If you have left the cake in the oven for a bit too long, it might not have a runny center but the inside will still be moist and fudgy and still yummy. The same recipe bakes equally well in a mini muffin pan. I set the temperature to 350 degrees and baked for 10-12 minutes.
- 2 large eggs
- 4 oz of semi-sweet baking chocolate squares [113 grams]
- 4 oz of butter [1 stickâ or 113 grams]
- 1/3 cup of sugar or icing sugar
- 1/3 cup a p flour [all purpose white flour]
- some butter for greasing 4 3 inch diameter, ramekins
- 6-8 caramel squares
- a littleâ rock salt/sea salt
- 100 % cocoa powder for dusting ramekins optional
- Carbohydrate 0.385 g
- Cholesterol 211.5 mg
- Fat 4.97 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 6.29 g
- Saturated Fat 1.5495 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (107g)
- Sodium 70 mg
- Sugar 0.385 g
- Trans Fat 0.833499999999999 g
- Calories 72 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 425 deg
- Butter the ramekins. Dust with cocoa powder[optional]
- Cut each caramel square into a few smaller pieces and press some salt onto them and set aside. If you leave them whole they might not melt all the way through.
- Microwave the chocolate squares and butter for one minute in a large bowl. The chocolate will not have completely melted at this point. Whisk till the chocolate and butter combine.
- Add the sugar and mix it in.
- Whisk in the eggs and incorporate.
- Stir in the flour. Work the flour in gently to combine.
- Divide batter among the 4 ramekins.
- Gently push the salted caramel bits into the batter covering them.
- Place ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake between 10-14 minutes. The cake is ready when it has a domed appearance, the center is a little moist and the edges of the cake, dry and firm.
- Remove from the oven, insert a knife and go around the cake, invert onto serving plates, garnish with salt and serve.
Pulling molten cakes from a hot oven requires precise timing because residual heat continues to cook the batter long after removal. Ramekins placed onto a cookie sheet need between 10 and 14 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit to set the exterior while keeping the center liquid. A properly baked lava cake displays a slightly domed top alongside dry, firm edges.
The Mechanics of Sugar and Flour Substitutions
Modifying core components changes the structural integrity of the dessert. Swapping all-purpose white flour for a gluten-free blend requires a binding agent like xanthan gum to prevent the crumb from collapsing entirely. Reducing the sugar quantity lowers the melting point of the chocolate-butter emulsion, producing a denser texture that acts less like a sponge and more like a fudge. When incorporating caramel squares into the center, slicing the candy into smaller pieces ensures the sugar dissolves fully during the brief bake time. Pressing rock salt directly onto those caramel fragments creates targeted pockets of salinity that cut through the sweetness of the semi-sweet baking chocolate squares.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes if utilizing a mini muffin pan instead of four 3-inch ramekins.
- Store unbaked batter covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before transferring directly to the preheated oven.
- Run a paring knife around the perimeter of the ceramic mold immediately after baking to release the edges prior to inversion.
