Decadent gooey, warm, and rich chocolate lava cake, perfect to share on Valentine’s Day.

T-11 days until Valentine’s Day! If you’re struggling to decide what dessert to make, here you go! This is the best lava cake recipe I have ever made, better than any you could get from a restaurant! It is so rich in chocolate with a sweet and gooey center that just melts in your mouth. It is the perfect dessert for any day, especially Valentine’s Day!

Chocolate lava cake was actually accidentally created. The first-ever chocolate lava cake was just a chocolate cake that was taken out of the oven too early which caused the ooey-gooey center we all know and love. As for who made the first-ever lava cake, it’s heavily disputed between Jacques Torres and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. They both claim to be the creator, but it is unclear who truly made it first. Speaking of Jacques Torres, have you checked out my Fabulous Famous Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies? They’d go perfectly with these cakes!

This recipe is perfect for a small batch to share with a loved one on Valentine’s Day, and they are incredibly easy to make!

The main source of flavor comes from the chocolate, so it is important to get good quality dark chocolate. I like to use Ghirardelli or Trader Joe’s chocolate. Additionally, you will see that there is minimal flour in this recipe which contributes to the decadent, fudgy, rich cake.

Begin by melting the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. While the butter and chocolate are melting, whisk the whole eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer until very pale and thick. The idea is to get as much air as possible in the batter in this step to create a slightly lighter cake. This should take about 4-5 minutes.

Then, fold in the flour and chocolate into the egg mixture until just combined. Divide into 4-7-ounce greased ramekins and bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the center is still very soft. It took 6 minutes and 30 seconds for mine to be perfectly done. Do not over bake the cakes or there will be no fudgy center and you will be left with essentially a brownie. Let cool on a wire rack for 1 minute. Cover with an inverted plate and flip everything over. Let sit for 15 seconds and then unmold. Serve while hot with ice cream, and enjoy!

This dessert is meant to be served hot out of the oven, but they can also be baked and then warmed up in the oven when it is time to eat them. Warm up in the oven upside down, out of the ramekin. Be sure to keep a close eye on the cake to prevent the lava from baking through otherwise, you will not have any lava left! You can also let the batter sit in the refrigerator for several hours (in prepared ramekins), just let the batter come to room temperature fully before baking. Again, keep a close eye on the cakes when baking to make sure you have lava when you bite into it.

I hope you give his recipe a try! I’d love to see your chocolatey lava cake creations! Tag me on Instagram @beyondbakingwithamandajane so I can show you my support!

Tasted tested with love by friends and family.