A Lava Cake Love Affair
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and I am so excited to share with you a dessert that has a fond place in my heart (and my stomach): chocolate lava cake.
I can still remember trying my first bite of chocolate lava cake. I was five years old and my parents, brother and I went out to dinner to the Chart House. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Chart House, their signature dessert is a chocolate lava cake that is made with Godiva chocolate liqueur and toffee bits. They top it with vanilla ice cream and fudge sauce and it’s simply divine.
My five-year old self thought I had died and gone to heaven. Naturally, I did not want to share this dessert (some things never change). To this day, my parents and brother talk about how I inhaled this cake. My mom still reminds me that I was a little human vacuum cleaner.
Lava Cake
To this day, my love of lava cake has not changed. The only thing that has changed is the amount of it that I finish. They’re so rich, I often find I cannot finish one on my own anymore.
It’s for that reason that I believe lava cakes are the perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day. They truly are meant to be shared. Plus, chocolate is the iconic dessert for the holiday.
Many people are under the impression that lava cake is difficult to make. However, that is simply not true. Lava cake takes 10 minutes tops to mix together and 12 minutes in the oven. An added bonus is that it requires minimal ingredients.
While most lava cakes are made in ramekins, you can also make them with equal success in a muffin tin. However, you will need to adjust the cook time slightly and remove them from the pan with a bit more care.
To add a bit of extra pizazz to these cakes, I decided to create an indulgent thick chocolate port sauce to go with them. The combination is pure decadence.
So whether you’re like my five-year old self and want a full lava cake for yourself, or if you’re like my current self who needs a little help finishing one, I guarantee this dessert will not disappoint.
Blessings on your home and table,
~Natalie
Lava Cake with Chocolate Port Sauce
Ingredients
Lava Cake
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
Chocolate Port Sauce
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup port wine (I used Tawny port)
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Lava Cake Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease four 5oz ramekins with butter and dust with cocoa powder. Gently tap ramekins to get rid of excess cocoa powder. This process will help the cakes slide gently out of the ramekins.
- Place chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler. Let cook until chocolate and butter are melted and fully combined. Alternately, you can place both chocolate and butter in a large microwavable bowl and cook on high, stirring every 10 seconds, until smooth and combined.
- In a small bowl, sift together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Set aside.
- In a small dish, whisk together eggs and extra yolks.
- With a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour and egg mixture into the chocolate. If there are any lumps, gently press them out. Be careful not to overmix. Batter should be a little thick.
- Evenly distribute amongst the ramekins and bake for 12 minutes. If making in a muffin tin, bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit in ramekins for 1 minute. Invert onto a plate and let sit for about 30s before gently removing ramekin. Serve with vanilla ice cream and chocolate port sauce.
Chocolate Port Sauce
- Combine all ingredients except the vanilla extract in a medium saucepan. Let cook over low-medium heat until chocolate is melted and all the ingredients are well combined.
- Increase heat to medium and bring to a gentle boil and cook an extra 3 minutes until thick. Let cool before serving.
For more cake recipes, check out my cranberry, white chocolate champagne cake!
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