Gooey, rich lava cake is an indulgent treat for all kinds of occasions. It begins with a soft cake that's baked in a ramekin, but the lurking surprise lava cake is known for is the molten chocolate interior that pours out when you spoon it open.
Place chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each interval, until chocolate is fully melted. Set aside to cool briefly.
In a large bowl, use hand beaters or the whisk attachment on a standing mixer to beat 4 egg whites until frothy. Add 4 tablespoons of sugar and continue beating until egg whites form stiff peaks.
In another bowl, whisk together egg yolks, remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until mixture is thick and smooth.
Stir in the melted chocolate until combined.
Whisk or fold in the egg whites, half at a time, until fully combined.
Transfer batter to four ramekins that have been sprayed well with non-stick baking spray.
Bake for 15 minutes, until the cakes are puffed and dry on the top, but still jiggly.
Cool for several minutes and then invert each cake onto a dessert dish. Tap slightly on the ramekin and lift slowly to allow the cake to slip out.
Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with fresh raspberries.
Notes
Egg whites should be at room temperature when whipped for the best volume. Be sure that there are no specks of egg yolk in the whites or they will not whip properly.
Use a good quality bar of bittersweet chocolate for this recipe, such as Ghiradelli, it will make all the difference. Dark chocolate or semi-sweet will also work. If you opt for semi-sweet chocolate, you can go a little lighter on the amount of sugar you add to the batter. I do not recommend using chocolate chips here.
These lava cakes are gluten-free and hold their shape through the process of whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks and folding them in rather than using flour in the recipe.
This recipe can be halved to make two lava cakes at a time.
Ramekins used here have a 1-cup capacity (8 ounces). Because the cakes puff slightly during baking, they should not be filled to the top.
If you do not have ramekins you can easily divide the batter between the wells of a muffin pan. A muffin pan will likely be done quicker in the oven compared to ramekins, so keep an eye on them while baking. Because the ramekins are larger, you'll end up with more, but smaller lava cakes using this method.
If you would like to freeze these, they're best frozen when unbaked. Place the prepared batter in the ramekins and cover tightly with plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking. Allow the ramekins to come to room temperature before placing in the oven to avoid thermal shock.
Lava cakes are best served warm out of the oven. After cooling, the lava center will set, but rewarming the cakes will soften the center again.