Lavender Chocolate Lava Cakes
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Nothing says celebration like cutting into a warm chocolate cake and watching the center flow out, whether it is New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day or a birthday. These look like a restaurant dessert, but they come together in one bowl in about 30 minutes.
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Why this pairing works
Deep, dark chocolate welcomes lavender. The floral note lifts the richness, and Lavender Sugar whipped into the eggs carries that flavor into every bite. Tart raspberries finish it off.
Serves 4 Prep 15 min Cook 14 min
Ingredients
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup butter, plus more for the ramekins
- 1 tsp cocoa powder, for the ramekins
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup Lavender Sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1/8 tsp Lavender Extract, optional, or 1/2 tsp Culinary Lavender Buds (see below)
- Fresh raspberries and whipped cream, for serving
Directions
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Butter four 6-oz ramekins, dust with cocoa powder and set them on a sheet pan.
- Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Stir in the lavender extract.
- Whisk the eggs, yolks, Lavender Sugar and salt until pale and thick, about 2 minutes. Fold in the chocolate, then the flour.
- Divide the batter among the ramekins. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are firm but the centers still jiggle.
- Rest 1 minute, run a knife around the edges and turn each cake out onto a plate. Serve with raspberries and whipped cream.
Serve it with: Lavender Ground Coffee (Cherry)
How do you make lava cakes with lavender buds instead of extract?
Infuse the butter. Melt the 1/2 cup butter, stir in 1/2 teaspoon culinary lavender buds and let it steep off the heat for 10 minutes. Strain, then melt it with the chocolate as in step 2. Or simply skip the extract: the Lavender Sugar carries a soft lavender flavor on its own.
How do you know when lava cakes are done?
The edges look set and slightly pulled away from the ramekin, and the very center still wobbles when you nudge the pan. Every oven runs differently, so bake one test cake the first time. Two minutes too long and the molten center sets into a fudgy cake, which is still delicious.
Can you make lava cakes without ramekins?
Yes. Use a standard muffin tin, well buttered and dusted with cocoa. Fill the cups about three-quarters full and bake 8 to 10 minutes. The batter makes about 6 muffin-size cakes.
Can you make them ahead?
- Refrigerate: fill the ramekins, cover and chill up to 1 day. Add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake.
- Freeze: freeze filled ramekins up to 1 month. Bake straight from the freezer for about 18 to 20 minutes.
Make it your own
- Tuck a square of white chocolate into the center of each cake before baking.
- Serve with a cup of Cherry Lavender Coffee for a chocolate-cherry finish.
- Top with a scoop of no-churn honey lavender ice cream.
- Dust with powdered sugar through a heart or star stencil.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my lava cake stick?
The ramekins were not buttered and dusted all the way up the sides, or the cake sat too long before turning out. Run a thin knife around the edge after 1 minute.
Are the centers undercooked?
The center stays soft and is not fully set, like a soft-cooked egg. If you are serving anyone who should avoid soft-cooked eggs, such as young children or pregnant guests, bake them until set, about 2 to 3 minutes longer.
What chocolate is best?
A good bittersweet bar, 60 to 70 percent cacao. Chocolate chips contain stabilizers and do not melt as smoothly.
Made it? Rate this recipe below and tell us what you celebrated.
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