This Chocolate Caramel Lava Cake is indulgent yet surprisingly light, with a molten center of homemade caramel sauce. Serve it warm with your favorite ice cream for an effortless show-stopping dessert.
Recipe features
- Single-serve chocolate cake with a tender, slightly fudgy crumb
- Rich chocolate flavor with a gooey caramel center
Ingredient notes
Caramel sauce – the caramel is the star of this dessert. Use your favorite homemade or store-bought sauce.
Chocolate chips – semi-sweet or dark chocolate work best for balanced flavor.
Flour – whole wheat flour gives a bit of nuttiness; white whole wheat is an easy substitute.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Melt the chocolate. Place the chocolate chips and coconut oil (or butter) in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in short bursts, stirring every 20–30 seconds until completely melted and smooth.
Step 2: Combine the batter. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Add the melted chocolate and mix until combined, then stir in the sugar and flour. Grease a 6″ ramekin and add half of the batter to the prepared ramekin.
Step 3: Add the caramel. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of caramel sauce into the center of the batter, then cover with the remaining batter. Place the ramekin on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15–16 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is still slightly soft.
Tips
- If you’re short on time, a good-quality store-bought caramel works well.
- Dusting the finished cake with powdered sugar adds a pretty finishing touch.
- Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla or salted caramel ice cream and an extra drizzle of caramel sauce.
More dessert recipes
- Fudgy Vegan Brownies
- Mango Crumb Bars
- Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints
If you tried this recipe, please leave a comment and a star rating below. Thank you!
Chocolate Caramel Lava Cake
Erin Alvarez
1 cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp coconut oil or butter
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 2 tbsp whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips with the coconut oil or butter, stirring every 20–30 seconds until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in the melted chocolate, then add the sugar and flour and mix until combined.
- Grease a 6″ ramekin with coconut oil. Pour half the batter into the ramekin, add 1 teaspoon of caramel sauce in the center, and cover with the remaining batter.
- Place the ramekin on a baking sheet and bake for 15–16 minutes, until the edges are set but the center remains slightly soft.
- Remove from the oven and let the cake rest for at least one minute.
- Run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake, invert onto a plate, and serve immediately with ice cream and extra caramel if desired.
Notes
* Baking time varies by oven. Check around 15 minutes and adjust to your preference—16 minutes worked well for this recipe.
* Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 128 g
| Protein: 15 g
| Fat: 30 g
Leave a comment and star rating below!
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in May 2016 and updated with new text and photos in October 2020.