Are you looking to cook your way into someone’s heart? These little, decadent warm chocolate pudding cakes are show stoppers with their warm, gooey centers. Best yet, they can be made up to four hours ahead of time with just 5 simple ingredients.

Best Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake Recipe

These classic warm chocolate pudding cakes, also called lava cakes or molten chocolate cakes, might seem fancy. But they’re actually one of the easiest desserts you can make!

I love to make this recipe when I am entertaining — especially since they can be prepped hours ahead of time. Just pop them in the oven just minutes before you are ready for dessert!

They’re perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Chocolate Lava Cake Ingredients:

Here’s what you’ll need.

HIGH-QUALITY BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE
UNSALTED BUTTER
EGGS
SUGAR
FLOUR
OPTIONAL GARNISH: Dust with some powdered sugar and top with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or crème fraîche

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Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions:

Here’s how to make these yummy warm chocolate pudding cakes.

PREP: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter 6 1-cup ramekins and set aside.
MELT THE CHOCOLATE & BUTTER: Add a few inches of water to a double broiler and bring water to a simmer. Add the chocolate and butter and cook until completely melted, stirring often. Set aside to cool.
MIX TOGETHER EGGS & SUGAR: In a bowl using a stand mixer, beat together eggs, egg yolks and sugar at a medium speed for about 5 minutes or until the mixture turns a light yellow color. You can also use a hand-held electric mixer.
ADD THE FLOUR: Add the flour and blend.
MIX IN COOLED CHOCOLATE MIXTURE: Add the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until just blended.
BAKE: Pour into prepared ramekins filling each one half way. Bake 11 to 12 minutes until each cake is set around the edges but the center still wiggles slightly when ramekin is moved. Be careful not to over cook.
SERVE: Remove from the oven. Using a fine-mesh strainer, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and top with a side of ice cream or creme fraiche, if desired. Serve immediately.

A Few Recipe Tips:

PREP AHEAD: You can make the batter for these in advance. Follow the recipe through step 5. Then lightly cover the ramekins with foil and store them the refrigerator until ready to bake.
DON’T OVERCOOK: To ensure you get that gooey, melted center, cook until the cakes are just set around the edges but the center still wiggles slightly when ramekin is moved.
NO DOUBLE BOILER? No problem! Just top a saucepan with a heatproof boil (that’s big enough to sit on top of the pan without falling in).

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