Easy and delicious raspberry chocolate lava cakes, with a fresh raspberry filling. Wonderful chocolate dessert for special occasions or to enjoy anytime! Ready in just about 30 minutes or can be made ahead and baked as needed.
With Valentine’s Day tomorrow, my mind is on a little something chocolate. And when I crave a little something chocolate, these Raspberry Molten Chocolate Cakes are a regular go-to for me. There is just no beating chocolate and raspberry together, in my books!
These molten chocolate cakes feature a hit of raspberry in the middle, that mixes with the soft chocolate in the most wonderful way. And while you can whip up these cakes easily whenever the mood strikes, you can also mix ahead and refrigerated. Then, when ready, just pop them in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Chocolate – a good dark, semi or bittersweet chocolate is needed for these, preferably something around 70% cocao, if possible. The better the chocolate, the better the flavour of the cakes.
Raspberries – You can use either fresh or thawed frozen raspberries here. The hit of flavour from the fresh berries is really lovely, but in a pinch, you can go with just the raspberry jam or scroll down to the Cook’s Notes for other filling suggestions.
Raspberry Jam – A bit of raspberry jam is used just to bind the mashed raspberries together, but as noted above, if you don’t have any fresh berries, you can use just the jam.
You will also need – eggs(2), all purpose flour, white sugar, butter and salt. To coat the ramekins, you’ll need flour and cocoa powder and melted butter.
Step-by-Step Photos
1. First step for making these Molten Chocolate Cakes is to melt some chocolate with the butter until smooth. You can do the melting in a small saucepan on the stove-top, but I generally use the microwave, heating it in short 30-second spurts and stirring between each heating. You’ll want to set aside the melted chocolate, so it can cool a bit while you make the rest of the batter. You’ll also want to prepare your ramekins, by brushing with melted butter and dusting with a flour/cocoa mixture.
For the batter, we’ll start by beating together the eggs and sugar until thick and creamy. You don’t want to skimp on this step, as there is no leavening in these cakes beyond the eggs, so be sure to beat for the full 2 minutes. The mixture should be lighter in colour and thicker.
2. Next, we’ll mix in the melted chocolate on low speed, just until combined and there are no streaks of chocolate visible. Finally, we’ll fold in a bit of flour, again, just mixing until there is no visible flour.
3. Place a spoonful of batter into the bottom of the prepared ramekin, then add a dollop of the raspberry mixture (which is just fresh raspberries, mashed and mixed with a little raspberry jam) in the centre. Top with more batter. (You can cover and refrigerate the ramekins at this point, if making ahead). Bake in preheat oven for 12-15 minutes. You’ll want to watch closely to avoid over-baking. Baking time will be extended slightly if your batter was cold from the refrigerator. Watch for the top to be set and crack, then take them right out of the oven. Allow them to stand a few minutes, then turn them out onto a plate. Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar.
Recipe Tips
- As noted above. baking time will vary between ovens, depending on the size of the ramekin used and if they’ve been refrigerated or not. Watch closely after 10 minutes of baking. You want the top to be puffed and set, but the centre of the cakes to still be a little jiggly when you move them. Generally, a crack will appear on the top and that is a good indicator they are ready, but don’t rely on it solely, as I have had some not crack.
- These molten cakes aren’t the type that will spill out chocolate puddles, due to the raspberry in the middle. Rather, soft chocolate will encase the raspberry mixture in the soft centre.
- If you didn’t get your molten cakes out of the oven early enough, they won’t be quite as molten, but they’ll still be delicious :) Enjoy them and tweak the baking time next time you make them.
- While it’s nice to turn these cakes out onto a plate, unless it’s a special occasion, I’ve been known to just eat them straight out of the ramekin.
- This recipe will make 4 individual cakes or maybe even up to 6, if you use smaller ramekins. If you’d like a “for two” recipe, just halve the recipe. Since there is an odd number of eggs, use one whole egg, then beat the second egg together separately with a fork, then just add half of it to the batter.
Variations
Not a fan of raspberry? Try a peanut butter filling, by mixing 3 Tbsp of peanut butter with 1 tsp of icing sugar and using it in place of the raspberry. Or how about marshmallow? Add a Tbsp of marshmallow Fluff inside instead.
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Get the Recipe: Raspberry Chocolate Lava Cakes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 6 oz dark chocolate, 70% cacao recommended, chopped
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
For raspberry filling:
- 16 fresh raspberries, or thawed frozen raspberries
- 1 Tablespoon raspberry jam
For preparing ramekins:
- 1 Tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon flour
For serving:
- Icing/confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Instructions
- Brush four 6 oz. ramekins with 1 Tbsp of melted butter. In small bowl, stir together the cocoa powder and 1 Tbsp flour. Sprinkle the cocoa mixture into the ramekins and rotate to evenly coat the inside. Tap out any excess. Place ramekins onto a baking sheet.
- Preheat oven to 425F (not fan-assisted), if baking right away.
- In medium saucepan, set over very low heat, melt the 1/4 cup butter with the chopped chocolate over very low heat, about 15 minutes, stirring often, until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. *You can also do this in the microwave, using 30 second bursts and stirring between.
- Using electric hand mixer on medium-high speed or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the white sugar with the eggs and salt, until lighter in colour and thicker, about 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the melted chocolate mixture until no streaks remain. Fold in the 1/4 cup flour just until no flour is visible.
- Make the raspberry filling by mashing the raspberries with the raspberry jam in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Spoon two-thirds of the batter batter into ramekins. Add heaping Tbsp of the raspberry mixture into the centre. Cover with remaining batter.
- If making ahead, cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. Ramekins can go straight from the fridge to the oven, but do note that the cold batter may need an extra minute or so of baking.
- Bake in centre of 425F oven for 12 - 16 minutes, watching closely after 10 minutes of baking and baking just until the centre is set and often a small crack will appear, but the cake should still be jiggly when moved. *Better to under-bake than over-bake, so watch closely. Cool on rack about 3 minutes.
- Run sharp knife around edge of each cake to loosen. Invert dessert plate over top of ramekin; turn upside down and gently release from ramekin. Sprinkle with icing sugar to serve.
Notes
More Gooey Chocolate Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Molten cakes are so fun and delicious on their own, but add another element of flavour, like raspberry? Oh yeah, bet these are a real treat! Going to make these soon. Hubby would love them too :)
Thanks Dawn and yes, raspberry and chocolate is such a delicious combination :)
My wife has promised me she will make this desert for me next weekend. I cannot wait. The pictures and the text make my mouth water and I know how wonderful all your recipes and deserts are.
Thanks Pat :) It’s a lovely treat!
Exactly what I consider the perfect dessert – chocolate and raspberry is a favorite combination of mine and I am determined to master these mini molten cakes (hoping for some self-control when it comes to enjoying them since the portions are so perfectly defined:)
Thanks Milena :) And yes, it’s always been my idea of a perfect way to end a special meal, too!
I’ve always enjoyed the chocolate raspberry flavor combination too Jennifer! These look absolutely delicious!
Thanks so much, Mary Ann :)