Treat yourself to these decadent Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Lava Cakes—where rich dark chocolate meets a sprinkle of sea salt and a gooey, molten center. With only 6 ingredients, they’re perfect for a romantic dinner or a cozy night at home.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
- The combination of dark chocolate (70%) and flaky sea salt is a match made in heaven. Sea salt balances dark chocolate’s bitterness and the sweetness of brown sugar.
- This recipe is easy to make and requires only 6 ingredients. Plus, takes less than 30 minutes to make!
- The batter can be made in advance and baked at the last minute. Perfect for when you are having guests over.
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The 6 ingredients you’ll need
- Good quality dark chocolate – I think 70% cacao chocolate is the sweet spot in terms of both intensity and bitterness. But feel free to go stronger if this is what your heart longs for!
- Unsalted cultured butter – to create the magic that only butter can create. Living in France, I have access to high-quality cultured churned butter. This is pretty much all we have access to. This kind of butter is higher in fat than some American butters and also more complex flavor-wise. I always recommend using cultured butter for better results if you can get your hands on it.
- Cane sugar – brings a delicate caramel-y taste to the lava cakes. This recipe, however, can be made equally delicious with regular granulated sugar.
- Free-range eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Flaky sea salt – I really recommend flaky sea salt (also called “fleur de sel” in French) as its “saltiness” and astringency are milder than regular table salt. It is also more delicate in flavor and commonly used in French modern pastry.
What type of pan should you use?
I like using a muffin pan for 6 muffins. Alternatively, you can use ramekins.
How to make Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Lava Cake?
Melt the chocolate.
- In a saucepan, add the butter and roughly chopped dark chocolate. Melt over very low heat (I recommend the lowest you can go on your stoves). I am not using a double boiler for this recipe for convenience purposes. A very low temperature is important to “mimic” the gentleness of the double boiler.
- Stir with a wooden spoon from time to time, until glossy.
Meanwhile, prepare the lava cake batter.
- Meanwhile, vigorously whisk together the eggs and sugar. Continue whisking until the batter is whiter and foamy, and most of the sugar has dissolved.
- Gently sift the flour in the mixture and whisk vigorously until there are no lumps.
- Add the melted chocolate, and whisk until well combined. The mixture will thicken significantly at this stage, this is normal.
- When everything is combined, add the flaky sea salt.
Bake the lava cakes.
- Generously coat the muffin pan with room-temperature butter.
- Transfer the lava cake batter to the muffin pan. You can fill the cups entirely as the cakes will barely rise.
- Bake the lava cakes for 7 minutes in a preheated oven at 430°F (220°C). Wait 2 minutes before removing from the pan (it will allow the outer layer to harden and avoid any spilling of warm gooey chocolate hearts).
- Remove from the pan and serve immediately. Sprinkle some optional flaky sea salt on top just before serving.
Nim Keys – Useful Tips
- Make sure to melt the chocolate and butter at the lowest temperature available on your stoves. Yes, it will take more time but it will ensure that your chocolate is glossy, adequately tempered, and not overly heated (which often results in an accentuated bitterness).
- The baking temperature for this recipe is 430°F (220°C). It may seem a lot but it will allow for the lava cakes to be cooked on the outside and runny with warm dark chocolate on the outside. Feel free to adjust the cooking time according to your oven’s specificities. Of all the tests I made, 7 minutes was the perfect baking time for my oven.
- Wait 2 minutes before removing the lava cakes from the muffin pan. It will allow the outer layer of the cakes to harden and avoid a spilling of warm gooey chocolate hearts.
- Lava cakes are meant to be baked at the last minute (just before serving) for the warm chocolate heart to be at the perfect consistency. If baked in advance, the heart will harden which is not what we want in a lava cake.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make these Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Lava Cakes ahead of time?
Sure, can! After making the batter, fill the muffin pan. Then cover with cling film and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Bake according to the recipe instructions when you are ready to enjoy them!
Can I freeze these lava cakes?
Yes! Bake the lava cakes for 5 minutes at 430°F (220°C) and let them cool down completely. Remove them from the muffin pan and place them in a heavy-duty ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a preheated oven at 430°F (220°C) for 10 minutes.
What to serve these Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Lava Cakes with?
When they are in season, I love serving these lava cakes with fresh raspberries. This is a must! Fresh blackcurrants are fantastic to pair with this recipe too, but more difficult to find. Fresh blueberries work well too!
Other Delicious French-Inspired Recipes
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Lava Cakes
PRINT SAVETreat yourself to these decadent Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Lava Cakes—where rich dark chocolate meets a sprinkle of sea salt and a gooey, molten center. With only 6 ingredients, they're perfect for a romantic dinner or a cozy night at home.
INGREDIENTS
- 7 ounces (200 g) 70% dark chocolate roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup (70 g) unsalted butter cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes, plus more at room temperature for coating the muffin pan
- ⅓ cup (70 g) cane sugar
- 4 free-range eggs
- 6 ½ tablespoons (50 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) flaky sea salt (also called fleur de sel in French), plus more to serve
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 430°F (220°C).
- In a saucepan, add the butter and dark chocolate. Melt over very low heat (I recommend the lowest you can go on your stoves).
- Stir with a wooden spoon from time to time, until glossy.
- Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the eggs and sugar. Continue whisking until the batter is whiter and foamy, and most of the sugar has dissolved.
- Gently sift the flour into the mixing bowl and whisk vigorously until there are no lumps.
- Add the melted chocolate and whisk until well combined. The mixture will thicken significantly at this stage, this is normal.
- When everything is combined, add the flaky sea salt.
- Generously coat the muffin pan with room-temperature butter.
- Transfer the lava cake batter to the muffin tins. You can fill the cups entirely as the cakes will barely rise.
- Bake for 7 minutes then wait 2 minutes before removing from the pan.
- Remove from the pan and serve immediately. Sprinkle some optional flaky sea salt on top just before serving.
NOTES
- Make sure to melt the chocolate and butter at the lowest temperature available on your stoves. Yes, it will take more time but it will ensure that your chocolate is glossy, adequately tempered, and not overly heated (which often results in an accentuated bitterness).
- The baking temperature for this recipe is 430°F (220°C). It may seem a lot but it will actually allow for your lava cakes to be cooked on the outside and runny with warm dark chocolate on the outside. Feel free to adjust the cooking time according to your oven’s specificities. Of all the tests I made, 7 minutes was the perfect baking time for my oven.
- Wait 2 minutes before removing the lava cakes from the muffin pan. It will allow the outer layer of the cakes to harden and avoid any spilling of warm gooey chocolate hearts.
- Lava Cakes are meant to be baked at the last minute (just before serving) for the warm chocolate heart to be at the perfect consistency. If baked in advance, the heart will harden which is not what we want in a lava cake.
Did you make this recipe?Don’t forget the last step! Leave a comment below to let me know how it went!
Très bonne recette bravo
Merci Véronique! 🙂