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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: This Microwave Chocolate Lava Cake Bowl Recipe For Two is a gooey treat for you and your sweetheart to prep ahead and bake off in the microwave when it’s time to satiate your chocolate craving!
Love is in the air — and if you’re like me, your love language is dessert! But you don’t have to spend all of Valentine’s Day minding your oven to have the perfect dessert for you and your sweetie. My Microwave Chocolate Lava Cake For Two can be made in just one bowl and baked in just minutes in your microwave! You can even prep the batter in your microwavable bowl ahead of time, pop it in the refrigerator, and bake it off when you’re ready!
This easy Chocolate Lava Cake recipe is perfect for Valentine’s Day dessert. The dessert for two is unbelievably gooey and fudgy. For a more grown-up flavor and to help bring out that chocolate flavor even more, I add espresso powder! It doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee, but it really boosts up the taste. (If that’s not your thing, feel free to leave it out!)
You don’t need any fancy equipment or stress to make Valentine’s Day (or any day!) special! Don’t have access to a microwave? Follow my recipe for Chocolate Lava Cake For Two for the oven!
Table Of Contents
What Is Chocolate Lava Cake?
Chocolate Lava Cake, also known as Molten Chocolate Cake, is a chocolate cake known for its warm molten center. Chances are, you’ve come across this dessert at restaurants like Chili’s or Longhorn Steakhouse, but the cake is originally from France, having been invented in the ’80s.
Tools You Need
Ingredients For Chocolate Lava Cake
- Butter: Use a good quality salted or unsalted butter for this recipe. It helps keep the cake moist and tastes delicious!
- Egg: I use a large egg. Be sure to let it come to room temperature before using.
- Whole milk: I always use full-fat, whole milk in my recipes. Fat = flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla helps bring out the other flavors in desserts. You can make your own Homemade Vanilla Extract!
- All-purpose flour: Flour serves as the base of this recipe. Use gluten-free all-purpose blend flour if needed!
- Granulated sugar: White sugar adds sweetness to your chocolate cake.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: This will give you the deep chocolatey taste in your lava cake. Use unsweetened, so you know exactly how much sugar you are putting into the recipe.
- Espresso powder: Adding espresso powder helps bring out even more chocolatey flavor! It won’t taste like coffee, but you can omit it if you prefer. Use instant espresso powder.
- Baking soda: This helps the cake rise.
- Salt: A pinch of salt enhances all the other flavors.
- Bittersweet chocolate: I use bittersweet chocolate (63 – 72%) for that deep chocolate flavor.
- Water: A bit of hot water helps create steam in your microwave, keeping your cake nice and moist.
How To Make a Microwavable Chocolate Lava Cake Bowl
- In a microwavable bowl, melt the butter and then stir in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Whisk in the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Sprinkle chopped chocolate on top of the chocolate mixture batter and then drizzle the hot water on top. Do not stir it in.
- Microwave on high for about 1 minute 30 seconds, then check for doneness.
- While being sure not to overcook it, add 10 seconds at a time until it is done. Let it rest for 1 minute, top with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, and serve!
![Photos side by side showing how to make Microwave Chocolate Lava Cake Bowl Recipe For Two](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1440 1440"></svg> "Microwave Lava Cake bowl7")
Can You Make Microwave Chocolate Lava Cake Without A Microwave?
Yes! I already have a recipe for Chocolate Lava Cake For 2 written to be baked in an oven! It takes a bit longer to bake, but the process is relatively the same!
What Type Of Chocolate Should You Use For Lava Cake?
For this recipe, I use unsweetened cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate.
Unsweetened cocoa powder is pure chocolate, with most of the cocoa butter removed. It has an intense chocolate taste and is typically what I use when making most of my chocolate desserts. I use unsweetened so I can see how much sugar I am adding to the recipe.
Don’t use Dutch process cocoa powder for this recipe. Dutch-Process, or “European-Style,” cocoa powder has been treated with an alkalizing agent, which changes its color and gives it a more mild chocolate taste.
Since it has been treated, it won’t react to the baking soda in this recipe, which means your cake won’t rise.
I also use chopped bittersweet chocolate (63-72% cocoa solids) in my lava cake. This is what melts down and gives you the molten middle. I prefer bittersweet chocolate because I like the balance between bitter and sweet. If you prefer, you can use semisweet or even milk chocolate for your lava cake.
To learn more, read my Ultimate Guide to the Different Types of Chocolate!
![Microwave Chocolate Lava Cake Bowl Recipe For Two ready with ice-cream on top](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1365 2048"></svg> "Microwave Lava Cake bowl5")
Why Add Espresso Powder To Chocolate Lava Cake?
Instant espresso powder helps draw out the chocolate flavor of the cake and makes your cake taste a bit more complex.
Because espresso and chocolate have a lot of the same flavor profiles, adding a bit of espresso powder to chocolate transforms a sweet chocolate cake into one that is deeply chocolatey.
It won’t make your cake taste like coffee, but if you prefer, you don’t have to add the espresso powder.
Can I Make Microwave Chocolate Lava Cake Ahead Of Time?
Yes! You can prepare the batter of this cake before you plan to microwave it and place it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to go. Cover the prepped batter with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
How Do I Store Molten Lava Cake?
Lava cakes are best eaten as soon as they are baked. If you let your cake sit too long, the residual heat will continue to bake your cake, and your gooey chocolate middle will disappear!
However, if you’d like to store leftover lava cake, wrap it in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just know that it may not have its melted chocolate core once you reheat it.
Chocolate Lava Cake FAQs
Can you make Chocolate Lava Cake without eggs?
Yes, you can make eggless lava cake. My readers have said that they have had success with substituting the egg, 1:1, with flax seed. Learn more with my guide, 12 Best Egg Substitutes for Baking Recipes & How to Use Them.
How do I know if my Chocolate Lava Cake is done?
It is a bit tricky to figure out when your lava cake is done because of its liquid center. You will know when your lava cake is done baking once the edges are cooked all around, and the center has risen. It should still be slightly soft but not jiggly.
Why is my lava cake dry?
Your lava cake may become dry or lose its melted center completely if you cooked it for too long in the microwave. Overmixing also leads to a tough, dry cake, so be sure to mix your ingredients until they are just combined.
Why did my lava cake collapse?
Overmixing can lead to a tough cake, but it can also cause your lava cake to collapse. Stirring too much will add more air to the batter, which will make your cake lose its structure. Mix your ingredients until they are just combined.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- Prepare the batter for this Microwaveable Chocolate Lava Cake For 2 ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to microwave! It will last in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Be sure not to overcook your lava cake; otherwise, you won’t have a gooey center! After about 1 minute 30 seconds, check for doneness. If it needs more time, heat it for just 10 seconds at a time.
- You can use any mug or bowl for this recipe as long as they are microwave safe. Be sure to use a bowl with 12 fl oz/ 1 ½ cups capacity.
Try More Microwave Cake & Mug Meals Recipes