Martha Stewart’s chocolate molten lava cake bakes in a muffin tin at 400°F for about 10 minutes, and each one comes out with a set outer shell and a warm, flowing chocolate center. The batter is butter, chocolate, sugar, eggs, flour, and salt, mixed in one bowl and poured into six buttered and sugared muffin cups.
The best part about this recipe is that you can make the batter up to a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. When you sit down for dinner, put the tin in the oven. By the time you finish eating, dessert is ready.
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Why A Muffin Tin Instead Of Ramekins?
Most lava cake recipes use ramekins, but Martha uses a regular muffin tin. The smaller cups mean the cakes bake faster and more evenly, and you get the right ratio of set cake to molten center without guessing.
It also means you do not need to buy ramekins. Butter the cups well and dust them with granulated sugar so the cakes release cleanly when you flip them out.
Martha Stewart Chocolate Molten Lava Cake Ingredients
Six ingredients. Use good bittersweet chocolate, not chips. The chocolate is the main flavor and cheap chocolate makes a flat-tasting cake.
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the muffin tin
- Granulated sugar, for dusting the tin, plus 1/3 cup for the batter
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
- Whipped cream, for serving
How To Make Martha Stewart Chocolate Molten Lava Cake
- Preheat and prep the tin: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter six cups of a standard muffin tin generously. Spoon granulated sugar into each cup, swirl to coat, and tap out the extra.
- Melt the butter and chocolate: Melt the butter and chopped chocolate together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Stir until smooth and let cool slightly.
- Beat the butter and sugar: Using a mixer, cream 1/3 cup sugar with the melted chocolate and butter mixture until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.
- Add dry ingredients: Beat in the flour and salt on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fill the tin and bake: Divide the batter among the six prepared cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake at 400°F for 8 to 12 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still jiggle slightly.
- Rest and serve: Let the cakes sit in the tin for 1 to 2 minutes. Run a knife around each one, then carefully invert onto plates. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm with whipped cream.
How Do You Know When They Are Done?
The edges should look set like regular cake but the center should still jiggle when you gently shake the tin. If the center is completely firm, you baked them too long and there will not be a molten center. Pull them out while the middle still moves.
Every oven is different, so check at 8 minutes the first time you make these. You can always put them back in for another minute, but you cannot undo overbaking.
Can You Make The Batter Ahead Of Time?
Yes. Martha says you can make the batter, fill the muffin cups, cover the tin with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to a day. When you are ready, put the cold tin straight into the hot oven. Add 2 to 3 extra minutes to the bake time since the batter starts cold.
This makes them a perfect dinner party dessert. Prep everything in the morning, put the tin in the oven when you sit down to eat, and dessert is ready when you clear the plates.
What Is The Difference Between This And Flourless Chocolate Cake?
Martha’s flourless chocolate cake has no flour at all and uses whipped egg whites for structure. It bakes low and slow at 275°F and is served at room temperature. This molten cake uses flour, bakes hot and fast at 400°F, and is served warm with a liquid center.
They are completely different desserts that happen to both be chocolate. The flourless cake is for when you want something rich and set. The lava cake is for when you want something warm and gooey.
How To Store Leftovers
Cover and refrigerate any leftover cakes for up to two days. To reheat, put them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes until the center warms through again. Microwaving works but the texture is not as good.
They will not have the same molten center the second time around, but they still taste rich and fudgy when reheated. Think of leftover lava cake more like a warm brownie.
FAQs
- Can I use ramekins instead of a muffin tin? Yes. Butter and sugar 4 to 6 ramekins and bake for 10 to 14 minutes. The timing depends on the size of your ramekins, so watch the centers closely.
- Can I use semisweet chocolate? Bittersweet gives a deeper flavor, but semisweet works. The cake will be a little sweeter.
- Why did my cakes stick to the tin? The butter and sugar coating has to cover every surface. If you miss a spot, the cake sticks there. Be generous with both.
More Chocolate Dessert Recipes:
Nutrition Facts
(1 cake, serves 6)
- Calories: 420
- Total Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
- Sodium: 140mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 42g
- Protein: 6g
Martha Stewart Chocolate Molten Lava Cake Recipe
Description
Martha Stewart’s chocolate molten lava cake bakes in a muffin tin at 400°F for about 10 minutes, and each one comes out with a set outer shell and a warm, flowing chocolate center. The batter is butter, chocolate, sugar, eggs, flour, and salt, mixed in one bowl and poured into six buttered and sugared muffin cups.
The best part about this recipe is that you can make the batter up to a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. When you sit down for dinner, put the tin in the oven. By the time you finish eating, dessert is ready.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat and prep the tin: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter six cups of a standard muffin tin generously. Spoon granulated sugar into each cup, swirl to coat, and tap out the extra.
- Melt the butter and chocolate: Melt the butter and chopped chocolate together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Stir until smooth and let cool slightly.
- Beat the butter and sugar: Using a mixer, cream 1/3 cup sugar with the melted chocolate and butter mixture until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.
- Add dry ingredients: Beat in the flour and salt on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fill the tin and bake: Divide the batter among the six prepared cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake at 400°F for 8 to 12 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still jiggle slightly.
- Rest and serve: Let the cakes sit in the tin for 1 to 2 minutes. Run a knife around each one, then carefully invert onto plates. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm with whipped cream.
Notes
- Check at 8 minutes: The center should jiggle. If it is firm, you have overbaked. You cannot undo this.
- Make ahead: Fill the muffin cups, cover with plastic, refrigerate up to 1 day. Bake from cold, add 2-3 extra minutes.
- Butter every surface: Any spot you miss, the cake sticks. Be generous with butter and sugar.