Name: 4 Ingredient Lava Cake
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, (finely chopped); 2 large eggs; 2 large egg yolks; 1 -14 oz can sweetened condensed milk; ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

This 4 ingredient lava cake is a shortcut method to achieve rich chocolate results with minimal effort! It’s a new spin on classic chocolate molten cake.

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It’s the quintessential dessert for romantic dinners for two, perfect for sharing, and ideal for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. This is such a fun and easy dessert to make with kids! Best of all, you only need a handful of ingredients.

This super easy version uses a special ingredient- sweetened condensed milk. The same ingredient that makes Vietnamese ice coffee, no churn ice cream, and sweetening anything and everything, turns out it’s also great for lava cake!

I learned this technique from Dona Hay. Her cookbook features a quick and easy dulce de leche molten cake that uses canned dulce de leche as a sweetener and thickener.

My brain starting ticking and I immediately set to make a chocolate lava cake version. In less than 15 minutes, you can enjoy warm, fresh from the oven, ooey-gooey chocolate lava cake!

Molten Chocolate Cake Ingredients

The four ingredients need for this chocolate molten cake are: unsweetened chocolate, eggs (and egg yolks), sweetened condensed milk, and all-purpose flour.

Unsweetened Chocolate: Known by many names: baking chocolate, bitter chocolate, or cooking chocolate. It is sold in bar form. It is basically 100% pure chocolate without any added sugar.
Eggs: Two eggs plus two egg yolks add richness and body to the chocolate lava cake.
Condensed Milk: Canned product made with sugar and milk. The two ingredients are cooked to remove moisture resulting in a rich, velvety, and cream product.
Flour: This recipe works with your choice of all-purpose flour, bread flour, or cake flour.

Bake the chocolate lava cakes in oven-safe ramekins. It’s the same vessel you use for creme brûlée and baked egg dishes.

Assembly Instructions

The recipe begins by melting chopped unsweetened chocolate. Use a double boiler (bain-marie) or melt the chocolate at half power intervals in the microwave.

While the melted chocolate cools, beat the eggs and egg yolks until smooth. Mix in can of sweetened condensed milk. Stir in melted chocolate. Last step, fold in the flour.

Allow the ramekins to cool for a minute before inverting the lava cakes onto a serving plate. JUST ONE MINUTE.

Any longer and the cake will continue to cook. Serve these chocolate lava cakes immediately. The insides of the cake will continue to cook and stiffen if you let it sit. That means, you’ll lose that iconic melty chocolate interior.

This 4 ingredient lava cake is plenty sweet on its own. I opted to simply dust it with a mixture of unsweetened cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar. For a more decadent approach, top the warm cakes with whipped cream or ice cream!

Easy Chocolate Dessert Recipes

4 Ingredient Lava Cake

5 from 2 votes

A new spin on the classic chocolate molten cake. This 4 Ingredient Lava Cake is a shortcut method to achieve similar rich chocolate results with minimal effort!

Prep Time: 8

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 18

Servings: 5 6-oz ramekins

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Ingredients

▢ 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ 2 large egg yolks
▢ 1 -14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
▢ ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously grease five 6 ounce ramekins with butter or nonstick spray. Dust with sifted unsweetened cocoa powder. Tap out excess cocoa powder. Place ramekins on baking sheet and set aside.
Gently melt unsweetened chocolate over a bain-marie* or microwave at half-power at 20 second intervals until smooth. Stir oven to ensure even melting. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat egg and egg yolks until pale in color, about 2 minutes. Add in sweetened condensed milk. Beat until well combined. Add in melted chocolate and stir to incorporate.
Sift in flour and fold to combine until there are no longer any dry streaks of flour. Divide batter among the prepared ramekin cups.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set, but the center of cakes are still soft. Let baked cakes stand in ramekin for 1 minute.
Gently run a butter knife or mini spatula around the edges of the ramekin. Invert ramekin onto serving plate. Serve immediately. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, or whipped cream.

Notes

To set up a bain-marie: fill a pot with 1-inch of water and bring to a simmer. Set mixing bowl over pot. Select a mixing bowl large enough that when placed on top of pot, the mixing bowl does not touch the water.

Unsweetened chocolate is sold in bar forms. It is also labeled as baking chocolate, bitter chocolate, or cooking chocolate.

These lava cakes can also be baked in standard muffins tins. Grease muffin tins as directed and reduce baking time to 7-8 minutes.