Molten Chocolate Cake

Molten Chocolate Cake
Evan Sung for The New York Times
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(1,564)
Comments
Read comments

Here is a can’t-fail version of the chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s warm, soft chocolate cake. He says more than a thousand of these cakes are made in his restaurants every day. The ingredient list is short — butter, chocolate, eggs, sugar and flour — and the video that accompanies this recipe shows exactly how the magic of the chocolate-oozing molten cake comes to be.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ½cup unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the molds
  • 4ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 4large eggs
  • ¼cup sugar
  • 2teaspoons flour, plus more for dusting the molds
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

464 calories; 36 grams fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 28 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 77 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put the butter in a medium bowl and melt it in the microwave. Add the chocolate to the hot butter and stir until melted.

  2. Step 2

    Crack 2 eggs into a bowl, and add 2 more yolks (discard the extra whites). Add the sugar, and beat or whisk until light and thick, about 1 minute. Add egg mixture and 2 teaspoons flour to the melted chocolate; beat until combined.

  3. Step 3

    Butter and lightly flour four 4-ounce molds or ramekins (make sure not to miss any spots, or the cakes will stick). Tap out the excess flour. Divide the batter among the molds. (At this point you can refrigerate them for up to 3 hours; just bring them back to room temperature before baking.)

  4. Step 4

    When you’re ready to bake, heat the oven to 450. Put the molds on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the cakes have puffed up a bit, the tops are barely set and the cakes still jiggle slightly when shaken, 7 to 9 minutes (better underbaked than overbaked). Let sit for 1 minute.

  5. Step 5

    Put a plate on top of the ramekin and (with a potholder to protect your hand) carefully invert the cake onto the plate. Let it sit for 10 seconds, then lift up the ramekin. Serve immediately, with ice cream, sorbet or whipped cream.

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,564 user ratings
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Comments

Paula,

I used to work as a pastry cook in a restaurant and the chocolate molten was the most popular dessert (we could do 60 in one batch of batter.) Make the batter all the way through and fill the cups, then refrigerate or freeze. They can go into the oven directly from the fridge or the freezer. If they're going in frozen, you may need to bake them just a little bit longer. I usually took them out when the surface (what would become the bottom) had just become matte.

Good, but butter and dust with cocoa powder instead of flour - otherwise, white streaks are left on the cake upon removal.

I accidentally used 4 whites and 2 yolks. OOPS, I always mess that up. It's probobly because I know non the basic rules of baking. I mean hey, I'm still in school. BUT this recipe is delicious and I love making it. B.T.W Im like eleven so don't judge me. I'm still learning about conjigating verbs in Spanish.

at 1:30 in the video, Mark adds a dash of something to the mix without saying what it is. Is it salt (which is missing from the ingredient list)?

This is perfect. Followed the recipe exactly (plus the suggestion of dusting the cups with cocoa). It was very quick and easy to throw together after dinner and was delicious.

Accidentally overcooked them a little so the center was not molten, but they were fantastic nevertheless. Served with raspberries and raspberry sauce and whipped cream. Guests said this was the best dessert they had ever had! extremely chocolatey, but not too sweet. I will definitely make again and bake less time so the center is molten.

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