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Copycat Chili's Molten Lava Cake
Chili's Molten Chocolate Lava Cake is a warm, fudgy chocolate cake with a gooey molten center, topped with vanilla ice cream — the ultimate restaurant dessert.
copycat · chilis · casual-dining · dessert
🕑Prep15 min
🍳Cook14 min
⏱Total29 min
🍽Serves4
⭐DifficultyMedium
Ingredients
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Butter and cocoa powder, for the ramekins
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
- Chocolate sauce, for drizzling
Instructions
- 1.Melt the chocolate and butter. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chopped chocolate and butter. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until completely smooth and glossy.
- 2.Add the sugar. Stir the powdered sugar into the chocolate mixture until fully incorporated.
- 3.Add the eggs. Whisk in the whole eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla extract until the batter is smooth and slightly thickened.
- 4.Fold in the flour. Gently fold in the flour and salt. Don't overmix — you want it just combined. The batter should be thick and glossy.
- 5.Prep the ramekins. Butter four 6-ounce ramekins thoroughly, then dust with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess. This ensures the cakes release cleanly.
- 6.Fill and bake. Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins. Bake at 425°F for 12-14 minutes. The edges should be firm and set, but the center should jiggle slightly when you tap the ramekin.
- 7.Serve immediately. Let cool for 1 minute, then run a knife around the edge of each ramekin. Invert onto plates, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. The center should flow like lava when you cut in.
Copycat Chili’s Molten Lava Cake
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 14 minutes
Servings: 4 cakes
Chili’s Molten Chocolate Lava Cake is the dessert that sells itself. The server brings it to the table — a dome of rich chocolate cake, a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting down the side, and when you break through the crust with your spoon, a river of molten chocolate flows out. It’s theatrical, it’s indulgent, and it’s actually easier to make at home than you’d think.
The entire concept relies on intentional underbaking. The edges set into a fudgy cake while the center stays liquid. Timing is everything — 12 minutes gives you a lava-like center, 14 minutes gives you a thicker, fudgier center. Beyond 15 minutes, you just have a chocolate cake with no flow.
Lava Cake Science
- Timing is everything. Check at 12 minutes. The edges should be set about 1/2 inch in from the sides, and the center should wobble like jello. Every oven is different, so watch your first batch closely.
- Room temperature eggs. Cold eggs don’t emulsify as well with the warm chocolate mixture. Take them out 30 minutes before starting.
- Butter the ramekins thoroughly. Miss a spot and the cake will stick, breaking when you try to unmold it. Cocoa powder dusting also prevents sticking and adds a thin chocolate crust.
Restaurant Dessert at Home
Chili’s Molten Lava Cake costs about $9-10. This recipe makes four individual cakes for about $6 total — $1.50 per cake. They also make an impressive dessert for a dinner party, and you can prep the ramekins ahead of time and bake right before serving.
