Lava Cake (Lava Cake)

• This wonderfully chocolaty American dessert has its roots in French chocolate soufflé. It has long been a fixture in American kitchens. The Lava Cake, also called Molten Chocolate Cake, is a small chocolate cake with a liquid core, hence the name.
• As much as the Lava Cake gives in terms of appearance and taste, it is so easy to make. The basic recipe requires only a few ingredients and no special baking skills or utensils. The only trick: Bake hot and short so it is already firm on the outside but still soft on the inside. This is exactly why this recipe is also suitable for experimenting a little. Anything chocolate is suitable as a topping, for example a delicious chocolate sauce, Nutella or a few nicely draped dark chocolate shavings. But other flavors also go very well with the delicious small cake, for example it tastes good with Baileys and / or ice cream. Anyone who uses a Thermomix has even less work to do when melting and mixing.
• The original recipe uses two whole eggs and two egg yolks. The remaining egg white can either be used for other pastries or in scrambled eggs. You can also use three whole eggs and then you don't need any more egg yolks, but this will make the cake less creamy.
• Of course you can make Lava Cake without eggs and vegan. Dark chocolate is usually vegan, so be careful when shopping. Alternatively, only use chocolate drops. Butter can be replaced with oil and vegetable milk. If you like the cake a little looser, you can add a little baking powder. For the hold, you need more flour or starchy ingredients in the vegan cake, for example chickpea flour, as the egg usually provides the hold. In addition to the original recipe, you will also find an example of a vegan lava cake below.

Original recipe:

• Preheat the oven to 220 degrees top / bottom heat. Butter six soufflé molds or six wells in a muffin tray and dust with flour or cocoa powder.
• Chop the butter and chocolate into pieces and melt them together in a water bath while stirring. Alternatively, melt in the microwave: heat for 20 seconds on a medium setting, stir and repeat until a liquid, homogeneous mass is formed.
• Mix the flour, salt and powdered sugar in a bowl. Mix the eggs and yolks together. Slowly add the flour mixture, stirring rapidly, until a thick mass is formed. Now carefully fold in the chocolate with a spatula.
• Distribute the mixture evenly on the molds. Place the cakes in the well-preheated oven. Bake the cakes until they are firm on the outside and still runny on the inside. The middle of the cake should still be soft to the touch. With thin molds like the muffin molds, 8 minutes can be enough, with porcelain soufflé molds that can take a quarter of an hour. It is best to stop the time when you bake for the first time, then it will be even easier the next time.
• Take the lava cakes out of the oven and let them cool for a minute or two. Now carefully fall onto the dessert plate, wait a moment again and then try to see if they come off. In an emergency, drive around the edge with a sharp knife.
• Serve directly so that the inside is still nice and hot.

Vegan Lava Cake:

• Grease six soufflé molds or six recesses in a muffin tray and dust with flour or cocoa powder. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees.
• Melt the chocolate or chocolate drops in a double boiler or in the microwave. Stir again and again.
• Mix the flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Mix the oil and vegetable milk well in a second container, then gradually mix in the flour mixture until a thick cream is formed. Fold in the chocolate.
• Spread the mixture on the molds. Now place the cakes in the well-preheated oven. Bake the cakes until they are firm on the outside and still liquid on the inside. The middle of the cake should still be soft to the touch. With thin molds like the muffin molds, 8 minutes can be enough, with porcelain soufflé molds that can take a quarter of an hour. It is best to stop the time when you bake for the first time, then it will be even easier the next time.
• Take the vegan lava cakes out of the oven and let cool for a minute or two. Now carefully fall onto the dessert plate, wait a moment again and then try to see if they come off. In an emergency, drive around the edge with a sharp knife.
• Serve directly so that the inside is still nice and hot.