geology never tasted so good

Although I was a Biology major and am (currently) a high school Biology teacher, I have always had a soft spot for Geology ...

Geology in the form of edible, Chocolate Lava Cakes, that is!

These decadent desserts, my husband's specialty (and one of the many reasons he was "a keeper"), have been a Valentine's Day staple for me for many years ... So, with Valentine's Day a full week behind us, I am counting down the days until I will get to enjoy them again.

In the meantime, I thought I would share the wealth (and recipe) for any other chocolate lovers out there.

I hope that you enjoy them as much as I do!


You will need:

4 squares of Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tablespoons flour
Vanilla ice-cream to serve

To make the individual cakes:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Butter and flour (3/4 cup sized) custard cups or souffle dishes and place on a baking sheet.

Note: In the years of making these cakes, we have used different dishes of various sizes and shapes. As you will see from the photos, the dishes this year were a bit bigger than the 3/4 cup size the recipe recommends ... I blame it on the pregnancy and my need for the extra calories! If you, too, are pregnant (and/or just want more Lava Cake!), adjust the baking time as needed (ensuring that the centers are still soft, but the edges are done).

Microwave the chocolate and butter in a large microwave safe bowl on HIGH for 1 minute, or until the butter has melted. Stir with a wire whisk until the chocolate is completely melted. Return to the microwave for another 10-30 seconds, if necessary.

Add the sugar and mix well. Then blend in the eggs and egg yolks. Lastly, stir in the flour.

Divide the batter between the custard cups.


Bake individual cakes for 13-14 minutes or until the sides are firm, but the centers are soft and gooey (like "lava," if you will).

They should look a little something like the photo below (dry and cracked along the edges and a bit sunken in the middle):


Let stand for 1 minute, then carefully run a knife around the cake edges to loosen them. Invert onto a dish or into a bowl and top with your favorite vanilla ice-cream.


Enjoy the deliciousness!