Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe-Baked in Cast Iron
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
There are so many reasons to fall in love with this Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe baked in a cast iron skillet. For starters, the rich chocolate is hard to resist and each bite is a treat for your tastebuds. This easy chocolate lava cake takes just 7 ingredients and under 20 minutes to make, making it the perfect dessert.
You are going to Love this Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe
- Rich Chocolate Dessert-Chocolate lava cake might be your go to dessert order at your favorite restaurant, but don’t be afraid to make this recipe at home. Lava cake is slightly underbaked making a warm, fudge like center that is smooth and rich. Perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Easy Chocolate Treat-If you are looking for a decadent dessert for a Holiday dinner, Valentine’s day or even Mother’s Day, this is the perfect recipe made with just a few pantry staple ingredients.
Still craving something sweet, check out my other chocolate recipes, Skillet Brookie, German Chocolate Skillet Cookie or Double Chocoalte Skillet Cookie.
Why I Recommend Baking in a Cast Iron Skillet
- I love using my cast iron skillet to make a quick dinner, you’ll also find me baking everything in it like this Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake.
- Cast iron is known for its even heat distribution which helps bake this lava cake forming the perfect, soft outer cake layer while still keeping the center soft and creamy.
- Let’s not forget the non-stick nature of cast iron, it makes for easy clean up every time!
Ingredients
- chocolate– start with rich chocolate, I like to use 60% Ghirardelli chocolate chips, they are rich and melt up easily. Using a good chocolate will give the best results.
- butter– unsalted butter is best to help control the amount of salt in this recipe.
- eggs– use large eggs and make sure they are at room temperature before assembling this recipe.
- sugar– this is a dessert after all, so don’t skimp on the good stuff to make this sweet treat.
- flour– all purpose flour works great.
- salt– helps balance out the sweetness
⭐️ Full ingredient measurements and recipe instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Skillet Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe
- Mix eggs and sugar– in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until the eggs are light and fluffy and the sugar is fully combined.
- Melt the chocolate– melt the butter in the microwave until bubbly, add in the chocolate chips and stir to melt the chocolate until it is smooth. Add the cooled butter-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, don’t forget to add the vanilla, and whisk to combine.
- Mix in the dry ingredients– add in the flour and salt whisk the cake batter until everything is mixed in, there might be a few lumps and that is okay. Do not over mix the cake batter in this step.
- Bake– spread the lava cake batter evenly into a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Bake in a 425º F oven for 9-11 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean on the edges and with a little chocolate still on it from the center. The cake will be baked on top and still jiggly when the pan is shaken.
- Rest and Serve– allow the cake to rest for 1 minute in the pan before scooping out a serving with a big spoonful of vanilla ice cream.
⭐️ If you give this recipe a try, please let me know in the comments how it turns out for you!
Recipe FAQs and Suggestions
No problem! This recipe can also be made in an 9 x 11 inch baking dish or a 9 inch square baking dish.
This chocolate lava cake is very rich so it is perfect serve with some vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce or even just a dollop of whipped cream.
The cake will look done around the edges with a soft, cake-like topping. the center of the cake will still jiggle when the pan is shaken. You can also do a toothpick test to check for doneness. The toothpick will come out clean on the edges and will still have some chocolate on it when placed in the center.
This recipe is best made and consumed on the same day.
Any leftover lava cake should be removed from the pan to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds to serve warm.
Other Chocolate Recipes to try:
Chocolate Lava Skillet Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup chocolate chips 60% cocoa
- 1 cup butter melted
- 6 eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º F and grease a 10 inch cast iron skillet if needed
- Mix eggs and sugar– in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 6 eggsand 1/3 cup sugar until the eggs are light and fluffy and the sugar is fully combined.
- Melt the chocolate– melt the 1 cup butter in the microwave until bubbly, add in the 1 cup chocolate chips and stir to melt the chocolate until it is smooth. Add the cooled butter-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, don't forget to add the 1 teaspoon vanilla, and whisk to combine.
- Mix in the dry ingredients– add in the 2/3 cup all purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt whisk the cake batter until everything is mixed in, there might be a few lumps and that is okay. Do not over mix the cake batter in this step.
- Bake– spread the lava cake batter evenly into a greased 10 inch cast iron skillet. Bake in a 425º F oven for 9-11 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean on the edges and with a little chocolate still on it from the center. The cake will be baked on top and still jiggly when the pan is shaken. Do not over bake.
- Rest and Serve– allow the cake to rest for 1 minute in the pan before scooping out and serving with a big spoonful of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Nutrition facts are just an estimate of the ingredients listed
