If you have a huge crush on chocolate as I do, you absolutely have to try this molten pudding. It’s crusty on top, but the hard shell hides a gorgeous soft core inside.
As a dessert, it serves 4-6 people but you should hurry to get your share of this sweet treat, before nothing’s left of this creamy, decadent dish!
Besides the amazing flavor, the best part is that it is easy to prepare. It’s an additional advantage that you can melt, mix, and bake the pudding in one baking dish, as long as it’s heat-resistant and can be put on your stove.
I achieve the best results when I whisk the mixture with an eggbeater of wire whisk instead of using any electric equipment, because it’s easier to control the texture of the dough.
Have problems with your melting chocolate seizing up into undesirable, annoying chunks? Prime for this recipe by first reading up on these seized chocolate-avoiding tips for perfect, silky melted chocolate.
An important point is that you have to figure out the best baking time for your own oven, because just a few minutes can really make a difference for achieving the ideal sticky consistency.
A good oven thermometer can help immensely with this. It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on it during the last third of the preparation time.
You can also use a little toothpick to test the doneness. If the chocolate inside is still soft and sticks to the toothpick, the dessert should be ready for serving. Overcook it, and it won’t be molten on the inside.
I would recommend using a 7-inch baking dish if you want one large cake, or this recipe can also be made in ramekins for individual servings.
To branch out a bit with your pudding passion, try this German vanilla recipe or Italian budino al cioccolato.
You can even whip up this Christmas-themed figgy pudding for the holidays.
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Molten Chocolate Baked Pudding
- Yield: 4-6 people 1x
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 oz dark chocolate
- 3 1/2 oz diced butter
- 3 1/2 oz caster sugar*
- 2 whisked eggs
- 3 oz plain flour (sifted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 360° F.
- While gradually stirring, melt the chocolate together with the butter in an extra pot (or your baking dish) and directly take off the stove when molten. (Be careful, the chocolate will become inedible when it gets too hot.)
- Stir in the sugar and the mixed eggs until everything thickens.
- Now, stir in the sifted flour and mix carefully (but don’t over mix ). If you have used a separate pot, pour the dough into your baking dish.
- Bake for approx. 20-30 minutes (under a little crust appears on top, the dough should still be soft and sticky in the middle).
- Enjoy while still warm because the mixture won’t stay as sticky when cooled down.
Notes

*Also known as superfine sugar, caster sugar is superfine white sugar that is designed to more easily dissolve and to incorporate into recipes. Don’t confuse it with powdered sugar which is sometimes labeled as 10x superfine. Caster sugar is normally available in gourmet grocery stores and is fairly expensive. We recommend making your own from ordinary white sugar by using a food processor to break it down.
Is decadent, ooey-gooey indulgence your kind of dessert? We are two peas in a pod. Here are some more naughty recipes:

About Nina-Kristin Isensee
Nina lives in Iserlohn, Germany and holds an MA in Art History (Medieval and Renaissance Studies). She is currently working as a freelance writer in various fields. She enjoys travel, photography, cooking, and baking. Nina tries to cook from scratch every day when she has the time and enjoys trying out new spices and ingredients, as well as surprising her family with new cake creations.
This looks absolutely sinful! I’m a very big fan of dark chocolate myself and I just can’t help but make this. It’s simple, it has very few and common ingredients, and it looks great. I might make a couple of batches and sell them to the neighbors if I have time. Great recipe!
You are definitely right TommyVercetti… absolutely sinful, downright tempting, you’d think the presentation is real, i was almost licking the screen off, am not having a crush on chocolate here, this is a much deeper relationship 😉 fortunately the recipe is simple and friendly, easily doable…therefore no excuses 🙂
You know something? I always shied away from making lava cake because I assumed it was a lot harder than this. Goes to show I shouldn’t be afraid of trying things. Thanks for the recipe. This will go great with a berry compote.
It never occurred to me that I could *make* a lava cake!! The recipe looks pretty simple. I know that my local grocery store sells bakers sugar with all the baking stuff, so I hope that’s the same as caster sugar. Seeing that all these ingredients are usually in my cupboard, my family will be beyond thrilled when I make this often.
I checked up baker’s sugar and you can use it just like caster sugar. Enjoy 🙂
This looks absolutely gorgeous and so easy to make dairy free as well. (I have a substitute for butter than will work brilliantly with this).
I think it would also work really well in individual ramekins, dropping the cooking time down to 5-10 minutes and served with a touch of cream on the top and perhaps a touch of ground cinnamon to the icing sugar topping as well.
Lava cake is my favorite dessert to order at restaurants. I never thought that it would be so easy to make. It’s so rich and decadent, that I imagined it was something a very experienced pastry chef could pull off. I don’t think that I can find caster sugar anywhere in my area, but I will take the tip of using the food processor to make the regular sugar finer.
Same. I always thought that it must be reaaally hard to make one because it’s cake outside and flowy chocolate inside. Well, now I can save more money XD
I always thought these type of cakes were difficult to get right too and that’s what has put me off trying in the past. I would be extra sinful and serve this with vanilla ice cream – mmm!
My favorite kind of dessert with pure chocolate. I have tried this once and it worked, but I think smaller ones in gratin dishes works better so as to keep the chocolate from oozing out and being wasted. Timing is so important, you can’t multitask when making this as I discovered.
Thank you for letting me in on that little secret there Bella, No Multitasking when making/baking this one cake…looks like a real ‘attention seeker’ don’t you think 😉 and timing is everything…got it, because sometimes my mind can be in different places at the same time!
I have had lava came before and I loved it. I was so excited when I saw the recipe was on here! Unfortunately, though, now that I read it I’m skeptical about my ability to bake it. It doesn’t leave a lot of leeway. That has always been an issue for me. It can’t hurt to try, though, right?
You should definitely have a try! Even if it doesn’t work out with the timing perfectly, you’ll still have a nice chocolate bake. The molten inside could be your “icing on the cake” 😉
I am telling myself to look away right now. I should not have clicked on this delicious page! Mmmmm! That looks amazingly good and way too tempting. But, seriously, I’ve always wanted a good molten cake recipe. I admit that I didn’t search very hard, because I know I’ll be tempted to make it more often than I should. I’m such a chocoholic.
Thanks for the great explanation for caster sugar as well. I’ve been meaning to look it up, since I’ve seen it mentioned a lot lately.
I adore chocolate this looks so good. I would have to eat it all by myself. My husband doesn’t share my love for the brown sweet creamy stuff. He has no clue that I love it more then him. If chocolate were a man he’d be in trouble.
Well, your husband should reconsider his attitude towards chocolate, it’s so worth it 😉 Otherwise, I would definitely come over for some lava pudding to share. No way is too long to go for chocolate!
I should really quit looking at foodblogs at night. Makes me hungry and makes me want to bake something. I gotta try this sometime. The only problem is that I have to try tons of recipes from here since they all look equally delicious and I fear that I might end up not trying some I found good looking.
I have to admit I’m a chocolate addict, anything chocolate I love! My husband and I always order lava cake when we go out to a restaurant for dessert and have always wanted to try to make my own at home but I always thought it was to complex for me but this recipe goes to show I was wrong. I cant wait to try this recipe, I know it will be a great hit in this house!
I’ve heard of these, but have never made one, so I was curious when I saw the picture and recipe on here. The process seems fairly easy, and I have no doubt this would be delicious. Is there any particular depth pan that works best for this type of dessert? I don’t want to take a chance on it spilling over.
I often use a small, round baking dish and I looked it up: it has a diameter of 7 inches and is approx. 3 inches deep.
I think at least 3 inches depth should be fine, it is not going to rise a lot.
“Crush” is exactly how I feel towards chocolate! I have seen this dish on tv. This cake looks really good but knowing me I might mess this up somehow. Maybe I can find someone to make this recipe with. Thanks for making the is post.
Just looking at the picture of this cake is mouth-watering. This is such a treat. I know a whole lot of people who will enjoy this surprise over the Christmas season! Thanks.
wow! I’m not a huge fan of sweets, but every once in a while a cake, cookie, pie,candy, or ice cream will call to me. And, this one just did. It looks amazing! Chocolate cake with an oozing chocolate center…. can’t goo too wrong there!
Even if I’m not a really big fan of chocolate this looks so, so good! It looks like a way cooler version of a brownie, perfect for colder days on my opinion!
I only have tried making chocolate muffins a couple of years ago and they were a literal hot mess, but I’m pretty sure that with some help, the right ingredients and more time on my hands, I will be able to make this one.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks, that’s right! On a cold day, this dessert is perfect right from the oven. Great to hear that you like this recipe although chocolate is not your absolute favorite. I hope you’ll enjoy this gorgeous dish 🙂