Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Chocolate Lava Cake

A Singapore-style chocolate lava cake — individual baked molten-centre chocolate puddings perfect for kopi-shop dessert cravings or home entertaining.

Chocolate Lava Cake

About this dish

Chocolate lava cake is a beloved Western dessert that fits neatly into Singapore home kitchens and neighbourhood cafes from Tiong Bahru to East Coast. These individual baked cakes have a set, cakey edge and an oozy molten centre — rich dark chocolate and butter melted together, folded into eggs and a touch of flour, then baked quickly until the middles jiggle. In Singapore you’ll find versions in boutique cafes and hotel restaurants, but this recipe is tuned for the everyday home cook using common appliances like a toaster oven or conventional oven.

This recipe suits after-dinner treats for family dinners, weekend potlucks, or a teatime indulgence when the kopitiam kopi just won’t cut it. Texture is all about contrast — crisp, slightly cracked tops with warm, flowing ganache inside. For a local twist, drizzle a little gula melaka caramel or serve with coconut pandan cream for Peranakan-style fusion, or keep it classic with vanilla ice cream and fresh berries. It’s compact and impressive, great for date nights or to bring to a friend’s house for makan.

Practical for Singapore cooks: ingredients are available at NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage or Sheng Siong, and the method adapts to toaster ovens and microwave melts. Follow the baking cues — set edges and softly wobbly centres — for perfect molten results every time. Make-ahead tips and reheating notes make this a handy dessert for parties and festive spreads like Hari Raya open houses or Lunar New Year family dinners.

Ingredients

  • 200 g good quality dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), chopped
  • 150 g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing ramekins
  • 150 g caster sugar (superfine) or fine sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 60 g plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder for dusting ramekins
  • Vanilla ice cream or coconut pandan cream, to serve
  • Fresh berries (strawberries or raspberries) or sliced mango, to serve
  • Optional: 2 tbsp gula melaka syrup or salted caramel for drizzling
  • Optional: 1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water for deeper chocolate flavour
  • Optional garnish: edible flowers or mint leaves

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F). Generously butter four 180–200 ml ramekins and dust the insides with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.
  2. In a heatproof bowl over a simmering saucepan (bain-marie) or in short bursts in the microwave, melt the chopped dark chocolate and butter together until smooth; stir in the dissolved instant coffee (if using) and vanilla. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, egg yolks and caster sugar vigorously until the mixture becomes pale and a bit thickened (about 2–3 minutes by hand, or 1–1.5 minutes with an electric mixer). This helps create a light crumb and stable lava centre.
  4. Fold the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture in two additions, using a spatula to keep the air. Gently fold in the sifted flour and a pinch of salt until just combined — do not overmix.
  5. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared ramekins. You can chill them for 20–30 minutes for convenience, or bake straight away. Chilling helps if you want more defined edges vs molten centre.
  6. Place ramekins on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes. Look for set edges and a slightly wobbly, glossy centre — this is the key cue. Total time varies with oven and ramekin size.
  7. Remove from oven and let sit for 1 minute. Run a thin knife around the edges, invert each ramekin onto a warm plate, and lift to reveal the cake. If it sticks, warm the bottom of the ramekin briefly or tap gently.
  8. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or coconut pandan cream, fresh berries, and an optional drizzle of gula melaka or salted caramel. For reheating previously chilled cakes, warm in a 160°C oven for 5–7 minutes until the centre softens.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • If you don't have an oven, use a toaster oven or steam briefly then finish under a grill — but watch times closely; the molten centre needs brief high heat.
  • Buy good-quality dark chocolate at Cold Storage or FairPrice for the best flavour; adjust cocoa percentage to taste. Adding a small spoon of instant coffee amplifies chocolate notes without tasting like coffee.
  • For precise bake timing, test one ramekin first — edges should be set and centre still jiggles gently; overbaking will remove the lava.
  • Chill filled ramekins for 20–30 minutes if prepping ahead; they can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours and baked from chilled, adding a minute or two to the bake time.
  • Make-ahead option: bake fully, cool, and freeze. To serve, thaw in the fridge then reheat in a 170°C oven for 6–8 minutes until warmed through and centre softens.
  • Local twist: drizzle with gula melaka syrup or serve with a spoonful of kaya for a Peranakan-inspired contrast — available at major supermarkets and wet markets.
  • If you prefer less sweetness (Singaporean palates vary), reduce caster sugar by 20–25 g or serve with unsweetened whipped cream to balance.

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