• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Holiday Recipes
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
Knife and Soul
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Free eBook
  • About me
  • Work with me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Free eBook
    • About me
    • Work with me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Easy Desserts & Sweet Treats » Easy Chocolate Fondant Cakes (for 2)

    Easy Chocolate Fondant Cakes (for 2)

    Published: Feb 10, 2021 · Modified: Jun 28, 2023 by Helen·

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    A chocolate fondant cake on a plate served with ice cream.
    A chocolate lava cake on a white plate with a fork.

    Wonderfully chocolatey with warm molten centers, make a decadent ooey gooey chocolate dessert in just 20 minutes with this easy chocolate fondant recipe.

    These molten chocolate cakes have undergone extensive testing and this recipe has all the information and helpful tips you need to achieve perfect chocolate fondant cake on your first try.

    A chocolate lava cake with ice cream.

    Homemade, yet hassle-free, chocolate lava cake is great for satisfying a spontaneous chocolate craving or whipping up a last-minute dessert for a special occasion.

    Want more speedy and warm and chocolate desserts? You should try my Mini Warm Cookie Dough Puddings.

    The post contains additional information and helpful tips to ensure the recipe turns out great the first time. Please use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end if you are in a hurry!

    Jump to:
    • 5 reasons why you'll love this recipe
    • 🛒 Key ingredients
    • Substitutions
    • Variations:
    • Recipe steps:
    • Serving suggestions:
    • Tools & Equipment
    • Expert Tips
    • FAQs
    • More easy dessert recipes:
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Chocolate Fondant Cakes Recipe

    5 reasons why you'll love this recipe

    1. Easy and speedy with just 20 minutes of cooking and prep time.
    2. Made with just 7 basic ingredients.
    3. Perfectly moist with gooey molten centers and a rich chocolate taste.
    4. Mini chocolate cakes. An ideal cozy dessert for two and perfect for a small dinner party.
    5. Customizable with plenty of ways to serve and adapt the recipe to suit your taste.
    6. Mix by hand. No electric beaters or standmixer required.

    🛒 Key ingredients

    Recipe ingredients on a white background.
    • Chocolate: use 70% dark chocolate or half milk and half dark. I have tested both and struggled to decide which option I preferred. If you're more of a dark chocolate person go for all dark, if you prefer milk chocolate do half-and-half. I advise against using 100% milk. The fondant cakes will be too sweet.
    • Sugar: I prefer brown to white because it brings a rich caramel taste as well as sweetness.
    • Egg and egg yolks: To make the fondant cakes extra moist.
    • Vanilla essence: This is optional but recommended.
    • Cocoa powder: This isn't for the cake batter. Adding a dusting of cocoa powder to each mold ensures the fondant cake will easily come out of the mold once cooked.

    Substitutions

    Note that the recipe has not been tested with all the substitutions and variations below, so the results cannot be guaranteed.

    • Brown sugar: You can use golden or white sugar instead.
    • Cocoa powder: Line the molds with greaseproof/parchment paper or bake and serve the cakes in ramekins.

    Variations:

    • Add soft-centered chocolate: Simply push the soft-centered chocolate of choice into the batter before you bake the cake. For best results, choose a chocolate with a creamy center and relatively thin shell, so it melts into the fondant cake after 8 minutes in the oven.
    • Peanut butter, Nutella or caramel sauce: Add two-thirds of the batter into each pudding mold or ramekin and add a dollop of peanut butter, Nutella or caramel sauce on top before adding the remaining batter.
    • Raspberry: Add a spoonful of raspberry jam in the center of each cake before baking for a tangy twist.
    • Mint chocolate fondant: Stir a couple of drops of mint essence into the batter.
    • Chocolate orange: Add orange essence or orange zest to the batter.
    • White chocolate fondant.

    Recipe steps:

    Step 1: Heat your oven to 220°C or 430°F. Grease the pudding molds, ramekins or muffin tray with butter. Then sieve cocoa powder over the greased moulds, ramekins or muffin tray until the bottom and sides are lightly covered.

    Two greased pudding moulds dusted with cocoa powder.

    Step 2: Melt the butter and chocolate using the microwave or on the stove.

    • Microwave - I usually put it on high power and stir at 30-second intervals. It should take less than 2 minutes.
    • Pyrex heatproof bowl and saucepan - fill a small saucepan with little water, place a Pyrex bowl containing the butter and chocolate in the pan and bring to boil. Reduce to a low heat and stir intermittently until the butter and chocolate are fully melted.
    Butter and chocolate melting on the stove.

    Step 3: Place the flour and sugar in a bowl and mix together. Beat the egg and egg yolk in another bowl.

    One bowl with dry ingredients and another with beaten egg.

    Step 4: Add the egg mixture to the melted chocolate mixture and incorporate by hand or using an electric whisk. Then add the dry ingredients and continue to mix until you have a smooth and thick batter. 

    All ingredients mixed together in a Pyrex bowl.

    Step 5: Spoon the fondant batter into the prepared molds, ramekins or muffin tray. Place the molds/ramekins onto a baking tray and bake for approximately 8 minutes in the middle of the oven.

    Recipe tip: Fondant cakes are done when the tops are firm. You can also place a flat knife down the sides of the cake to check them. If they are firm, they are done.

    Lava cake batter in pudding moulds.

    Step 6: Loosen the sides with a flat knife and place the cakes upside down onto a plate. They should easily come out. Serve immediately with cream, ice cream and/or fresh berries.

    A baked fondant cake.

    Serving suggestions:

    Fondant cakes can be served with cream, ice cream, custard or another sauce of your choice. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is the most popular option. Fresh berries are also good to have on the side.

    Got a dinner or romantic dinner for two in mind? Here are some occasion-worthy main courses to complement these chocolatey molten desserts.

    • Traditional Italian Meatballs
    • White Wine Pasta Sauce
    • Chicken with Panko Bread Crumbs
    • Fusilli Pasta with a Spicy Tomato Vodka Cream Sauce

    Tools & Equipment

    • Molds, ramekins or muffin tin - you basically need small heatproof containers to cook each cake in. Pudding molds, ramekins or a muffin tin all work well. Note that the cooking time may vary depending on the type of tin you are using.
    • Pyrex bowl - necessary if you are melting the chocolate and butter on the stove over a saucepan of boiling water. Other bowls will crack under the heat.
    • Sieve - needed for dusting the molds with cocoa powder.
    • Tongs - these are completely optional, but I find them very useful for turning over the red-hot and slippery pudding molds to serve the fondant cakes.

    Expert Tips

    1. Check on the cakes a little earlier than you need to if you are unsure of the cooking time. You can always pop them back into the oven if they are not ready, but there's nothing you can do to reverse the process once they're overdone.
    2. Grease your molds/ramekins/ muffin tray and dust the bottom and sides with cocoa powder. This ensures the cooked fondant cakes can easily be removed from the molds when they are done.
    3. Make them your own - Add two-thirds of the batter to the ramekins, pudding molds or muffin tray then add a soft-centered chocolate or dollop of sauce (like peanut butter, Nutella or caramel sauce) then spoon on the remaining batter.

    FAQs

    Is molten chocolate cake safe to eat? 

    The batter comes to a high temperature during the cooking process so is no-longer considered raw and is safe to eat.

    Can you make ahead?

    Yes, you can make them ahead of time, but they are best served immediately once cooked. Prepare the batter, pour it into the molds, cover with plastic wrap, and then put it into the fridge until you are ready to cook the cakes in the oven. The cooking time might be a little longer if you are cooking them from cold.

    What's the best way to store and reheat?

    Fondant cakes are best served immediately but you can store a cooked fondant cake in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat it in the microwave.

    How can I tell when the fondant cakes are done?

    Gently touch the top center with your finger. They should have a firm outer layer while still feeling soft and slightly jiggly in the center.

    Two plates with fondant cakes served with ice cream.

    More easy dessert recipes:

    • A dessert jar of strawberries and cream with a mint leaf topping.
      English Strawberries and Cream (Wimbledon Dessert)
    • Mini Biscoff Cheesecake
      Biscoff Cookie Butter Cheesecake
    • Half Baked Cookie Dough Puddings
      Half Baked Cookie Dough Pots
    • Mini Butterscotch Tartlets ready to serve
      Butterscotch Tartlets

    📖 Recipe

    lava cake with ice cream

    Chocolate Fondant Cakes Recipe

    Author: Helen
    Make ooey gooey hot chocolate fondant cakes in just 20 minutes with this easy recipe.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 12 minutes mins
    Cook Time 8 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, British
    Servings 2
    Calories 596 kcal

    Equipment

    • pudding molds
    • mixing bowl
    • electric whisk
    • Stand mixer
    • mixing spoon
    • pyrex bowl
    • Sieve
    • Tongs

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 -2 tsp cocoa powder for dusting the inside of the pudding moulds (Note 1)
    • ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter + a little extra for greasing
    • 6 oz (170 g) chocolate either dark or half milk and half dark depending on your preference (Note 2)
    • 1 (1) egg
    • 1 (1) egg yolk
    • ¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) vanilla essence optional
    • 2 tbsp (25 g) brown sugar (Note 3)
    • 2 tbsp (15 g) all-purpose / plain flour
    • 1 pinch (1 pinch) sea or kosher salt

    To serve:

    • sifted icing sugar for dusting
    • Ice cream
    • Fresh berries

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the oven to 220°C or 430°F
    • Grease the pudding molds and dust with cocoa powder (Note 4)
    • Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave or on the stove in a pyrex bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. (Note 5)
    • Meanwhile, beat the eggs in one bowl and mix the sugar, flour and salt in another.
    • When the butter and chocolate have melted add the vanilla essence.
    • Mix in the eggs and incorporate the dry ingredients. Continue to mix until smooth. (Note 6)
    • Spoon into the molds, ramekins or a muffin tray.
    • Bake the cakes in the middle of the oven for approx. 8 minutes. (Note 7 & 8)
    • Loosen the sides with a flat knife and turn upside down over a plate or bowl to remove them from the moulds. If you are using ramekins, you can skip this step. (Note 9)
    • Serve with cream, ice cream and/or fresh fruit

    Notes

    1. Cocoa powder: Line the molds with greaseproof/parchment paper instead or bake and serve the cakes in ramekins. 
    2. Chocolate: I advise against using 100% milk. The fondant cakes will be too sweet.
    3. Brown sugar: I use brown to add a rich caramel taste as well as sweetness, but you can use golden or white sugar instead.
    4. Dusting: Do this over the sink to reduce mess.
    5. Melting the butter and chocolate on the stove: Fill a saucepan with a small amount of water, bring to boil, reduce to a simmer and place the pyrex bowl containing the chocolate and butter on top until they are fully melted, stirring regularly.
    6. Mixing: You can mix by hand or use an electric mixer. I normally mix by hand because it is very quick and not worth the additional washing up.
    7. Cooking time: May vary depending on the size of the container you are using. If in doubt check sooner to avoid over-cooking. The pudding molds I have tested the recipe in are just over ¾ cup (200g).
    8. Doneness: Gently touch the top center with your finger. They should have a firm outer layer while still feeling soft and slightly jiggly in the centre.
    9. Removing the cooked lava cakes from the pudding molds: If you find it hard to pick up the hot (and often slippery) pudding mold with oven gloves, you can use kitchen tongs for this step. 
     
    Storage:
    Lava cakes are best served immediately, but you can store a cooked lava cake in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat it in the microwave.
     
    Making ahead:
    Prepare the batter, pour it into the molds and then put it into the fridge until you are ready to cook the lava cakes in the oven. The cooking time might be a little longer if you are cooking them from cold.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 596kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 7gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 27gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 249mgSodium: 50mgPotassium: 208mgFiber: 3gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 1061IUCalcium: 56mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @KnifeandSoulRecipes or tag #knifeandsoulrecipes!

    « Cast Iron Skillet Ribeye Steak
    Middle Eastern Turkish Lamb Mince (Quick Recipe) »

    Share this recipe!

    1503 shares
    • Share
    • Twitter
    • Yummly

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jeff says

      August 18, 2023 at 12:39 pm

      FYI - Recipe only prints in Metric even after checking US Customary.

      Reply
      • Helen says

        August 23, 2023 at 5:29 pm

        Hi Jeff, thank you so much for flagging this, and sorry for the delay in responding. It was due to a technical issue with the recipe card. I have contacted customer support and it's now fixed. Hope you enjoy the fondant cakes if you make them. Helen

        Reply
    2. Carrie L. Kent says

      November 16, 2022 at 7:33 pm

      5 stars
      For the soft chocolate centers Can Using Chocolate Truffles be substituted for Choc chips ?
      I've got a Few Godiva Troufles I'd Love to TRY USING with this recipe.
      Thanks
      Carrie K.
      Tac. Wa.

      Reply
      • Helen says

        November 16, 2022 at 9:22 pm

        Hi Carrie, I wouldn't recommend swapping the milk/dark chocolate in the cake mix for truffles, but pushing one truffle into the middle of the cake batter once the cakes are in their pudding moulds would be a yummy addition. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    3. Zodwa says

      June 07, 2022 at 8:50 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for my family today, used choc chips instead of chocolate and it came out amazing! Definitely one of my favourites! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Helen says

        June 08, 2022 at 12:55 pm

        Thank you for commenting, so glad to hear you enjoyed them!

        Reply
    4. Farrukh Aziz says

      February 12, 2021 at 8:10 am

      5 stars
      A melt-in-mouth! I made this due to my craving of chocolate and it turned out to be so delicious! This decadent chocolate fondant made its way to my favorites!

      Reply
      • Helen says

        February 14, 2021 at 6:22 am

        Thank you for commenting Farrukh! I'm really happy to hear that you enjoyed the chocolate fondant cakes!

        Reply
    5 from 6 votes (3 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi there, I’m Helen! Welcome to Knife and Soul, where I share seriously tasty and hassle-free recipes for people who wish they had more time to cook.

    Trending Recipes

    • Italian Meatballs
      Traditional Italian Meatballs With Milk Soaked Bread 
    • Panko Chicken Breasts
      Super Crispy Panko Chicken (Breaded Chicken Breasts)
    • A bowl of pasta with creamy white wine sauce on a pale blue background.
      Creamy White Wine Pasta Sauce With Butter and Garlic
    • Easy Cheesy Pasta Bake
      Cheesy Pasta Bake - 3 Cheese (Easy Recipe)
    • A bowl of sweet potato gnocchi and sage leaves with a fork and spoon on a white table and white check cloth background.
      Sweet Potato Gnocchi With Brown Butter and Sage
    • Cooked prawn curry in frying pan
      Easy Prawn Curry With Coconut Milk

    Spring Recipes

    • Pasta alla Vodka served topped with grated Parmesan and parsley with a piece of Parmesan and a grater and a bowl of parsley on the side.
      Spicy Fusilli Alla Vodka (like Jon and Vinny's)
    • Two servings of Mushroom Risotto on cream coloured plates with sides of rocket and Parmesan.
      Risotto ai Funghi (Mushroom Risotto)
    • A hand held serving of Rosa Marina Soup with basil in a cream coloured bowl with Rosemary and pepper on the side.
      Rosa Marina Soup (Italian Orzo Soup with Chicken and Tomato)
    • A bowl of Mexican Bean Soup on a wooden table background with Jalapeno, cilantro, cheese and avocado toppings and side dishes of chopped avocado, cilantro and tortilla chips.
      Mexican Chili Bean Soup
    • Crème fraîche chicken with mustard and dill in the frying pan, ready to serve, with halved lemons and dill on the side.
      Crème Fraîche Sauce for Chicken with Mustard and Dill
    • Baked Gnocchi
      Gnocchi Bake (Easy & Cheesy)

    Follow Knife & Soul

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About me
    • Contact us
    • Accessibility policy
    • Privacy policy

    Stay in touch

    • Subscribe
    • Follow on Facebook
    • Follow on Instagram
    • Follow on Pinterest

    Recipes

    • Recipe Index
    • Web stories

    Copyright © 2024 Knife & Soul

    1503 shares

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.