Maple & Fluff Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe

Maple & fluff molten chocolate lava cakes are a delicious, easy-to-make dessert that yields unbelievable results. This recipe takes a traditional lava cake and adds a delightful twist - maple syrup and marshmallow fluff. Substituting the traditional chocolate in the gooey middle for marshmallow fluff adds an exciting flavor profile to this already decadent chocolate cake. 

This is a great recipe to break out on special occasions such as Valentine's Day. Ready for your next baking adventure? Let's give this sweet indulgence a shot and wow everyone at the table!

The History of Lava Cake

Chocolate lava cake is a dessert favorite around the globe - but did you know that it had not-so-humble beginnings? It all began with claims from two French chefs. Michel Bras from France claimed to have invented the first lava cake in 1981 after spending two years experimenting with his recipe. Also, Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten claims in 1987 at Lafayette in New York City he invented the first lava cake. Jean-Georges recipe is the one that became popular in the United States and served at many high-end restaurants throughout the 1990's.

Soon after its release, this heavenly treat quickly became a sensation in restaurants across the spectrum - from fine dining to casual cafeterias! The idea of a molten middle was so unique and exciting that people couldn't get enough.

Often served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream we're going to serve ours with real Vermont maple products.

How to Make This Molten Maple & Fluff Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe

To begin, preheat your oven to 425. Then prepare 4-6 ramekins by buttering the sides and coating them with a mixture of flour and maple sugar. Make sure you use it all up, even if there is some left at the bottom of the bowl, this will just add a bit more caramelized maple sugar, and make sure your lava cakes don't stick to the ramekin. Place these prepared lava cake ramekins on a baking sheet for use in a few minutes.

For the next step, combine butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan. We used semi-sweet chocolate squares, but you could also use whatever you have on hand that you prefer. Cook over low heat until the chocolate is melted while stirring occasionally. Once the chocolate mixture is melted, set aside and let cool.

How to Ribbon Eggs for your Maple Chocolate Lava Cakes

The key to making this dessert light and fluffy is all about getting the eggs to ribbon properly. When done properly, this process helps create a smooth texture in your chocolate lava cake batter by adding air to the mixture. With our helpful video on what the eggs should look like after whipping, you'll be able to master the art of ribboning with ease!

Ribboning eggs is an easy way to add a delicate and creamy texture to any dish. To ribbon eggs, you will need a bowl and a whisk or electric mixer. Start by cracking room temperature eggs in the bowl. Beat on low  to break up the yolks. Then, beat on high speed and gradually add in the sugar until eggs become lighter in color and frothy. After about 3 to 5 minutes they should start to form a ribbon off of the end of the beaters. You want the egg ribbons to be thin and lacy-looking - if they are too thick or clumpy, just keep whisking! The finished product should be smooth, thick, and velvety. Lift the beaters out of the bowl and a thick ribbon should form on its surface. The making of a solid lava cake batter is in the details. 

Putting together the lava cakes

Once your melted butter and chocolate mixture has cooled, fold it into the egg mixture along with ¼ cup of sifted flour. Sifting your flour is an important step for adding to the perfect texture for your molten lava cakes. Nobody wants a white clump of flour in their dessert.

Spread 2/3 of the batter in your prepared ramekins and set them aside on the baking sheet again. Now comes the fun part – creating those beautiful lava cake centers. Spray a spoon with non-stick cooking spray or cover it with a light layer of oil before scooping out a healthy spoonful of marshmallow fluff into the center of each ramekin.

The last step of creating your molten lava cakes is to cover the fluff with the remaining chocolate batter and bake it for 16 minutes or until the tops are cracked but the middle is still slightly jiggly. Keep an eye on these lava cakes as you don’t want to overcook them.

As tempting as they may be, let your lava cakes cool for 10 minutes before flipping them out of their ramekins. Running the tip of a knife around the edge will help create a clean separation and make carefully flipping the plate easier. When inverting, be sure to use a potholder or other heat protection as the ramekins will be hot!

Preparing The Glaze

To create a delicious glaze for your molten chocolate lava cake, you will need only 2 tablespoons of maple cream and a small amount of maple syrup. Simply combine the ingredients then drizzle this healthier alternative to icing sugar over the top of the cake. Prepare the glaze as the lava cakes are cooling so they can be served immediately.

The glaze should be slightly thinner than the original maple cream and retain the light brown color, so be careful not to add too much maple syrup. Finish your masterpiece with some added fresh berries or nuts as desired and serve warm for an unforgettable dessert.

Maple & Fluff Chocolate Lava Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon maple sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 6 oz dark chocolate
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• ½ cup maple sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• Pinch of salt
• 4 tablespoons marshmallow fluff

• 2 Tablespoons maple cream
• 2 Tablespoons real maple syrup

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Prepare 4-6 ramekins by buttering the sides. Sift and combine 1 tablespoon flour and 1 maple sugar in a small bowl and coat the ramekins. Use it all up, even if there is some left at the bottom. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.

3. In a medium saucepan, combine butter and chocolate. Cook over low heat until chocolate is melted while stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.

4. Using an electric mixture, beat in the Vermont maple syrup and eggs until thick yellow. It will take about 5 minutes.

5. Fold in the melted chocolate and then ¼ cup sifted flour

6. Spread 2/3 of batter in the prepared ramekins.

7. Spray a spoon with non-stick cooking spray, then use the spoon to scoop a spoonful of fluff into the center of each ramekin.

8. Cover with the remaining chocolate batter and bake for 16 minutes or until tops are cracked but the middle is still slightly jiggly.

9. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and then run the tip of a knife around the edge of each ramekin. Invert over a plate and tap gently, using a potholder if necessary.

10. Combine 2 tablespoon of maple cream and add enough maple syrup to make a drizzle. Drizzle this mixture over the top of the cake. Add fruit or nuts as desired. Is best served warm.