Two individually portioned chocolate fudge cakes so rich, they put all other chocolate desserts to shame. This recipe for chocolate fudge cakes for 2 is a 30-minute small-batch recipe, and is perfect for when you don’t need to feed a crowd. They’re perfect for date night, Valentine’s Day, or any time you need a scaled-down dessert.
I originally published this recipe in 2015.
This small-batch recipe yields 2 undeniably fudge-like, melted-chocolate-in-the-middle cakes. One for you and one for your sweetheart or best friend/kid/sibling/parent/any chocolate lover in your life.
Or… 2 for you. 😉
One reader, Jean, commented: “I followed the recipe exactly as written and they came out perfectly! My husband and I love to go out to eat and we always order dessert. We both agreed these cakes were probably better than anything we have had at a restaurant! We have been married 40 years so that is a lot of desserts. ★★★★★”
You need 2 ramekins, the 6-ounce size like these, which is the size commonly used for most custards, chocolate lava cakes, chocolate soufflé, etc. (You can get a lot of use out of this size.) While the centers are melted chocolate, the outer edges of the cakes taste like a combination of my chocolate cake and homemade frosted brownies recipes. Amazing, right?
Grab the Following Ingredients (You Don’t Need Much!)
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate: This is THE source of chocolate flavor (no cocoa powder here), so make sure you use quality chocolate. Using cheap chocolate or chocolate chips will negatively affect the taste and texture. For all my recipes calling for chopped or melted chocolate, I chop up baking chocolate bars, which are sold in the baking aisle of the grocery store. I like Baker’s, Lindt, and Ghirardelli brands.
- Heavy Cream: Melt half of the chocolate with heavy cream to create the fudge-like base of the cakes. The combo of these 2 ingredients is how both chocolate ganache and chocolate truffles begin. So you can imagine what it does for these little cakes!
- Brown Sugar: Use a touch of brown sugar not only to sweeten the cakes, but to also provide a little extra flavor and moisture.
- Vegetable Oil: Oil adds wonderful moisture to the cake crumb; the cakes would be dry without it.
- Egg: You will not use an entire egg. Rather, you will crack an egg, beat it, and use 2 Tablespoons in this chocolate batter. When testing this recipe, I found using the entire egg made the cakes taste eggy and spongey, which is not what you’re going for here. Mix any leftover egg with more eggs to make some scrambled eggs for breakfast if you do not wish to waste it.
- Vanilla Extract: Flavor enhancer.
- Flour: All-purpose flour provides structure.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: These lift the cakes up as they bake.
The chocolate flavor in these chocolate fudge cakes is deliciously intense. Don’t expect sickeningly sweet; you’re using semi-sweet chocolate and only 3 Tablespoons of added sugar for the entire 2-cake recipe. All you’ll taste is rich chocolate.
How to Make Just 2 Chocolate Fudge Cakes
This is a pretty quick and simple recipe, but since it’s a bit unique, let me share some step photos and brief explanations so you know exactly what to do when it’s your turn to make them. Tonight, perhaps?
Chop up half of the bar of chocolate (2 ounces/57g), and set aside 2 squares (1 ounce/28g total) of the remaining half… those two squares (0.5oz/14g each) will become the melty chocolate center of these fudge cakes. Melt the chopped chocolate with the heavy cream, either in the microwave or in a double boiler if you have one:
Whisk in the brown sugar, and then the oil, egg, and vanilla. Then, fold in the dry ingredients: a mix of flour, baking powder, and baking soda. The batter is a little thick. I usually mix it all up in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup:
Pour/spoon the batter evenly into 2 greased 6-ounce ramekins. Press 1 square (0.5oz/14g) of the remaining chocolate into the center of each filled ramekin. Use a spoon to fully submerge the chocolate:
Bake cakes on a lined baking sheet (in case they overflow—they probably won’t, but just to be on the safe side).
Optional Toppings
Serve immediately while the cakes are warm. They’re fabulous on their own in all their warm and fudgy chocolate glory, or topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, raspberry dessert sauce, strawberry sauce, or salted caramel.
I like to garnish them with fresh mint and raspberries.
By the way, if you love small cakes like this, try my peanut butter chocolate lava cakes. The recipe yields 4, so it’s another small-batch dessert favorite.
This giant double chocolate cookie is another small-batch chocolate option and perfect for Valentine’s Day. If you want more inspiration, here are all of my favorite Valentine’s Day desserts.
More Small Batch Recipes
Two Small Chocolate Cakes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 cakes
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Two individually portioned chocolate fudge cakes so rich, they put all other chocolate desserts to shame. This recipe for chocolate fudge cakes for 2 is a 30-minute small-batch recipe, and is perfect for when you don’t need to feed a crowd. Great for date night, Valentine’s Day, or any time you need a scaled-down dessert.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces (85g) semi-sweet chocolate (3/4 of a standard baking chocolate bar)*
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream*
- 3 Tablespoons (36g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil*
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) beaten egg (crack 1 egg, beat it, and use 2 Tbsp)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 Tablespoons (46g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Lightly grease two 6-ounce ramekins with butter or nonstick spray. Place them on a baking sheet. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Coarsely chop 2 ounces (57g) of semi-sweet chocolate. Reserve 1 ounce (28g) for step 5 (don’t chop). Combine the chopped chocolate and heavy cream in a medium heatproof bowl. Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each increment until melted and smooth. Whisk in the brown sugar until no lumps remain. Whisk in the oil, 2 Tablespoons of beaten egg, and vanilla extract until combined. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together. Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and fold with a silicone spatula until all of the ingredients are combined and there are no lumps. Pour evenly into the ramekins; they should be just about 3/4 of the way full.
- Cut the remaining 1 ounce of chocolate in half. Place a piece of chocolate (0.5oz/14g) into the center of each filled ramekin and use a spoon to fully submerge the chocolate.
- Bake for 15–17 minutes, rotating the baking sheet at the 8-minute mark.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately. The centers will be slightly gooey, with melted chocolate inside. Serve warm.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: I do not suggest making these cakes ahead of time. They are so quick to make, just about 30 minutes from start to finish. If anything, prepare in full, then reheat in the oven before serving. They may not be as gooey.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Two 6-Ounce Ramekins (like these or these) | Baking Sheet | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula
- Larger Batches: If you would like more than 2 cakes, this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. If making 6 cakes (tripling the recipe), use 2 full eggs. If making 4 cakes (doubling the recipe), 1 full egg is not enough; you will need to beat 2 eggs and use 4 Tablespoons of egg.
- Chocolate: Quality chocolate is ideal. Chocolate is the main ingredient, so using chocolate chips (which contain stabilizers) will negatively affect the taste and texture. For most recipes calling for chopped or melted chocolate, including this one, I use chocolate baking bars, which are typically found in the baking aisle, in 4-ounce (113g) packages. I like Baker’s, Lindt, and Ghirardelli brands. Semi-sweet (56% cacao) and bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate are ideal for this recipe.
- Heavy Cream: I strongly recommend using heavy cream for the best taste and texture. I don’t recommend any cream substitutions in this recipe.
- Oil: Canola or melted coconut oil can be substituted for the vegetable oil.
- Bake Time: I’m unsure about the bake time for other size ramekins. 6-ounce ramekins are standard for many other recipes, so you’ll get a lot of use out of them, including custards, chocolate lava cakes, chocolate soufflé, lemon pudding cakes, and mousse.
- Adapted from Chewy Fudgy Frosted Brownies, Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting, and Cook’s Illustrated.
Could I use butter instead of oil on these?
Hi B Stone, oil adds necessary moisture to the cake crumb. They may taste a bit dry using butter, but canola or melted coconut oil can be substituted for the vegetable oil if needed.
If I prefer less “lava”, would you just omit the chocolate insert or chop/melt it along with the other 2 oz in earlier step?
Hi Den, you could omit the last square of chocolate that is inserted into the batter before baking. Do not add it along with the other chocolate instead.
I made this last night and it was very quick and easy and delicious! Just a bit confused about the recipe. Instructions state to submerge 1 oz chocolate in to the cake but the video shows you using only 0.5 oz.
Hi Betty, you are correct, there was an error! While you can press 1 ounce of chocolate in, I usually use .5 ounce in each.
Yummy! I didn’t have cream so used sour cream and I used semi sweet chocolate chips. Perfect little dessert for my husband and I
Sally,
For a dinner party, how can these be made ahead?
Hi JK, We do not recommend making these ahead of time. If anything, you can prepare in full then reheat in the oven before serving though they may not be as gooey. Hope this helps and that they’re a hit with your guests!
Delicious little cakes! I made these for my birthday and they were absolutely luxurious. Topped with a little vanilla ice cream and it was truly the perfect little dessert!
Made these last night for my husband and me. They were delicious! My husband loved them as they were. Next time I would put less of the chocolate bar at the end for mine. I didn’t need that much. Such a treat!
This was amazing!! Super quick to whip up and the cakes were super moist and delicious! A perfect dessert for date night 🙂
Amazing!
My husband and I loved everything about our cake. It was so delicious, moist, and easy to make. Thank you, Sally. We loved our date night cake.
I want to try again… I didn’t have semisweet bar so I used bittersweet and had to add 1 oz of 85% cocoa bar. The 1/2 oz in the middle cooked, there was very little fudge in the middle.
It wasn’t very sweet. I plan to try with the right chocolate!
SO delicious, but SO chocolaty! It made two perfect, small servings and I was a little sad there wasn’t more. But, after a few bites I was getting “sweeted-out”. I couldn’t even finish mine (and I really like chocolate and desserts). So, don’t worry that there isn’t more . This size is plenty!
These are so quick, easy, and delicious! Thanks for this dessert for two recipe!
I only have 10 oz. ramekins. Can the recipe be adjusted to use these larger ramekins? Thanks.
Hi Kathy! The cakes will be significantly thinner and the bake time shorter in 10 oz ramekins. Let us know if you give it a try!
I have 4 ounce ramekins. So, is it fair to assume, I could make three cakes with this recipe and just bake them a little less, say 12 minutes?
Hi Kat, that should work well. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, but keep a close eye on them. Enjoy!
I cannot use butter instead of oil? If I want a salted chocolate flavor, how much salt would you suggest?
Hi Maralee, oil adds necessary moisture to the cake crumb. They may taste a bit dry using butter, but canola or melted coconut oil can be substituted for the vegetable oil. You can increase the salt to your liking, or add just a pinch of sea salt to the tops of the finished cakes.
Sally,
I’ve loved hot chocolate pudding cakes since I was a kid. Your recipes always work and this one did not disappoint. I have adjust bake times due to altitude and relative humidity but as a rule I am able to trust in your recipes
Can oat flour or almond flour be successfully substituted for the all purpose flour? Thanks!
Hi Andi, we don’t recommend it. Those flours have very different baking properties than all-purpose flour, and they aren’t always a 1:1 swap. For a similar gluten-free recipe, you might enjoy these chocolate souffles!
Hi- I have made other chocolate lava cakes before and it seems they cook too quickly and there is not much lava!
I would like to make this for ten people this weekend. We will be going to dinner at a restaurant and then to our house for dessert. I would like to make the batter, pour them in the ramekins and then place them in the refrigerator until we return. Do you think this would work well? I would take them out of the refrigerator as I preheat the oven and then pop them in. My thinking is that if they are on the cooler side, they would not cook as quickly.
Thoughts?
Hi Katherine! We do not recommend making these ahead of time. If anything, you can prepare in full then reheat in the oven before serving though they may not be as gooey. Hope this helps and that they’re a hit with your guests!
Yum! Made them for Valentine’s Day dessert. I used 8 oz. ramekins and the whole egg, otherwise followed the recipe. They were perfect! I put a spoonful of ice cream on top. Could have shared one, as we’d had a big dinner. So I have leftovers, yay!