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Warm pale yellow lemon lava cake split open with bright yellow lemon curd spilling from the center.
FL Recipes

The Ultimate Lemon Lava Cake with a Molten Curd Center

This vibrant Lemon Lava Cake features a soft, pale yellow baked sponge cake that opens to reveal a thick, bright yellow gooey lemon curd center. Finished with powdered sugar and fresh mint.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, French-Inspired
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Lemon Lava Cake Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Lemon Curd (120g) Thick and chilled, for the molten core
  • 4 oz White Chocolate (113g) Premium quality, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (113g) Plus extra for greasing the ramekins
  • 2 large Whole Eggs Room temperature
  • 2 large Egg Yolks Room temperature
  • 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar (50g)
  • 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour (60g)
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Zest (6g)
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice (15ml)
  • 1/4 tsp Salt (1g)
  • 1 tbsp Powdered White Sugar (8g) For dusting
  • 4 leaves Fresh Green Mint One leaf per cake

Equipment

  • 4 6-Ounce Ceramic Ramekins Essential for baking the individual lava cakes.
  • 1 Microwave-safe bowl Used for gently melting the butter and white chocolate.
  • 1 Fine-mesh sieve Used for delicately dusting the powdered sugar.

Method
 

Step-by-Step Lemon Lava Cake
  1. Portion out four 2-tablespoon-sized dollops of lemon curd onto a parchment-lined tray. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes to flash-freeze.
  2. In a microwave-safe heatproof bowl, gently melt the white chocolate and unsalted butter in 20-second bursts until completely smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
  3. Vigorously whisk the whole eggs, egg yolks, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until pale and frothy. Fold the cooled white chocolate mixture into the eggs.
  4. Carefully fold the all-purpose flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt into the batter just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
  5. Generously butter four 6-ounce ramekins. Fill each halfway with batter, place a chilled dollop of lemon curd in the center, and cover completely with remaining batter.
  6. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 13-15 minutes until edges are set but the center remains slightly soft to the touch.
  7. Let rest in ramekins for 2 minutes. Invert onto a plain white ceramic dessert plate. Dust lightly with powdered white sugar and garnish with a fresh green mint leaf. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcalProtein: 8gFat: 34gFiber: 1g

Notes

Tip 1: Do not skip chilling the lemon curd, as this ensures the center stays gooey and perfectly molten.
Tip 2: Buttering the ramekins generously is critical to successfully inverting the delicate sponge cakes.
Keyword Citrus Dessert,Lemon Lava Cake,Molten Lemon Cake

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