The Easiest Chocolate Pudding Cakes

When you plunge your spoon through the delicate, crackly crust of this single-serve dessert, the lush, oozy center is likely to remind you of a molten lava cake. But this chocolate-filled ramekin is something entirely different. The center is filled with warm, velvety pudding that has just the right balance of sweet chocolate and eggy richness, without overwhelming.
As you work your spoon to the outer edges of the ramekin, this dessert gradually takes the consistency of a moist and ultra-tender chocolate cake. It's a decadent treat to break out on the fanciest of occasions, yet is quick and easy enough to pull off any night of the week.

Skip the Chocolate Chips, For the Best Pudding Cakes

Save the chocolate morsels for your next batch of cookies, and start with a good-quality bar of semi-sweet or milk chocolate instead. What makes this two-in-one dessert really sing is the small pool of hot chocolate-like pudding at the center. Chocolate morsels and chunks don't quite leave you with the same lush consistency, since they contain stabilizers that help them resolidify and keep their shape after melting.

The Easiest Chocolate Pudding Cakes:

Serves 4

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the ramekins
• 6 ounces good-quality semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F.

Lightly coat inside of 4 (6-ounce) ramekins with butter; place on a baking sheet and set aside.

Place the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool.

Add the sugar, flour, and salt together to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the eggs and egg yolks, and whisk until well-combined, pale yellow, and no lumps remain. Whisk in the melted chocolate until completely incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared ramekins. Bake until the tops are set and look crackly, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.