Tender matcha cake with a molten white chocolate center, and when topped with white chocolate this matcha lava cake is the ultimate cozy dessert
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What is matcha?
Matcha is a type of green tea that is made from ground, powdered tea leaves. Unlike other types of tea, where the leaves are steeped in hot water and then discarded, with matcha, the powdered tea leaves are mixed directly into the water or milk, creating a frothy and flavorful drink.
Matcha is often used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, and it has become increasingly popular around the world in recent years as a beverage and as an ingredient in various foods and desserts. It is known for its bright green color, earthy flavor, and high concentration of antioxidants and other beneficial compounds.
How do you make a lava cake?
The signature feature of a lava cake is its soft and gooey center, which is achieved by deliberately undercooking the cake batter. The center of a lava cake is typically made with a mixture of melted chocolate and butter, which stays liquid even when the outer layers of the cake are set.
When the lava cake is baked, the high heat causes the outside of the cake to set while the center remains molten. The result is a warm and decadent dessert that oozes rich, melted chocolate when you cut into it.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: Make sure you use unsalted butter, otherwise your cakes will turn out salty! I like to melt the butter with the chocolate, but you can melt each component separately and mix them together later.
- All-purpose flour: Regular flour works perfectly here, not a lot of flour is used as we only need enough to hold the structure of the outer layer of the cake.
- Matcha powder: Make sure you use a high-quality green tea powder when baking as this will result in a brighter green color and richer flavor. I like to use high-quality culinary-grade matcha powder.
- White chocolate: White chocolate makes up the majority of the sweetness in this cake. White chocolate compliments matcha perfectly while making the perfect matcha ganache center.
- Large eggs: Eggs act as a binder for this cake!
- Granulated sugar: The sugar here adds a little extra sweetness to balance out the flavors of the cake. I recommend leaving it in as the matcha can make the cake a little bitter.
- Pinch of salt: Salt helps to balance out the sweetness of the cake.
- Butter and flour to grease the molds: The most important thing when making a lava cake is greasing the molds well. A combination of butter and flour is the easiest way to unmold a cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this last?
This cake is best immediately after it's been baked. This is because the center is still molten and runny. The longer it sits after it's been baked the less molten the center will be. I recommend eating it within 30 minutes of baking.
Can I make these ahead of time?
You can't bake the cakes ahead of time but you can prepare everything else.
Grease your molds, fill with batter, and cover with cling wrap. Then place them in the fridge until you are ready to serve. When you're ready to serve just bake the cakes for 10-11 minutes, or until they are just set on the surface.
They need a little bit of a longer bake time as they are being baked from a fridge cold temperature.
How should I serve lava cake?
I love serving my lava cake fresh from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The ice cream melts into the warm matcha cake and it's a combination to die for.
You can also serve it with whipped cream or a drizzle of custard!
I like to dust mine with a little more matcha powder for another burst of matcha flavor.
Why isn't my cake coming out of the mold?
The main reason why your cake isn't coming out of the mold is that the tin or ramekin wasn't greased properly. One of the most important things when making lava cake is greasing the tin. If not greased properly the cake will stick to the mold, and as a result will break when removed, ruining that lava surprise.
Make sure you thoroughly grease your tin with butter and dust it with flour. Then tap out any excess, this is the most foolproof greasing method.
Why doesn't my cake have a lava center?
If the center of the lava cake is not runny, it could be because the cake was overcooked or baked for too long. The key to getting the perfect lava cake consistency is to watch the cake closely as it bakes.
Different ovens may require different cooking times. Be sure to check the cake frequently and take it out of the oven as soon as the edges are set but the center is still slightly jiggly.
Why did my cake break?
There are a couple of reasons why your cake broke:
- The mold wasn't greased properly
- The cake was underbaked
- The cake was handled too roughly when being unmolded
Let's Get Cooking
If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went. Also don't forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts so I can see and share your desserts.
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Print📖 Recipe
Matcha Lava Cake
Tender matcha cake with a molten white chocolate centre, and when topped with white chocolate this is the ultimate cozy dessert
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 Cakes 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Ingredients
- 160g Unsalted butter (⅔ cup), in cubes
- 100g All purpose flour (⅔ cup 2 tbsp)
- 18g Matcha powder (3 tbsp)
- 240g White chocolate (8.4oz), roughly chopped
- 4 Large eggs
- 50g Granulated sugar (¼ cup)
- Pinch of salt
- Butter and flour to grease the molds
Instructions
- Prepare 4 large dariole molds or ramekins (if you don't have the right kind of mold you can use anything on hand from mugs to small cake tins, just keep an eye on the cakes and increase or decrease the cooking time accordingly)
- Preheat the oven to 390F/200C
- Grease the base and sides of the ramekins with butter and dust with flour, tap out any excess flour
- Combine the white chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl
- Melt the white chocolate and butter in the microwave or over a double boiler, and stir until completely melted
- Sift the matcha powder into the melted white chocolate mixture and mix until well combined
- Whisk in the eggs and sugar
- Sift in the flour and salt, and fold the dry ingredients until just combined
- Pour batter between your ramekins, stopping 1cm from the rim
- Place ramekins on a baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the surface of the cake is set with a soft center
- Turn the cakes upside down onto a plate, firmly tap the top of the ramekin and unmold
- Serve immediately with ice cream or whipped cream!
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My fav lava cake recipe! I made this at least 10 times so far. It’s a perfect ratio of flavor. My man doesn’t even like matcha and it’s his favorite!