Domino's Lava Cakes

What if I told you that you could have your cake and eat it too… in the comfort of your own home. I'm not just talking about any cake, I’m talking about the chocolatey, melt-in-your-mouth, Domino’s Lava Cake. With a molten chocolate center and a perfectly crisp outer shell, this copycat cake is foolproof for satisfying your chocolate craving. After many attempts, I finally cracked the code to the secret behind Domino’s famous dessert. This recipe is perfect for any novice lava cake lover or Domino’s super fan.

Invented in the 1980s by Chef Jean-George Vongerichten, the lava cake was originally a happy accident. Chef Jean pulled his cakes from the oven when they were still underbaked, causing the raw batter inside the cake to be, well, molten. Lava cakes can be finicky—they require a lot of attention and a precise cooking time to make sure the middle comes out molten. To avoid that headache, I’ve created a recipe that uses a ganache center. Because of this, you can over-bake your cakes and still end up with a center of warm, melty fudge.

How To Make Domino's Lava Cakes

INGREDIENTS

Ganache

• Heavy Cream: I prefer to use heavy cream when making a ganache because of its high fat ratio. This helps to blend together the melted chocolate to create a thick, creamy, and smooth consistency.
• Dark Chocolate Chips: I chose dark chocolate chips for this ganache because I found they best mimicked the color and flavor of the Domino’s cake. You can always substitute these for semisweet chocolate if that’s what you have on hand.

Cake

• Butter: A decent amount of butter is necessary for providing richness and structure to this lava cake. Definitely go with unsalted to control the seasoning if possible.
• Granulated Sugar: The granulated sugar is what provides this cake with the crunchy shell that makes the Domino’s Lava Cake just so good.
• Eggs: Through testing many combinations of whole eggs and egg yolks, I found that the ratio of two whole eggs and two eggs yolks was the sweet spot for this recipe. Whole eggs are important to help the cakes rise while egg yolks provide richness and bind the ingredients together so that the result is fudgier and has a more cohesive flavor.
• Kosher Salt: I prefer to use kosher salt as opposed to table salt when baking because the grain size is consistent and disperses more evenly.
• Vanilla Extract: Using pure vanilla extract in this recipe helps to give these cakes a richer flavor.
• Black Cocoa Powder: I found that the key to re-creating the Domino’s Lava Crunch Cake is using dark cocoa powder. Black cocoa powder is treated with alkaline to reduce acidity so that it dissolves more easily into liquids. Using black cocoa powder also enhances the delicious fudgy flavor of this lava cake. If you can’t find any, use Dutch-processed cocoa powder instead for a similar result!
• Flour: I know what you’re thinking, What’s 1 tablespoon of flour really going to do for this cake? Even a small amount of flour helps provide this cake with structure and is crucial for binding together the rest of the ingredients.
• Confectioners’ Sugar: Domino’s uses confectioners' sugar to dust their lava cakes, so I did too, but you can leave it off if you don't have any on hand.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

The first step in making these cakes is preparing the ganache. I like to make ganache by warming the heavy cream in a microwave for 30 seconds until it's hot to the touch, and then pouring it over the chocolate chips.

After letting that sit for a minute, whisk the ganache until smooth. You could also do this step using a double boiler over the stove, but I find that the microwave is the quickest and easiest way to make ganache. Once you’ve whisked the heavy cream and chocolate chips together, let the ganache set in a fridge for up to 2 days. The more set your ganache is, the easier it will be to work with when filling the lava cakes later on.

While your ganache is setting, you can begin making the lava cake batter. The first step is to prepare your pan. This recipe makes 8 lava cakes, so you only need to grease 8 cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin with butter. Use your fingers or a sieve to gently dust the buttered tin with confectioners' sugar. Tap the tin upside down over a garbage bin or sink to get rid of any excess sugar. Once that’s done, you can start making the batter.

First, you’re going to melt the chocolate and butter together. I did this by microwaving the mixture in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until both the chocolate and butter were fully melted. You could also use a double boiler for this step if you prefer!

Next, using a handheld whisk, mix the sugar, salt, whole eggs, and egg yolks until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. This step is important for incorporating air into your batter and will ultimately help the cakes rise.

Once you’ve reached the desired consistency, mix in the vanilla, then the melted chocolate and butter. The last step is to fold in the flour and black cocoa powder using a spatula. Once the batter is fully incorporated, cover the bowl in plastic and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove both the batter and the ganache from your refrigerator. Scoop 2 tablespoons of batter into each buttered muffin tin compartment. Next, scoop 2 teaspoons of ganache directly on top of the batter. Finish by scooping 2 more tablespoons of batter on top of the ganache. Place the cakes back in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. While your cakes are chilling, preheat your oven to 450°.

The final step is to bake the cakes for about 10 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the batter on top is no longer runny and bounces back slightly when poked. After you’ve removed them from the oven, let them cool slightly. Place a sheet tray over your muffin tin. Using both hands, flip the lava cakes onto the sheet tray. If any get stuck, you can use a butter knife to loosen the edges of the cake. You can serve these cakes alone or spruce them up with some fresh raspberries and whipped cream! 

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below. 

Recipe Tips

• Chill the batter twice. Chilling the batter twice might seem like a lot of waiting, but it’s crucial for helping these cakes form that slightly crunchy delicious outer crust.

• Whip those egg yolks! This step is important for giving this cake structure and is a make or break step for the final product.

• Make the ganache ahead. If this cake seems like too much for one day, feel free to make the ganache and even the batter ahead of time. Both can be chilled for up to 2 days in an airtight container.

Storage

You can store these lava cakes in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm them in a 350° oven for 3-4 minutes, or in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.