Hojicha White Chocolate Lava Cake (Printer-friendly)

Individual molten cakes with creamy white chocolate and nutty roasted hojicha center.

# Required Ingredients:

→ For the Lava Cakes

01 - 2.8 oz white chocolate, chopped
02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1 large egg yolk
05 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 2 tbsp hojicha powder
08 - Pinch of salt

→ For Serving

09 - Powdered sugar for dusting
10 - Fresh berries or whipped cream

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 390°F. Grease four 6–8 oz capacity ramekins with butter and lightly dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
02 - Melt white chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water using the double boiler method, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolk, and sugar until pale and slightly thickened, about 2–3 minutes.
04 - Sift flour, hojicha powder, and salt into the egg mixture. Gently fold to combine.
05 - Pour melted white chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and fold until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among the prepared ramekins.
07 - Place ramekins on a baking tray and bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers remain soft and jiggly.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 1–2 minutes. Carefully run a thin knife around the edges and invert each cake onto serving plates. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately, optionally with berries or whipped cream.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The molten center oozes with silky white chocolate while hojicha adds a sophisticated roasted depth that keeps it from tasting too sweet.
  • It looks restaurant-worthy but takes just 12 minutes in the oven, making it perfect for impressing people without the all-day stress.
  • Hojicha powder transforms ordinary chocolate into something uniquely memorable and slightly mysterious.
02 -
  • The difference between a molten center and an overcooked cake is literally 60 seconds, so set a timer and trust it rather than guessing based on appearance.
  • Hojicha powder can clump if it's been sitting around, so sift it with the flour even though it feels like an extra step—lumps in a 12-minute cake are permanent.
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more evenly and quickly, which matters when you're dealing with such delicate folding and such a short bake time.
03 -
  • If you want an even more intensely molten center, reduce baking time to 11 minutes, but watch closely because every oven runs hot or cool in its own way.
  • Make the batter up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate it in the ramekins, then bake straight from cold (add 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time if doing this).
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