Hojicha White Chocolate Lava Cake (Print Version)

Individual molten cakes blending creamy white chocolate with nutty hojicha for an elegant Japanese-inspired dessert.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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, finely ground
08 - Pinch of salt

→ For Serving

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

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 390°F. Grease four 6-8 oz 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, approximately 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. Do not overmix.
06 - Divide batter evenly among the prepared ramekins.
07 - Place ramekins on a baking tray and bake for 12 minutes, or until edges are set but 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.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • That moment when the warm center oozes out feels like a small miracle you actually created yourself.
  • Hojicha brings this understated earthiness that keeps you from feeling sick on sweetness, which is genuinely rare in white chocolate desserts.
  • Four individual cakes means you can impress people without spending hours in the kitchen or have one secretly stashed for yourself.
02 -
  • Overbaking by even one minute turns that beautiful molten center into just regular chocolate cake, which defeats the purpose, so set a timer and stick to it.
  • Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable here cold eggs won't whip properly and cold chocolate won't fold in smoothly, making the texture grainy instead of silky.
03 -
  • Mise en place is your friend here get everything measured and ready before you start cooking, so you're not scrambling to find hojicha powder while your eggs are deflating.
  • If you're worried about the flip, you can serve these right in the ramekin with a spoon it's less dramatic but honestly just as delicious.
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