Hojicha Lava Cake (Printable)

Individual molten cakes featuring a luscious hojicha-infused white chocolate center that flows beautifully when sliced.

# What You Need:

→ Hojicha Ganache Center

01 - 2.1 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
02 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream
03 - 1 teaspoon hojicha powder (roasted green tea)
04 - 0.35 oz unsalted butter, room temperature

→ White Chocolate Cake

05 - 3.5 oz white chocolate, chopped
06 - 2.8 oz unsalted butter
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 large egg yolk
09 - 0.25 cup granulated sugar
10 - 0.35 cup all-purpose flour
11 - 1/8 teaspoon salt

→ For the Ramekins

12 - Softened butter, for greasing
13 - Cocoa powder or flour, for dusting

# Directions:

01 - Combine white chocolate and hojicha powder in a small heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream until just simmering and pour over the chocolate mixture. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Stir in unsalted butter until fully incorporated. Refrigerate the ganache for approximately 30 minutes until firm enough to scoop. Roll into 4 small balls and keep chilled.
02 - Generously grease 4 ramekins (approximately 2.5-3 inch diameter) with softened butter. Dust with cocoa powder or flour, tapping out any excess to ensure even coating.
03 - Melt white chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring constantly until smooth. Allow to cool slightly. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolk, and granulated sugar until pale and thickened. Gently fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Sift in flour and salt, then fold gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
04 - Spoon a generous tablespoon of batter into the bottom of each prepared ramekin. Place one chilled hojicha ganache ball in the center of each ramekin, pressing gently into the batter. Cover with remaining cake batter, smoothing the tops to ensure even baking.
05 - Bake in a preheated oven at 390°F for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers remain slightly jiggly. Remove from oven and let rest for 1-2 minutes. Carefully run a thin knife around the edge of each cake to loosen, then invert onto serving plates.
06 - Serve immediately while warm to achieve the signature molten lava effect. Optionally dust with powdered sugar or accompany with vanilla ice cream for enhanced presentation and flavor balance.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The molten center creates this dramatic moment when you cut into the cake and the hojicha ganache flows out like liquid gold
  • White chocolate and roasted green tea create this sophisticated flavor profile that feels fancy but comes together in under 40 minutes
  • These individual cakes look impressive plated but are actually quite forgiving if you follow the timing
02 -
  • The timing on these cakes is everything, underbake and they'll be too loose, overbake and you lose that molten center
  • Chilling the ganache centers is essential or they'll melt into the batter before the cakes set
  • Let the chocolate mixture cool before combining with eggs, otherwise you'll end up with scrambled egg pieces in your batter
03 -
  • Use room temperature eggs to help them whip up properly and incorporate more air into the batter
  • Cocoa powder dusting works better than flour for ramekins because it disappears into the cake and won't leave white spots
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