Hojicha Lava Cake (Printable View)

Decadent white chocolate cake with molten hojicha center that flows when cut.

# What You'll Need:

→ Hojicha Ganache Center

01 - 2.1 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
02 - 2 tbsp heavy cream
03 - 1 tsp 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 - 2.1 oz granulated sugar
10 - 1.4 oz all-purpose flour
11 - 1/8 tsp salt

→ Ramekin Preparation

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

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine 2.1 oz finely chopped white chocolate and 1 tsp hojicha powder in a small heatproof bowl. Heat 2 tbsp heavy cream until just simmering and pour over the chocolate mixture. Allow to sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Incorporate 0.35 oz unsalted butter and stir until fully combined. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for approximately 30 minutes until firm enough to scoop. Form into 4 small balls and maintain in refrigerated state.
02 - Grease 4 ramekins (approximately 2.4 to 3.15 inches in diameter) with softened butter and dust with cocoa powder or flour. Tap out any excess coating.
03 - Melt 3.5 oz white chocolate and 2.8 oz unsalted butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Allow to cool slightly. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, 1 egg yolk, and 2.1 oz sugar until pale and thick. Fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Sift together 1.4 oz flour and 1/8 tsp salt, then gently fold into the batter until just combined.
04 - Spoon a generous tablespoon of batter into each prepared ramekin. Place one chilled hojicha ganache ball in the center of each ramekin. Cover each ganache center with remaining cake batter, smoothing the tops level.
05 - Bake in a preheated 390°F oven for 11 to 13 minutes, until edges are set but centers remain slightly jiggly. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 1 to 2 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of each ramekin and carefully invert onto serving plates.
06 - Serve immediately while still warm to achieve the signature molten lava effect. Optional garnishes include a dusting of powdered sugar or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The ganache center stays warm and oozes like liquid gold when you cut into it, creating that restaurant-quality moment at home.
  • Hojicha brings an unexpected earthiness that cuts through the white chocolate's sweetness, so it never feels cloying.
  • At just 12 minutes in the oven, you're making something that feels like cheating—this elegant for such little time.
02 -
  • Overbaking by even one minute will cook the ganache solid and ruin the entire purpose; use a timer and check at 11 minutes, not a second later.
  • The temperature of your ingredients matters—cold eggs won't whisk properly, and hot chocolate will scramble them, so read the recipe temperatures carefully.
  • Don't skip the cooling step for the chocolate mixture; folding warm chocolate into eggs is how you accidentally make scrambled cake.
03 -
  • Sift your flour directly into the batter over the mixture rather than pre-sifting; this aerates it one more time and keeps the cake impossibly tender.
  • Chill your ganache balls in the freezer for 15 minutes instead of the fridge if you're in a hurry; they'll firm up faster and hold their shape better during assembly.
Go Back