Hojicha Lava Cake (Printer View)

Decadent white chocolate cake with molten hojicha ganache center that flows when cut, combining earthy roasted green tea with creamy sweetness.

# Components:

→ Hojicha Ganache Center

01 - 2.1 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
02 - 2 tbsp heavy cream
03 - 1 tsp hojicha powder
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

→ For the Ramekins

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

# Method:

01 - In a small heatproof bowl, combine 2.1 oz white chocolate and 1 tsp hojicha powder. Heat 2 tbsp heavy cream until just simmering and pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Stir in 0.35 oz unsalted butter until fully incorporated. Chill the ganache in the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes until firm enough to scoop. Roll into 4 small balls and keep chilled until assembly.
02 - Grease 4 ramekins (approximately 2.4 to 3.1 inches in diameter) with softened butter and dust thoroughly with cocoa powder or flour. Tap out excess coating to prevent burning.
03 - Melt 3.5 oz white chocolate and 2.8 oz butter together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring constantly until smooth. Let 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 gently into the egg mixture. Sift in 1.4 oz flour and 1/8 tsp salt, and fold gently until just combined with no streaks of flour visible.
04 - Spoon a generous tablespoon of batter into each prepared ramekin. Place a chilled hojicha ganache ball in the center of each ramekin. Cover with remaining cake batter, smoothing the tops evenly.
05 - Bake in a preheated oven at 390°F for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers remain slightly jiggly to the touch. Remove from oven and let rest for 1 to 2 minutes. Run a thin knife carefully around the edge of each ramekin and invert onto serving plates.
06 - Serve immediately while warm to showcase the signature molten lava effect. Optionally dust with powdered sugar or serve accompanied by vanilla ice cream for added richness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The molten center is pure theater, a small edible surprise that gets people genuinely excited every single time.
  • Hojicha brings an understated sophistication that white chocolate alone could never achieve, grounding all that sweetness with something real and toasted.
  • You can have these ready to serve in under 40 minutes from thought to plate, making them perfect for impressing without the exhaustion.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter after adding flour will make the cake dense and tough instead of tender, so fold gently even if you feel like you haven't combined things fully—a few flour streaks are better than an overdeveloped cake.
  • The ganache must be cold and firm enough to hold its shape when you place it in the batter, but if you chill it too long (more than an hour), it becomes so hard it won't melt properly in the hot cake, so 30 to 45 minutes is the sweet spot.
  • Every oven is different, so the first time you make these, check at 11 minutes and learn what your oven does—this timing knowledge is more valuable than any recipe instruction.
03 -
  • If your first batch doesn't have the perfect lava flow, don't panic—adjust baking time by thirty seconds for your next attempt, because oven thermometers are rarely accurate and ovens rarely match their dials.
  • Make the ganache the day before if you want to reduce stress on serving day, keeping the balls sealed in the fridge and bringing them to the right texture right before assembly.
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