Preheat the oven to 450°F degrees. Use 1 tablespoon butter to grease four ramekins. Stir together 1 tablespoon flour and cocoa powder. Dust insides of greased ramekins with flour mixture until interior surfaces are covered. Tap out excess. Place prepared ramekins on a sheet pan.
Add chocolate and remaining 8 tablespoons of butter to a microwavable bowl. Microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir and return to microwave at 50% power for another 30 seconds. Repeat until chocolate is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Place sugar, eggs and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Start beating slowly and increase speed to medium high. Beat for about 3 minutes or until mixture has more than doubled and is a pale yellow color.
Fold chocolate into egg mixture until combined. Add remaining ¼ cup flour and pinch of salt. Stir until just combined.
pinch of salt
Divide batter evenly among greased ramekins. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 9-10 minutes. Start checking the cakes at 9 minutes. The edges will be set and the center will have a barely matte finish but still be soft and wiggly.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for one minute. Carefully run a thin, sharp knife around the edges of the ramekins. Place a small plate over the top of each ramekin, flip the plate over and invert ramekin onto plate. Carefully pull the ramekin off.
Dust cakes with powdered sugar and top with fresh fruit (or however you prefer to garnish these cakes).
Notes
Ingredients
Use a quality bittersweet chocolate for not-too-sweet desserts. Want a sweeter cake? Use semi-sweet chocolate instead.
Chocolate chips can be used in place of the chopped chocolate bars. Stir well when you heat them with the butter to make sure they melt completely.
Want next level molten cakes? Stir a teaspoon of espresso powder into the batter before baking. This easy addition doubles down on the chocolate flavor for even more decadence (but the small amount leaves no coffee flavor).
Tips for success:
Use ramekins that are at least 6 ounces in size (mine are 8 ounces). The size of the ramekins is important because it affects baking time.
Thoroughly grease and flour the ramekins to be make sure the cakes slide out easily when unmolded.
Make sure your oven is preheated to 450°F. An inexpensive oven thermometer can make the difference between over and undercooked cakes.
The cakes will be done when the edges are set and the center is soft, jiggly and have a barely matte finish.
Run a thin, sharp knife around the insides of the ramekins before inverting onto platees to ensure there are no stuck edges.
Serving suggestions:
Dust with powdered sugar and berries or top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (my favorite).
These are best enjoyed straight from the oven. In a pinch, you can try to reheat leftovers in the microwave. Cover with a damp paper towel and heat at 30 second intervals. Be careful not to overcook as the centers will no longer be soft.