french Chocolate fondant cake recipe
Experience the ultimate chocolate bliss with French chocolate fondant cake – a rich, velvety dessert featuring a gooey molten center that oozes pure decadence.
This classic treat, beloved by chocolate enthusiasts, brings the charm of Parisian patisseries to your table.
Perfect for special occasions or an everyday luxury, it’s a slice of heaven in every bite.
The best chocolate fondant cake
Who doesn’t dream of having the ultimate recipe for a soft, melting chocolate cake? Well, let me tell you, this one’s a game-changer.
I’ll confess—I make this heavenly chocolate cake fondant far too often to count. My eldest son swears by it and would happily devour it every single day.
For him, this is the perfect chocolate cake, with its irresistibly gooey center and moist, rich texture.
And honestly? He’s not wrong. Just one bite, and you’ll understand why it’s impossible to stop at just one slice.
This ultra-soft chocolate cake with its luscious molten center is pure decadence.
Warning: once you try it, don’t be surprised if you find yourself sneaking extra bites until the plate is empty!
I stumbled upon the original recipe in an anonymous cookbook, but of course, I couldn’t resist tweaking it to make it my own.
This book recipes tend to be overly sweet for my taste, so after several test batches (and a lot of chocolatey fun), I settled on just 170 g of sugar. The result? Perfection.
Trust me, this cake is a foolproof showstopper that will quickly become a favorite in your kitchen—just like it is in mine!
Ingredients for the best chocolate fondant cake
Here’s what you’ll need to create this indulgent chocolate fondant cake, a perfect balance of rich, velvety chocolate and smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture:
- 200g dark chocolate: Choose a good-quality dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa for a deep, intense flavor. It’s the star of this recipe, bringing that rich chocolatey taste that makes this cake unforgettable. (25g sugar per 100g of chocolate: The sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness to balance the bitterness of the dark chocolate. You’ll want this subtle sweetness to complement the richness of the cake, not overpower it).
- 100g sugar (up to 120g for sweeter cakes): Depending on your taste preference, you can adjust the sugar a bit. 100g is perfect for a balanced sweetness, but if you like your cakes on the sweeter side, feel free to push it to 120g.
- 45g flour: This small amount of flour helps provide structure, giving the cake just enough body to hold together without losing that irresistible molten center.
- 150g butter: Butter is the secret to a soft, tender crumb. It also adds that creamy, luxurious texture that melts on your tongue with every bite.
- 4 eggs: The eggs are essential for binding everything together, giving the cake its rich, smooth consistency and helping create that perfect, gooey center.
- A pinch of salt: A touch of salt is the finishing touch that enhances the flavors, bringing out the natural sweetness of the chocolate and balancing the richness of the cake.
How much sugar should be in the chocolate cake?
As I mentioned earlier, after trying several recipes, I figured out that no more than 170 grams of sugar should go into this cake to get it just right. In my house, my kids aren’t big fans of overly sweet desserts, so this amount works perfectly for us.
Of course, if you prefer your cake sweeter, you can always add a little more sugar. I personally use 150 grams of sugar for this recipe, which includes both the sugar in the chocolate and the sugar I add separately.
Let me explain how that works: I use dark chocolate, which already has sugar in it. For example, the 100 grams of dark chocolate I use contains 25 grams of sugar. Since I use 200 grams of chocolate, that means 50 grams of sugar already comes from the chocolate itself.
Then, I add 100 grams of white sugar, which brings the total to 150 grams. This amount gives the cake a nice balance of sweetness, without being too sugary.
I always use dark chocolate, but keep in mind that the sugar content can vary depending on the brand and the cocoa percentage. For example, some dark chocolate has as little as 55% cocoa, while others can have 90%. My husband loves the high-cocoa variety, but I’m not a big fan of the bitter taste!
Personally, I prefer Lindt 65% cocoa chocolate, but I don’t use it for the cake – I keep that for myself, secretly enjoying a square when everyone is asleep!
For the cake, I usually use a good-quality baking chocolate. The key is to stick to the sugar amounts I’ve explained above, no matter which chocolate you choose.
step-by-step to make chocolate fondant cake recipe
1- Melt the chocolate and butter: Start by chopping the dark chocolate into small pieces. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. You can melt them using a bain-marie (a bowl set over a pot of simmering water) or in the microwave. If using the microwave, heat in short bursts, stirring in between to avoid burning.
2- Whisk the eggs and sugar: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together. Whisk for a few minutes until the mixture becomes pale and slightly thickened. This step helps create a light and fluffy texture for your cake.
3- Add the flour and salt: Sift the flour into the egg-sugar mixture to avoid any lumps. Add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness. Whisk gently to combine everything, making sure the flour is well incorporated.
4- Mix in the melted chocolate and butter: Pour the melted chocolate and butter into the egg-flour mixture. Whisk until everything is smooth and well combined. The batter should be thick, glossy, and rich.
5- Prepare the baking pan: Line a 20 cm square baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring the paper comes up the sides to make it easier to remove the cake later.
6- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Place it in a preheated oven at 150°C (300°F) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The exact time depends on how you like the texture of your cake: 20 minutes for a runnier center, 25 minutes for a more set, fudgy texture.
7- Cool and remove: Once baked, take the cake out of the oven and let it cool in the pan for a few minutes. After it has cooled slightly, carefully remove it from the pan by lifting the baking paper. Let it cool completely before slicing and serving.
How do you bake a soft cake with a melting chocolate center?
The key to achieving that perfect texture lies in the baking temperature and time.
If you want a cake with a gooey, runny center, start by testing it after about 15 minutes of baking. Simply insert a knife blade into the center—if it comes out with some batter on it, you’re on the right track!
From there, you can adjust the baking time.
If you prefer a center that’s just melting, bake a bit longer, between 22 and 25 minutes at 150°C (300°F). This gives the cake a beautiful golden crust on top while keeping the center soft and slightly runny—a perfect chocolate fondant cake!
If you’re in the mood for a cake with a slightly firmer texture, but still a little soft in the middle, aim for around 30 minutes of baking time.
Any longer than that, and the cake starts to lean towards a chocolate sponge cake texture, though still deliciously moist—not too dry, I promise!
The key is experimenting with your oven’s specific heat, and testing the cake as you go. Enjoy finding your perfect chocolate center!
Other desserts to try
- Chocolate pot de creme
- French bakery beignets filled with jam
- Black Forest Cake
- Classic Banana Bread Recipe
- Tres leches cake, mexican dessert
melting center chocolate fondant cake
Ingredients
- 200 g dark chocolate
- 100 g sugar up to 120g for sweeter cakes
- 45 g flour
- 150 g butter
- 4 eggs
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Start by chopping the dark chocolate into small pieces. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. You can melt them using a bain-marie (a bowl set over a pot of simmering water) or in the microwave. If using the microwave, heat in short bursts, stirring in between to avoid burning.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together. Whisk for a few minutes until the mixture becomes pale and slightly thickened. This step helps create a light and fluffy texture for your cake.
- Sift the flour into the egg-sugar mixture to avoid any lumps. Add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness. Whisk gently to combine everything, making sure the flour is well incorporated.
- Pour the melted chocolate and butter into the egg-flour mixture. Whisk until everything is smooth and well combined. The batter should be thick, glossy, and rich.
- Line a 20 cm square baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring the paper comes up the sides to make it easier to remove the cake later.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Place it in a preheated oven at 150°C (300°F) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The exact time depends on how you like the texture of your cake: 20 minutes for a runnier center, 25 minutes for a more set, fudgy texture.
- Once baked, take the cake out of the oven and let it cool in the pan for a few minutes. After it has cooled slightly, carefully remove it from the pan by lifting the baking paper. Let it cool completely before slicing and serving.
