Molten Lava Cakes

I have the only chocolate dessert, make that THE only dessert, you’ll need and want this Valentine’s day. First off, I don’t quite get those you don’t enjoy chocolate but I still support you, for everyone else, molten lava cakes are probably the epitome of chocolate heaven. So rich, that often a bite is more than enough, for me at least, and just a bite is what I have been doing for an entire week. Yes, these incredibly delicious cakes are still going strong, but that’s because I baked half earlier in the week for my mother’s birthday, and refrigerated the other half to bake a few days later. And boy was I thankful!

That’s how easy these decadent and addicting sweet treats are. You can make the batter ahead of time, scoop into a cupcake pan and then just bake when you need them all nice and warm. I found that the refrigerated batch made for a more molten and gooey center, so maybe there’s a science to it. I don’t care what it is, because these molten lava cakes make for one special Valentine’s day dessert. These molten lava cakes have become my go-to chocolate dessert. They often get a bad rap for being tricky or delicate to make, but this recipe is the complete opposite. It takes a classic restaurant dessert and makes it totally doable in your own home, where your choice of toppings are as creative and endless as you choose…

Ice cream, whipped cream, ganache and toasted nuts, or if you have a family obsessed with passion fruit, you top it with a tropical curd. You may not think to pair chocolate with passion fruit, but the sweet and tanginess of the curd is the perfect refreshing compliment to these very rich and cocoa intense cakes. If you do find the will power to not eat all of these yourself before Valentine’s day even arrives, then these molten lava cakes are the perfect treat to serve at a Galentines or cooking a romantic dinner with your love. You’ll definitely impress and leave them wanting more!

If you do need to calm a major chocolate craving, during a month when we can’t escape chocolate everything and candy hearts, then by all means please treat yourself well. I mean look at that moist gooey core, how could anyone resist!

And just because it’s Valentine’s day doesn’t mean you only have to make special things for others, you’re as important and deserve just as much sweetness.

Ingredients {Makes 12}

8 tablespoons – Unsalted Butter, room temperature {plus more for pan}

2/3 cup – Organic Cane Sugar {plus more for pan}

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, for dusting pan

16 ounces – Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped

2/3 cup – All Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon – Salt

6 large – Eggs

2 teaspoons – Pure Vanilla Extract

Passion Fruit Curd, recipe here

Recipe

Preheat oven to 400*F. Butter a standard muffin tin, then dust with sugar and cocoa powder, and tap out excess. In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Set aside and cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and salt together. In the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy {about 3 to 4 minutes}. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in flour, and mix on low just until incorporated. Beat in vanilla and chocolate.

Spoon batter evenly among each cup, filling almost to the top, and spread tops gently with spatula. Bake, rotating halfway, until centers no longer jiggle and just set {about 8 minutes}. Allow cakes to cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out. Spoon tops with curd and serve immediately warm.

Molten Lava Cakes