Molten Chocolate Cake

What’s the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day?  This chocolate molten cake, if you ask us.  Dinner reservations, aphrodisiac foods (hehe), and even a significant other are really not necessary.  Just this lovely cake with the molten chocolate center.



This is a favorite of Dulcie’s, but before now I’ve never attempted to make this at home before.  I had an idea that it was complicated and fussy and included extra steps and dirty dishes, such as a special molten chocolate batter you had to make (separately from the cake batter) and plop into the middle.  Sort of like these Pumpkin Cream Cheese muffins.  But I was wrong!  This molten cake is simply a rich chocolate cake that is undercooked so that the center stays deliciously molten.  Easy.



We made these cakes in 6 oz ramekins and baked them at 450 for 8-9 minutes.  Our directions, via Food & Wine, specified a longer cooking time.  For us, this created a first batch of plain old chocolate cake that was cooked all the way through.   So we say – err on the side of cooking these for too short vs. too long. 



Keep in mind that we live at high elevation in Colorado (about 5,000 ft). This recipe makes 4 cakes, and we baked ours in two batches so that we could experiment a little and be sure that we’d end up with a molten center. Also keep in mind that plain old chocolate cake is also delicious, so this is really a win win.  DON’T BE NERVOUS!  Ready for the recipe?  OK!

Molten Chocolate Cake

Recipe via Food & Wine
Serves 4

• 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Pinch salt
• 2 Tbsp flour

Prep: Preheat oven to 450. Butter & flour four 6 oz ramekins.
Gently melt the butter with the chocolate.  Whisk until smooth. Do this in a double boiler if you have one. Or a poor man’s double boiler (bowl balanced over pot of boiling water) if you don’t.  You’re in good company, that’s how we do it!
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the egg yolks, sugar and salt until thickened and pale.
Fold the chocolate mixture and flour into the egg mixture. Spoon the batter into the ramekins and bake at 450 for 8-9 minutes.  (Food & Wine recommends 12 minutes but we found that to be too long, but possibly because of high altitude issues.  We’re at 5,000 ft. If anyone gives this a try please let us know!)
Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute, then cover each with an inverted dessert plate. Carefully turn each one over, let stand for 10 seconds and then unmold. Serve immediately.

Oh yes and also! Valentine’s Day is coming and if you love chocolate and delicious foodie stuff, you should really check out our Valentine’s Day boxes & Artisan Chocolate Sampler (sold out), via Colorado Crafted.  They’re packed full of really unique, special, artisan-made treats and we are in love with them!  Shipping is free, but order before 2/11 if you want them delivered in time for V-Day.