I have been anticipating the day that I would try to make these Chocolate Molten Cakes in Cupcake Pans for awhile. I have good memories of this particular dessert. I was surprised when I cut into my birthday cake in Paris and it turned out to be one of these. During college, I relished this menu item at the chain restaurant Chili’s. Today was the day to make it myself. I don’t work on Mondays and since last Monday was a paid holiday (Labor Day in the US), I had to take another day of the week off. I shopped for a few ingredients this morning and then made them during the afternoon. When it turns out, the “chocolate lava” is fun. I will definitely be keeping this in mind as an option when I play hostess.
It was a fairly easy recipe to follow. With sophisticated results. On my first try, some of them turned out and I would like to make a second attempt in order to improve. You see, the timing is so delicate. I made 15 cakes. There were 12 in my first batch in the oven and at 11 1/2 minutes, the center just turned to moist cake. They were overdone. I had taken them out after 10 minutes and the outsides really weren’t done at all, but unfortunately the added time was simply too much. Having learned my lesson, the second batch of three were only in for 10 minutes and they basically turned out, although they could have used 9 minutes 30 seconds of bake time or something like that. Start with a slightly shorter time and keep checking every 30 seconds. Plus, subtract some time on a second batch as the oven will be hotter. I should have tried the tin of three first! I’m happy that I’m smart enough to try these recipes out before attempting them while entertaining!
I could see these being a fun dessert to serve at a dinner party. A warm, gooey dessert contrasted with cold, creamy ice cream! This small tart cake is more of a novelty as I prefer the cake to taste more sweet. It looks impressive though. Plus, the prep can be done in advance. You can make the batter, pour it into the muffin tins and place them in the refrigerator just before starting to cook and through eating dinner. When pouring refills or serving seconds or whatever, take a second to turn on the oven to preheat. After having finished with the meal, just pop them in the oven for ten minutes or so, let them cool, plate them, and then scoop ice cream for each guest.
Chocolate Molten Cakes in a Cupcake Pan
Definitely click on my source from Everyday Occasions for a picture of every step.
This made 15 regular-sized cupcake pan cakes for me.
I served each cake with a small scoop of Breyer’s Homemade Vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
2 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tbsp. cocoa
3/4 c. unsalted butter
12 ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. heavy cream
5 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. flour
vanilla ice cream (if serving a la mode)
Instructions
1. Prepare cupcake pans by completely coating cups with melted butter (or even cooking spray).
2. Completely coat cups with cocoa.
3. Pour a bag of chocolate chips into a medium mixing bowl that is microwave safe.
4. Add butter and cream.
5. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir.
6. Keep repeating step #5 until chocolate mixture is smooth.
7. Let chocolate mixture cool a bit.
8. Stir in eggs, sugar and flour.
9. Scoop into cupcake pan with a large ice cream scoop, filling almost to the top.
10. Place in the refrigerator for an hour or more.
11. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
12. Bake for 9 1/2 to 10 1/2 minutes, something like that, just until the outsides and most of the top have set but the centers are still liquid. Insert a tip of a knife to test. The interior should be like thick pudding.
13. Let cool for 5 minutes.
14. Set sheet pan on top and flip both over to release cakes.
15. Place cake on a dessert plate.
16. Add a scoop of vanilla next to the cake.
Buon Appetito!