Give your funny valentine a gift of melting chocolate cakes that were wildly popular in fine dining establishments of the 1990’s—Molten Lava Cakes! Serve fresh out of the oven to beat the February chill and spread joy via chocolate.
This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free.
My Gooey Valentine Cakes
Serves 12
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (plus extra for buttering the molds)
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
½ teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
⅔ cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons flour (plus more for dusting molds—Lark Loves Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1)
Fresh berries and mint for garnish (optional)
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
First, butter and lightly flour a regular size 12-muffin tin. Tap out any excess flour.
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
In a medium microwavable measuring bowl, add butter, chocolate, and espresso powder. (Using the espresso powder is optional—my daughter Vivian says she can taste it every time I add this, and she doesn’t like it, but I do!).
Place the bowl in the microwave and heat for one minute. Stir. Repeat this process until butter and chocolate are melted, but make sure the mixture doesn’t burn. (Watch it closely, as the burning happens fast!)
In a large bowl (I prefer a stand mixer), add 4 eggs, 4 egg yolks, and sugar. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy and pale in color (about 3 minutes).
Reduce the speed to medium-low and slowly pour in the chocolate mixture. Add the flour and mix until just combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tins and cook in the oven for 6 minutes. ( you are not baking immediately, cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. When ready to bake, place the refrigerated tin in the oven for 8 minutes.)
Remove from the oven and, very carefully, flip the muffin tin onto a large platter and let it sit for 10 seconds. The cakes should pop out onto the platter. Fingers crossed that this happens, as it usually does!
Sprinkle the cakes with powdered sugar, spoon berries in between all the cakes, and garnish with mint to fill in all the space without chocolate on the platter. Serve warm!
This recipe was inspired by Warm Chocolate Cakes with Berries by Giada De Laurentiis.
Find more great food recipes in my second book, Lark Parties! #livinglark
