Molten Chocolate Cakes with Sugar-Coated Raspberries
Molten Chocolate Cakes with Sugar-Coated Raspberries
Individual chocolate cakes with soft, molten centers, baked in extra-large paper muffin cups and topped with raspberries rolled in sugar. The batter can be made a day ahead; makes 8.
These little cakes are made to fit a dinner party. The batter comes together in a few minutes and can wait in the refrigerator for a day, and the cakes bake in under 10 minutes while the main-course plates are cleared.
Baking them in extra-large paper muffin cups makes them easy to lift out and plate, and the sugar-coated raspberries add a sweet-tart sparkle. Sofia and Eric served them with whipped cream and fresh berries.
Ingredients
Cakes
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips or bars, chopped
5 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil cooking spray
Sugared raspberries
1 (6-ounce) container raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
For serving
Whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
Melt the chocolate. Melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat.
Make the batter. In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and salt with a hand mixer until the sugar dissolves. Beat the egg mixture into the chocolate until smooth, then beat in the flour just until combined. The batter can be covered and refrigerated for up to a day; let it stand at room temperature about an hour before baking.
Fill the cups. Set an oven rack in the middle and heat the oven to 450°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with 8 extra-large paper muffin cups (they should stand above the rim so you can lift the cakes out) and spray the papers with cooking spray. Divide the batter among the cups.
Bake. Bake until the batter has puffed but the center is not set, 8 to 10 minutes.
Plate. Carefully lift the cakes from the tin onto a work surface, peel off the papers, and move the cakes to dessert plates.
Sugar the raspberries and serve. Just before serving, rinse the raspberries so they are barely damp and roll them in the sugar. Top each cake with sugared raspberries and serve right away, with whipped cream if you like.
Tips
With regular paper muffin cups instead of extra-large ones, the batter makes 12 smaller cakes; start checking at 7 minutes.
Use good chocolate; it is most of the flavor.
For a gluten-free version, use cornstarch or a gluten-free flour blend in place of the 4 teaspoons of flour.
The centers are meant to be soft. Serve the cakes warm, within a few minutes of baking.
Questions about this recipe
Can I make molten chocolate cakes ahead?
Make the batter up to a day ahead and refrigerate it. Let it stand at room temperature about an hour, then fill the cups and bake just before serving.
Why are the cakes still liquid in the middle?
That is the molten center. Bake just until the edges puff and the center still jiggles; a few minutes longer gives a fudgier, fully set cake.
