Mini Hot Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes

Despite a mostly moderate winter, the temperature in Boston today peaked at under 20 degrees. Brrrr! Now, I'm no stranger to cold — 4 years in Michigan introduced me to the brutality of winter in the midwest — but when it's as cold as 10 degrees outside, I'm not leaving the house unless absolutely necessary. All I wanted to do today was watch Dexter (finally catching up on season 6) and drink hot chocolate.

...And then I got a better idea — Mini Hot Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes!

On a lazy day last summer, I made these Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes for Two that have since become the second most popular post on my blog — you guys sure love your chocolate!

I decided to spruce up the recipe with some marshmallow fluff so that it would resemble hot chocolate. As expected, they were delicious!

The first time I made Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes for Two, they were delicious but not as oozy in the middle as a lava cake should be. I've tried replicating the recipe a few times and decided he problem was simple: the smaller the cake, the easier it is to overcook.

Today, I had to bake two batches of the adapted Mini Hot Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes before I was satisfied. The first batch burned in only 7 minutes. I watched the second batch like a hawk, so it wouldn't get the chance to burn. 5 minutes and 45 seconds exactly. Well worth the fuss!

Perfectly cooked cakes fresh out of the oven!

Mini Hot Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes (adapted from Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes for Two):
Makes 6 small cakes

• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature + more for buttering muffin tin compartments
• 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/8 cup sugar (2 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1 heaping tablespoon marshmallow fluff + a dollop for each cake
• cocoa powder (to dust muffin tin compartments)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees
• Butter each muffin compartment, sprinkle with cocoa powder, and shake off the extra
• In a double boiler (or microwave), melt chocolate and butter until almost totally melted
• Beat sugar, egg, and egg yolk until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes)
• Add chocolate butter mixture and large tablespoon of marshmallow fluff and beat until incorporated
• Add flour and beat until everything is well incorporated
• Distribute most of the batter among 6 prepared muffin tin compartments, scoop about at teaspoon of fluff into each, and top some with remaining batter (decide what you like most aesthetically and go with that — I liked the look of the cakes that had partially concealed marshmallow fluff because they reminded me more of hot chocolate)
• Bake for 5-7 minutes, watching very carefully. The moment the tops no longer look wet, check the edge of a cake with a toothpick — if it comes out clean, the cakes are done.
• Serve warm

I ate this cake right out of the pan: 

— completely burnt my tongue, but I didn't care because it was so delicious!

Happy Baking and enjoy hibernating in your living room!

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