Chocolate Lava Cupcake

I remember watching Barefoot Contessa and Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals (way, way) before and enjoying whatever meal they prepare and cook on the show.  They made cooking seem so easy and fun (but the dishes!) and were truly inspirational.  But that was before I got into baking and gutsy enough to stand in front of the stove and attempt to cook anything.

So I mainly tuned in just for the sake of watching them cook up delicious food and eventually getting hungry because of it.  Are you guilty of the same habit?  We aren't alone on this I'm sure!

Fast forward to today when I actually pay attention to how they cook with the intention of actually trying the recipes shared on the shows I watch.

I can never catch up when the host would begin to discuss and mention the ingredients and measurements.  I just lose track, my pen and notepad on each hand, after the fifth ingredient and its 2/3 cup and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons measurement*.

*only an example to how complicated measurements can get and yes, an exaggeration.  But do you agree?!

This chocolate lava cake is one of the recipes I set my mind on making after catching an episode of Little Paris Kitchen where Rachel Khoo (love her!) made it in her actual little Parisian cuisine.  The entire process looked so easy and her lava cakes came out looking so warm, gooey and delicious.  I just had to try her her version!

But!

She used ramekins and salted caramel.

Obstacle no.1:  I don't own any ramekins nor do I plan on purchasing any.  And you might be saying that I shouldn't even have thought of making lava cakes in the first place!  You're right.

Obstacle no.2:  I really wasn't in the zone to make salted caramel.  I should impart with you that I spent an entire day in the kitchen trying out three different salted caramel recipes and each attempt was unsuccessful (burnt, solidified and crystallized; ouch) and a baker's heart can only bear such frustration and disappointment in one single day, my dear.

I'll cut to the chase and say that I ended up searching for another lava cake recipe (so sorry, RK!).

I found Nigella's molten chocolate babycakes and her recipe needed no salted caramel but still uses ramekins.  I know I shouldn't be surprised that lava cake recipes use ramekins but I could sense there's another way of making these without them!

Enter a blog entry from Jenny.  I followed her instructions but used the ingredients from Nigella's recipe.  I hope I don't confuse you!  I used a 12-well cupcake tin so if you do you'll get little lava cakes which also means more for sharing or more for snacking later!

The comments on Nigella's website regarding these decadent treats highly recommend this recipe and I understand why.  One little cupcake is shareable between two people!  Yes, it's that rich.  But it may be because I didn't have any whipped cream or ice cream to top these off with!

You need something to assist your palate so I urge you to scoop hearty scoops of ice cream on top of  these warm lava cupcakes!

Look at that!  It may not have oozed out like how a usual lava cake should but my friend, when you make these and have a bite, you wouldn't mind either.  It's so unbelievably delicious (eat it with ice cream, okay!) and easy you'd just shrug the lack of oozy lava off!

I think the reason why these didn't have the melty centres is because I may have baked them a minute or two longer.  I baked these for 10 minutes but I'm thinking for a 12-pan cupcake tin, 8-9 minutes would do.

Here's what the cupcakes look like topside up.  So gooey!

If you keep these in the fridge, you can warm them in the microwave or eat them cold.

You'll think you're eating a cold fudgy brownie.  I think both should be served with ice cream!  What do you think?

Til the next post!