- A brownie mix. Below are 3 that I tried. They all worked well, but I preferred the Pillsbury and Ghirardelli mixes. The “family size” Pillsbury mix will make 8 lava cakes. You can choose a smaller mix, if you prefer to make a smaller batch.
- Oil and eggs–the ingredients called for on the brownie box for mixing the batter.
- 1 extra egg–no matter which mix you’re making, add 1 egg to what the box instructions call for. This results in a more cake-like texture.
- Dove Dark Chocolate Promises — I tried several kinds of chocolate, and this one worked the best for producing melted lava in the center of the cakes. You can experiment with other brands, but this is the brand I recommend. (Hershey Nuggets melted and tasted just fine, but they don’t get runny enough–no “lava flow”). Dove Promises are often available at grocery stores.
- 6 to 8 oz. custard cups or ramekins. I prefer clear custard cups, because I can see what’s going on while they’re cooking. It’s easier to tell when the cakes are done and their rounded bottom helps the cake release more easily when they are flipped over. (Ramekins have a flat bottom.) I used 6 oz. custard cups that come with convenient lids.
- So, I set out to try to figure out an easier way to make lava cakes at home. I have 2 tricks to share that make this recipe fool proof.
- I cooked the individual cakes in the microwave. (I know you’re already doubting me, but please read on.)
- I poked chunks of chocolate in the center of each cake to form the chocolate lava. No messing with cooking the batter just right. The chocolate in the center melts, and melted lava is born. (Are you doubting me still? It works. Read on.)
I never intended for this to be a microwave recipe. But after several tries in the oven with inconsistent results, I decided to try to cook a lava cake in the microwave just for kicks. Hold onto your hats. You may find this hard to believe, but the microwave lava cakes yielded 100% consistent results, better cake texture, a completely cooked cake, with an ooey gooey chocolate center. And the best part? They cook in 1 minute! Seriously.
To simplify things even further, I used a brownie mix. I don’t often cook from a box, but brownies mixes are one thing that rival the everything-from-scratch method. I must confess that I often use them when I need a quick, yummy dessert. With a little jazzing up, they can be the base for a fabulous dessert. Like this one.
Nutritional Information per lava cake: 397 calories, 21.3g fat, 217.5mg sodium, 56g carbs, 3.4g fiber, 48.2g sugars, 5.4g protein; Weight Watchers PointsPlus: 12
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