Valentine’s Day Hit: Molten Chocolate Cakes

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Many years ago, we lived in the tiniest apartment.  All was well – money was just very tight because Brian was still in school and I was just out of college working a customer service job.

I can remember telling a friend at work that I wanted to do something nice for Brian for Valentine’s Day, but I just didn’t know what to do. A nice dinner at a restaurant was out of the question. The next day, she brought in a recipe for a molten chocolate cake from a newspaper that she had clipped. Years later and a few changes to the recipe, I still make it every year. It is always a huge hit and brings back so many wonderful memories of our early marriage.

Preheat the oven 375 degrees.

Melt 8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and 6 TBSP of butter in the microwave.

Then, stir in 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, and four large eggs.  Stir it until you can pick up the batter with a finger and it makes little, happy ribbons.

Now, this is the important part: use the smallest ramekins you have and only fill them half way. This will keep the recipe time under 15 minutes.

Bake for 12 minutes. Pull them out and grin ear to ear at your magical creation.

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Run a small knife between the ramekin and the cake.

Turn the cake upside down over the plate and hold your breath until you feel the weight of the cake release.

You may now squeal triumphantly and take as many phone photos as you would like.

Dust with powdered sugar.  Powered sugar forgives any imperfections and puts anyone who feels that a cake must be perfectly round at ease!

Enjoy it!