Baked Chocolate Pudding Cakes with Vanilla Whipped Cream
Hiya! Just dropping in on a Sunday with one more little quickie Valentine's treat. Other than the heavy cream, you've probably got all the ingredients right at your fingertips. So if you're still in a quandry about how to show the ones you love how much you care, these easy-to-make individual portioned little gooey-centered chocolate-y cakes might just do the trick!
You don't need any special pans for this--the cakes bake up in little ramekins and come together in just a few minutes.
And you can make them festive and pipe or spoon whipped cream on top and decorate with colorful spinkles.
Who could resist?!! Certainly no one in my house! Happy Valentines!!
Baked Chocolate Pudding Cakes with Vanilla Whipped Cream
Makes 6 individual-sized cakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes: Bake Time: 12 minutes
Ingredients
For the Cakes
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon self-rising flour (if you don't have any just whisk together 1/4 cup all-purpose flour with 3/8 teaspoon baking powder and a small pinch of salt--you'll have some extra flour mixture left over but to cut the proportions down to just 1 tablespoon's worth of flour requires someone with a PHD in rocket science!)
For the Vanilla Whipped Cream
1 cup chilled heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
Pink sprinkles for decoration (optional)
The Recipe
1. To make the cakes: Preheat oven to 400ºF and butter and flour 6 ramekins. Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
2. Into a small saucepan, place the butter and chocolate and heat over low heat, stirring often, until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Into a medium-large bowl, place the eggs, yolks, and 1/4 cup sugar and use an electric mixer to combine, beating at medium-high speed for about 8-9 minutes, until the mixture is thick and lightened up. Use a rubber spatula to fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture into a large measuring cup for easier handling and divided the batter evenly among the ramkeins.
4. Bake for about 11- 12 minutes, until a tester comes out with moist crumbs and the tops are puffed and dry. If you want a very liquid center, start checking at the 9 minute mark. Let the puddings sit for a few minutes while you prepare the whipped cream.
5. To make the Vanilla Whipped Cream: Use an electric mixer to beat the cream, vanilla and sugar together until soft peaks form.
6. Serve the cakes in the ramekins, or use a knife to loosen around the edges and invert onto small plates. Top each with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkles (if using). Serve immediately.
7. Leftovers (if there are any) can be kept covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days and heated briefly in the microwave or eaten cold.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from a 2004 issue of Bon Appetit.
