I had another thing planned for this evening’s post, but all musings about other topics were pushed aside when I saw this little bit of information on Facebook.
Chocolate cake day! CHOCOLATE CAKE DAY!? Of course I had to jump onto this holiday bandwagon (probably created by Betty Crocker).
(Don’t you just love social media?)
But first, let’s talk about cake. Cake and I have a tumultuous relationship.
I like cake perfectly fine, but when it comes to my choice of desserts, cake will never make the top of the list. Mostly because, you never know what you are going to get with cake.
Is it going to be a moist, creamy, chocolatey explosion? Or is it going to be a dry, crumbly, brown piece of cardboard?
What I do love about cake? Frosting. Bring me a bowl of frosting. I also love the batter. I’d much rather just lick the bowl than actually bake the cake. Flourless cakes also rock. Anything that resembles a brownie wins (brownie) points with me. Cupcakes are awesome (especially chocolate cupcakes, duh). They have a great cake to frosting ratio (the cake should really just be a vehicle for frosting consumption). Plus they are adorable.
But just cake? Eh. I could take it or leave it. For me to truly love cake, it has to be a masterpiece. Really, something special. Dry, flavorless, crumbly cakes need not apply. I want it to be so moist and thick that it feels like a cheesecake. And so chocolately that it tastes like the fudge we got in Michigan.
So I’m stuck in a hard place. Of course I want to make a chocolate cake to celebrate National Chocolate Cake Day! But I also desperately desire the right kind of cake.
So what is the solution to my quandary?
Baking a cake that has a flow of melted, orange-flavored chocolate cascading from the center.
That’ll do.
Now this is a cake I can really get behind.
These cakes are easy enough to make on a Thursday night after work, and still have time afterward to photograph, write a blog post, run three miles, take a shower, make dinner and head to a 9pm tipoff of a basketball game (just in case you have the same schedule I do tonight).
These cakes are decidedly rich and decadent. You could even use four small ramekins to make mini treats that would satisfy any chocolate craving.
Even though I’ll be watching basketball, I cannot guarantee my mind won’t day-dream about these cakes. And that’s saying a lot for me and cake.
Individual Molten Orange Chocolate Cakes
(Adapted from Martha Stewart)
Cocoa powder for dusting ramekins
2 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/8 c. sugar
1 tsp. flour
Zest of one orange
Preheat oven to 450°. Grease two, 4 ounce ramekins and dust with cocoa powder, set aside.
In a double boiler, heat chocolate and butter until melted. Meanwhile, combine egg, yolk, sugar and orange zest in an electric mixer and beat until light and thick (about the consistency of whipped cream). Slowly stir in chocolate mixture. Add flour and stir to incorporate. Split evenly between the ramekins, place on a baking sheet at bake for 7-10 minutes, or until edges are set and middle is soft. Let rest for 5 minutes, run butter knife along edge and invert on plate.
Makes two servings.
Wow, that Nutritional Info option can be dangerous! I just clicked on it, then wished I didn’t! Oh well, that’s not gonna stop me from eating these. They look absolutely incredible. I love your cute colorful ramekins.
Chocolate cake is my favorite!! Thanks for making a single serving worth!! That way if I am ever craving chocolate cake, I can just make a single serving instead of baking an entire cake. 🙂
Yup! It’s “health food” right? 😛
Ugh, so decadently amazing! I think this recipe needs some exercise in my kitchen.
I was thinking of making them again today. YUM.
Great way to celebrate Chocolate Cake Day. I love all that luscious chocolate pouring out of your cake. I have a linky party on my blog every week called “Sweets for a Saturday” and I’d like to invite you to stop by tomorrow and link this up.
Thanks, Lisa!
Chocolate Cake Day may be the best day ever!!! These look delicious
It was the best day ever. Mmmm. Can we do it again?
I think I just drooled a little bit on myself just reading this and looking at all of the photographs! And I am not a big fan of cake either.
Try this cake then! It’s a cake for non cake lovers.
I can never resist anything with “chocolate” in its name! Your awesome photographs were the icing on the cake–I’m convinced I need to make these!
Thank you! Make them! They are soooooo easy.
I can usually pass on cakes without an issue, but dang those look amazing!
Mmmm, a little TOO amazing if you ask me and my waistline. 😛
oh…my…word…
these little cakes…well…they take the cake!! They look so good I’m afraid to make them..what if they’re TOO good? What if I make them every day? More importantly, what if I eat them every day? But I think I’m going to have to try them…yum!!
I’d really like to see someone try them in the mini ramekins. Smaller treats! So even if you eat them everyday, you aren’t doing TOO much damage.