Coffee Mug Molten Chocolate Cake for Two

By efriend

Ingredients

• 4 4 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1 1 4 bittersweet chocolate, chopped, plus 1 ounce broken into 4 equal pieces
• 1/4 1/4 3/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
• 2 2 2 large eggs
• 2 2 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 cup (1 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from cookscountry.com

Preparation

Step 1

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These individual chocolate cakes are cooked in coffee mugs in the microwave for a nearly instant dessert. To keep our cakes from overflowing, we had to supplement bittersweet chocolate with cocoa powder; cocoa powder has less fat, which produces less steam, thus less chance of an overflow. Microwaving the cakes on 50 percent power was the key to cooking them gently, helping create a light, tender crumb, and stirring the batter halfway through ensured even cooking. Finally, a few chunks of bittersweet chocolate added to each cake created a gooey, molten center.

Serves 2

We developed this recipe in a full-size, 1200-watt microwave. If you’re using a compact microwave with 800 watts or fewer, increase the cooking time to 90 seconds for each interval. For either size microwave, reset to 50 percent power at each stage of cooking. Use a mug that holds at least 11 ounces, or the batter will overflow. The bittersweet chocolate is added at two points.

Microwave butter and chopped
chocolate in large bowl, stirring
often, until melted, about 1 minute.
Whisk sugar, eggs, cocoa, vanilla,
and salt into chocolate mixture until
smooth. In separate bowl, combine
flour and baking powder. Whisk
flour mixture into chocolate mixture
until combined. Divide batter evenly
between 2 (11-ounce) coffee mugs.

Place mugs on opposite sides of
microwave turntable. Microwave at
50 percent power for 45 seconds. Stir
batter and microwave at 50 percent
power for 45 seconds (batter will
rise to just below rim of mug). Press
2 chocolate pieces into center of each
cake until chocolate is flush with top
of cake. Microwave at 50 percent
power for 35 seconds (cake should be
slightly wet around edges of mug and
somewhat drier toward center). Let
cakes rest for 2 minutes. Serve.

Test Kitchen Technique: Stir Partway Through

You wouldn’t dream of stirring a cake that’s baking in the oven. But to ensure that a microwave cake bakes evenly, that’s exactly what you need to do. We stop the microwave and give the batter a stir after 45 seconds.

© 2017 America's Test Kitchen. All rights reserved.

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