Description
Two individually portioned chocolate fudge cakes so rich, they put all other chocolate desserts to shame. This recipe for chocolate fudge cakes for 2 is a 30-minute small-batch recipe, and is perfect for when you don’t need to feed a crowd. Great for date night, Valentine’s Day, or any time you need a scaled-down dessert.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces (85g) semi-sweet chocolate (3/4 of a standard baking chocolate bar)*
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream*
- 3 Tablespoons (36g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil*
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) beaten egg (crack 1 egg, beat it, and use 2 Tbsp)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 Tablespoons (46g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Lightly grease two 6-ounce ramekins with butter or nonstick spray. Place them on a baking sheet. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Coarsely chop 2 ounces (57g) of semi-sweet chocolate. Reserve 1 ounce (28g) for step 5 (don’t chop). Combine the chopped chocolate and heavy cream in a medium heatproof bowl. Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each increment until melted and smooth. Whisk in the brown sugar until no lumps remain. Whisk in the oil, 2 Tablespoons of beaten egg, and vanilla extract until combined. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together. Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and fold with a silicone spatula until all of the ingredients are combined and there are no lumps. Pour evenly into the ramekins; they should be just about 3/4 of the way full.
- Cut the remaining 1 ounce of chocolate in half. Place a piece of chocolate (0.5oz/14g) into the center of each filled ramekin and use a spoon to fully submerge the chocolate.
- Bake for 15–17 minutes, rotating the baking sheet at the 8-minute mark.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately. The centers will be slightly gooey, with melted chocolate inside. Serve warm.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: I do not suggest making these cakes ahead of time. They are so quick to make, just about 30 minutes from start to finish. If anything, prepare in full, then reheat in the oven before serving. They may not be as gooey.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Two 6-Ounce Ramekins (like these or these) | Baking Sheet | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula
- Larger Batches: If you would like more than 2 cakes, this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. If making 6 cakes (tripling the recipe), use 2 full eggs. If making 4 cakes (doubling the recipe), 1 full egg is not enough; you will need to beat 2 eggs and use 4 Tablespoons of egg.
- Chocolate: Quality chocolate is ideal. Chocolate is the main ingredient, so using chocolate chips (which contain stabilizers) will negatively affect the taste and texture. For most recipes calling for chopped or melted chocolate, including this one, I use chocolate baking bars, which are typically found in the baking aisle, in 4-ounce (113g) packages. I like Baker’s, Lindt, and Ghirardelli brands. Semi-sweet (56% cacao) and bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate are ideal for this recipe.
- Heavy Cream: I strongly recommend using heavy cream for the best taste and texture. I don’t recommend any cream substitutions in this recipe.
- Oil: Canola or melted coconut oil can be substituted for the vegetable oil.
- Bake Time: I’m unsure about the bake time for other size ramekins. 6-ounce ramekins are standard for many other recipes, so you’ll get a lot of use out of them, including custards, chocolate lava cakes, chocolate soufflé, lemon pudding cakes, and mousse.
- Adapted from Chewy Fudgy Frosted Brownies, Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting, and Cook’s Illustrated.