Joy the Baker

A Single Molten Chocolate Cake

by 33 Comments

Friends, hello! 

I very much need you to know that cake is available to you, right now, from your very pantry, warm from the oven, melty on the inside, in all ways perfect. 

This single serving molten chocolate cake comes from my first cookbook where it lives on forever in print as Single Girl’s Chocolate Cake – as though single girls have anything at all to wallow in cake about.  I get it now.  They don’t – this cake is a celebration in itself. 

I recently made this cake on Instagram at you and shared a link to the recipe in one of my Sunday posts, but I’m also going to leave this cake here for you as a reminder and an invitation, maybe a little bit of a bossy request to make and enjoy this cake exactly right now. 

It’s a cake for our current times: simple and versatile where ingredients might be sparse and high-impact rewarding because… melty chocolate, duh.  

Can I show you how? 

Here’s what you’ll need and here’s what you might have on hand: 

•  A few teaspoons of flour though a gluten-free flour blend would work, too. If you want to swap the flour for whole wheat, reduce the amount by 1/2 teaspoon.

•  A few pats of butter but feel free to use coconut or canola oil for the cake and for greasing the ramekin.

•  Dutch processed or regular cocoa powder to dust the ramekin, though flour (gluten-free or otherwise) works for greasing the dish as well. Cocoa enriches the flavor and doesn’t leave any dusty white marks on the outside of the cake, that’s all – choose your own adventure. 

•  Any kind of milk, semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate you have is good chocolate to melt into this cake. 

•  An egg is key to the rise and texture of this cake. If you don’t have an egg, a flax egg will do. Be sure to add a good pinch of baking soda to the flax egg to help with extra lift.

•  Peanut butter is delicious in this cake but so is tahini or almond butter. 

•  Bourbon, skip it or enjoy it. Rum? Also delicious! 

•  Salt. Just a pinch – do it.

We’ll bake this cake in a 3/4 cup ramekin. If you only have a 1-cup ramekin that’s fine too – the cake may bake for 1-2 minutes less.  

If you don’t have a ramekin, any oven-friendly glass dish will do.  Just make sure that there’s about 3/4-inch of room left at the top for the cake to rise. 

Melt together chocolate and butter.  The mixture will be thick but glossy. 

In a smaller bowl whisk together egg, sugar, and peanut butter.  Add a glug of bourbon or rum if you’d like. 

Combine the egg mixture to the melted chocolate – whisk to smooth.  Stir in the flour and salt and scrape every bit of batter into a greased ramekin. 

Bake the cake for 7 to 10 minutes for a molten melty center.  You’ll know it’s done because the edges of the cake will be firm but bouncy and cooked through.  The center will still be wet and look dense. 

For a less melty cake center, just bake the cake a bit longer – 10 to 12 minutes will do ya! 

Allow the cake to cool for just 3 or so minutes, run a butterknife around the edges of the cake to loosen it and, using a pot holder or towel, invert the little cake onto a plate. You know what you can also do? Eat the cake straight from the hot dish – totally acceptable. Top with whatever goodness like whipped cream or ice cream you have and enjoy warm. 

This recipe also doubles well if you need two cakes for sharing. So, if you have a pal – they might enjoy their very own cake too. 

Print
A Single Molten Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

  • 1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter for buttering the baking ramekin plus 1 tbsp. unsalted butter for the batter
  • about 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa to dust the baking ramekin (or use flour or granulated sugar)
  • heaping 1/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature is best
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter, optional
  • splash of bourbon, optional
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375° and set a baking sheet on rack in center of oven. Grease a 3/4-cup ramekin with 1/2 tsp. butter, then dust with unsweetened cocoa. Set aside.
  2. Put 1 tbsp. butter and the chocolate chips in a small heatproof bowl set over a small pan of simmering water. Heat, stirring, until chocolate melts; let cool a few minutes. You can also melt the chocolate and butter slowly in the microwave. Whatever is easiest for you.
  3. Whisk egg, sugar, and peanut butter (if using) in a small bowl to blend. Add a small glug of booze if you'd like. Whisk in chocolate mixture until well incorporated, then stir in salt and flour just until combined. Pour batter into ramekin. Set on baking sheet and bake until as done as you like, 7 to 10 minutes for a molten center (a 3/4-in. ring around the edge will look dull) or 10 to 12 minutes for a soft center (cake edge will puff slightly).
  4. Let cake cool 2-3 minutes. Protecting hands with a towel or pot holders, invert onto a plate. Eat right away - enjoy warm
https://joythebaker.com/2020/04/a-single-molten-chocolate-cake/

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Lauren

    Thank you so much for sharing this, Joy! I desperately needed a single serving chocolate cake and made this last night. It was divine! This is exactly what we need to get through these crazy times. Have a wonderful day!

    Reply

  4. Sharmeen Khan

    Loving the single serve recipes as a “single woman” in isolation, I feel the need to bake but don’t want to end up with a whole cake all to myself and no office full of colleagues to share it with. Please keep them coming. ?

    Reply

  5. Eva

    I made this today, served with flaky sea salt and vanilla ice cream – it’s really delicious! So satisfying. Thanks so much for the recipe! Next time i will use some instant espresso powder instead of peanut butter I think, that might be interesting. Anything to consume more coffee!

    Reply

  6. Joey Gates

    Thanks for these single serving treats! Like you are, I am on lockdown with just me and my cat. I have plenty to do but I’m used to cooking for an army and sharing my creations with friends. These are great for this time when I can only cook for one.

    Reply

  7. Isabel

    I’ve made this recipe with all cocoa powder instead of flour and it works great! Gluten free and delicious (: An oven-proof mug or a few wells of a cupcake tray also work, if you don’t have ramekins.

    Reply

  8. Benita

    Thank you for posting this recipe, as it was a much-needed treat during a difficult day. For those of us self-isolating alone, it has not been easy. Please continue to share these small batch recipes, as ingredients are spare and precious right now, and a entire big cake for myself just highlights how alone I am.

    Reply

  9. Shannon

    You know how many times and ways my husband and I have made this recipe? no frills, Earl gray, orange, bourbon, rose (pairing it with tequila), etc. It’s honestly amazing and one of my go to recipes of yours!!! (Also we made a cherry pie tonight based off your recipe. We made dark & stormy banana bread and the orange and rosemary cornbread in the last week.)

    Reply

  10. Shayna Rodriguez

    I saw the title of this post and just said to myself “God bless you, Joy.” Truly. You know just what we need and it offer it so sweetly. Thank you! Be well ??

    Reply

  11. nancy k

    If it was possible to make it in a micro wave, I would be on track to gain a few pound a week.
    I am soooo grateful this little gem has to be baked in the oven. That fact causes me to think twice before I reach for the ingredients…do I really want to heat up the oven for just 10 minutes of baking? Can I really wait that long for this little treat to be ready?
    All tihs chatter is my way of saying this treat is over the top yummy. The first time I made it , I actually used Hershey’s Kisses because I did not have any other chocolate. It was so good but when I mad it again with dark chocolate, it was to die for. It is a perfect size and totally satisfying.
    Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply

  12. Virginia Covington

    I was just telling my pals about this wonderful little cake from your first cook book (my favorite cook book ever) Thanks for posting it. I am passing it along like crazy to friends this evening. We all need a day maker. Thanks for being you. Stay safe!

    Reply

  13. Jodie

    Hi Joy:
    Thank you for this – I may try this soon. Could I send this link to my students (I am a high school Foods studies teacher) and am teaching “from home”. While we are working on other recipes, I try to send out a baked item each week for fun. Now, if students don’t have a ramekin – what are thoughts on baking in a metal measuring cup – or a pyrex measuring cup? I’m going to experiment but appreciate your thoughts – and permission to use the recipe (I’ll just send them the link here).

    Thanks again,

    Reply

  14. Janet

    My daughter was just complaining that the one thing we’re missing here in our stay-at-home mode is dessert.
    I don’t want to make a batch of cookies (too tempting-can’t eat just one….you know. But this, serving for one with a bite for me is the perfect dessert.

    Thanks so much and thank you for being YOU Joy. Stay safe!

    Reply

  16. Vaughan Greene

    Thank you for all you give us Joy!
    Thinking of you and wonderful NOLA. Can’t wait to get back over there when all this is in the rearview mirror.
    Going to really miss Jazz Fest this year.
    Maybe you could share some of the more memorable recipes from there? Crawfish bread etc……..

    Reply

  17. Cyndie

    I’m so happy to hear from you Joy. I’ve been worried. Please take good care of yourself and stay healthy. By the way, the cake looks marvelous!

    Reply

  18. Hannah

    Can’t wait to make this this week to celebrate my birthday! Thanks for the birthday treat I can make at home Joy!

    Reply

  19. Mouse

    Hi! I could use some help. I tried to bake this last week and I just could not get the cake to set — after almost 14 minutes at 375 degrees, the middle 2/3rds of my ramekin remained completely raw. I can’t figure it out! I used Swede 6 oz. stackable ramekins, which are a bit taller and deeper than the usual squat version. Any suggestions? Longer bake at lower temp? More flour? (I did not use alcohol.)

    Thanks Joy, you’re the best.

    Reply

  20. nathaliebrix

    Absolutely LOVE this little delight from your first book – thank you for sharing, celebrating and honoring single ladies.

    You’re a true treasure, Joy!

    Reply

  22. Mara

    This cake would be a great companion for my morning black coffee, thanks for posting! I’m also trying to switch to a healthier lifestyle and started to mine for healthy recipes like yours. Also, I’m training with SportMe running app, and I managed to get rid of some pounds. Your blog posts are super inspiring for me in this phase, thanks!

    Reply

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