Fudgy Chocolate Cake Cups
These individual Fudgy Chocolate Cake Cups are rich with deep chocolate flavor, and the fudgy texture is extraordinarily swoon worthy!
I’m always thankful for Valentine’s Day. Smack dab in the middle of February, weeks after the magic of Christmas has been packed away, Valentine’s Day manages to offer a little spark during our cold and colorless Midwest winters. I don’t do a significant amount of holiday decorating outside of Christmas, but if you visit our home in early February, you’re sure to see heart-shaped garland strung with twinkly lights, along with some of the pretty little salt dough Valentine ornaments I made with our girls a few years ago.
I also adore the baking that goes along with Valentine’s Day. It’s our home’s most chocolate-rich time of year. If you like super fudgy individual cakes with melty centers, you must try this recipe for Fudgy Chocolate Cake Cups!
Desserts in their own personal sized portions are my thing. They make me happy. And these pretty little chocolate cakes have been a great addition to our recipe box, a recipe that we’ll be making again and again. They’re rich with deep chocolate flavor and the texture is extraordinarily swoon worthy. If baked for a shorter amount of time, you are rewarded with an extra gooey center, almost like those chocolate lava cakes. But if a more cake-like crumb is preferred, a few more minutes in the oven gives you a super moist crumb. I really can’t decide which is better!
Eat these fudgy chocolate cake cups while they’re still warm for optimal happiness. With a sprinkle of powdered sugar, or possibly a drizzle of cream or tiny scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, these little chocolate cakes are sure to add a little spark to your winter.
Fudgy Chocolate Cake Cups
Ingredients
- ⅓ c. all-purpose flour
- ⅓ c. unsweetened cocoa
- 2 tsp. instant espresso powder
- ¾ tsp. baking powder
- ⅛ tsp. kosher salt
- 2 T. unsalted butter softened
- ⅓ c. granulated sugar
- ⅓ c. packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1.5 oz. good quality dark chocolate finely chopped (I used Scharffen Berger 70% cacao Bittersweet Dark Chocolate.)
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, beat butter with a mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Add both sugars and beat until very well blended, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until fully incorporated. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture with a spatula. Then fold in chocolate. Divide batter evenly among four 4-ounce ramekins and then place ramekins in a 9" x 9" pan. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or up to 2 days.
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Let ramekins stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Uncover pan and bake for 24 to 26 minutes, or until center of cakes puff and are slightly crusty on top. If you want an extra gooey center, start checking the cakes after 20 minutes of baking time, removing the cakes from the oven before they are fully puffed in the center – take care to not over bake. A longer baking time will ensure a more baked center crumb. Both ways are fabulous!
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve immediately for the most gooey, fudgy texture.
Anything served in individual ramekins is on my list of favorite foods. The edges never get stale and hard. It keeps for days (weeks if you have more self-control than me).
Agreed! :)
Delicious! I support any holiday that gives me an excuse to eat more chocolate :)
I love these…they look lovely and I agree with you, it’s chocolate season!!
Oh my word!!! These are beyond amazing!!!
These look beyond delicious!!! I LOVE how moist and fudgy they look!
I made this today for a snow day snack. I under-baked them for a gooey center. They were received with rave reviews. I love the built in portion control. Thanks for the great recipe!
These are definitely swoon worthy. Double trouble chocolate and the zip of espresso flavor. Fabulous.
Mmm those look awesome! Love the addition of espresso powder, always adds a little extra something to chocolate desserts :)
These are just so perfect! Bring on the fudgy chocolate!