This chocolate molten cake is not only the perfect sweet treat but also fail-proof.

Words: Michael Van de Elzen

I know this recipe looks long. Trust me, it’s really easy, and I would go so far as to say it’s fail-proof! The quality of the cocoa powder dictates how the cake tastes, so it’s worth investing in a good quality product. I prefer a darker, more bitter chocolate cake, so I like to use Dutch cocoa powder. You can also bake this as one large cake as the oil keeps the cake very moist.

This recipe makes 6 large muffins, or you can bake it as one cake.

Prep time: 1 hour
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

½ cup vegetable oil
250ml cream
50ml espresso
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
300ml mascarpone
1¾ cups plain flour
⅔ cup cocoa
½ cup natural almonds
½ cup walnut pieces
½ cup dried blueberries
salted caramel sauce

METHOD 

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly spray a 6-hole Texas (jumbo) muffin tray (32cm x 22cm).

Place the oil in a large mixing bowl. Stirring with a whisk, add the first 10 ingredients, one at a time in the order listed, until combined. Sift together the cocoa and flour, and add to the wet mix. Whisk well to combine – the mixture should be quite runny.

Divide evenly between the muffin tins and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tins, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack. Place the cakes in a large casserole dish or baking tray (stovetop safe) with high sides.

Pour the salted caramel sauce around the cakes and top with almonds, walnut pieces, and dried blueberries. Place the dish on the stovetop and heat until the sauce is boiling. Boil the sauce for a couple of minutes, then carefully remove from the heat.

Serve the cakes with lashings of the caramel sauce and a dollop of mascarpone.

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Salted Caramel Sauce

1 cup caster sugar
100g butter, cut into small cubes
150ml cream
1 tsp salt

Pour the sugar into a heavy pan and melt over a low heat. When melted, turn up the heat and allow to bubble until you achieve a nut-brown caramel colour.

Carefully whisk in the butter a bit at a time, then whisk in the cream. Return to the boil, then remove from the heat and allow to cool. Add salt to taste.

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