Warm Chocolate Melting Cake

Need I say more? The name of this dessert gets my mouth watering every time I read it, write it or tell someone about it. This was my favorite dessert while on our Carnival cruise through the southern Caribbean last week. (The best was ordering it with a side of their butter pecan ice cream--on a daily basis!) Baked in a simple white ramekin this moist chocolate cake had the ooiest, gooiest center; it was even better than underbaked brownies. Once my spoon broke the surface that hot, liquid chocolate center clung to it and begged to be eaten. I swear it was a religious experience.

I once tried a slow cooker recipe for a similar sort of pudding cake but it just didn't cut it. The texture and flavor left something to be desired. That's why I was super excited when Kristyn, one of our cruising cohorts (see photo below), said she had a recipe for a dessert similar to Carnival's Warm Chocolate Melting Cake. My grandfather-in-law used to say, "Food tastes better when shared." I'm not sure how this dessert could taste any better, but in the spirit of sharing, here you go!

Back: Julie & Dave; Front: Kristyn, Kim, me & Nathan

Kristyn's Decadent Chocolate Cake (aka Martha Stewart's Molten Chocolate Cake)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for muffin tins
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for muffin tins
3 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Whipped Cream , for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter 6 cups of a standard muffin tin. Dust with granulated sugar, and tap out excess. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, beat in flour and salt until just combined. Beat in chocolate until just combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.

Place muffin tin on a baking sheet; bake just until tops of the cakes no longer jiggle when the pan is lightly shaken, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes.

To serve, turn out cakes and place on serving plates, bottom sides up. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with whipped cream if desired.

"A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece." ~Ludwig Erhard

Cake photo by stu_spivack, shared via Flickr.