I am obsessed with these cakes.
In fact, when I posted a preview picture to Twitter yesterday, my hashtag was #thebestthingihaveevermade.
And I wasn’t even exaggerating. Not one bit.
Three of our good friends have birthdays really close to each other (including my fabulous sometimes-photographer, Kristen), and they always throw a joint party, right after the holidays in January. I volunteered to bring some goodies, so I had to come up with something seriously delicious.
And…. yowza. I’ve solidly decided to cover every dessert I make from now on with a light dusting of sea salt. Something about that little bit of saltiness is so incredibly delicious in a dessert, and pair it with a super-rich, melted chocolate layer, and you’ve just created something that borders on perfection. I was happy that I’d already volunteered these for the party, because I would have totally blown that New Year’s resolution of not eating entire batches of dessert. Instead, I ate a very reasonable… um… three.
And they were delicious.
Chocolate Sea Salt Molten Cakes
INGREDIENTS
9 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
6 tbsp butter, softened
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp Kahlua
1/8 tsp sea salt, plus additional for the tops of the cakes
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter two six-muffin tins, and dust the insides with sugar.
On a double-boiler, melt chocolate until smooth, stirring to ensure everything melts. Set aside to cool.
In a separate bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla, salt, and Kahlua. Add the eggs, one at a time, until all of them are incorporated. Beat in the chocolate and flour and pour the batter into the muffin tins, about 3/4 full. Sprinkle sea salt over the tops of the muffins. Bake for 9-10 minutes, allow to cool, and turn cakes out onto serving plates. Serve.
Makes twelve mini cakes.
40 responses so far ↓
1 Tweets that mention recipe: chocolate sea salt molten cakes | Sugarlaws -- Topsy.com // Jan 12, 2011 at 6:35 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Recipes_4_U. Recipes_4_U said: Sugarlaws recipe: chocolate sea salt molten cakes: I am obsessed with these cakes. In fact, when I posted a pr… http://bit.ly/grK182 [...]
2 Gabby / Gypsy*Diaries // Jan 12, 2011 at 6:39 am
Cannot wait to move into my new flat and finally start baking again!
xxx
http://gypsy-diaries.blogspot.com/
3 Jane // Jan 12, 2011 at 7:34 am
Oh gosh, these look so good! I’ll definitely be making them sometime. I keep hearing about the way salt complements chocolate really well, but I’ve yet to try it!
4 Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic // Jan 12, 2011 at 8:28 am
I’m totally making these for MY birthday
I also love sea salt with chocolate – ever had the Lindt dark chocolate bar with sea salt on top??
5 recipe: chocolate sea salt molten cakes | Sugarlaws » Indulgent Dessert Recipes // Jan 12, 2011 at 8:28 am
[...] more here: recipe: chocolate sea salt molten cakes | Sugarlaws Related Posts:Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe (By Nigella Lawson) | Neel's Corner According to [...]
6 Carly // Jan 12, 2011 at 8:38 am
Ok, so to be totally honest, I really don’t cook or bake for that matter. Doubt I will ever really make these. BUT my mom and sister are master bakers and I am copying down the recipe for them to try…I am certifiable for sea salt. Like legit crazy for it. If I could carry a bag around in my pocket and sprinkle on everything, without looking like a total nut, I would.
CAN”T WAIT TO TRY THESE! YUM!
7 Closet Fashionista // Jan 12, 2011 at 8:40 am
MMM!!! I’m going to have to make those, hahha
http://aclosetfashionista.blogspot.com/
8 VeggieGirl // Jan 12, 2011 at 10:23 am
Katy, these cakes look DIVINE!
9 Sara // Jan 12, 2011 at 11:05 am
These look so easy to make! And food with “molten” in the title has to be amazing. I have a hard time looking away from these pictures of cake…even with American Apparel advertising from-the-back pictures of their “TANK THONGS” in your sidebar
Salty and chocolate is a fabulous combo I’ve only recently discovered. I have a recipe where you smother graham crackers with butter, sugar and pecans and let them caramelize in the oven. Then you cover with melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt. Delish!!
10 Joanne // Jan 12, 2011 at 11:22 am
Sea salt does have a way of making everything better. At least dessert-wise. Especially if you’re a sweet/salty girl to begin with. These look amazingly decadent!
11 Kristen // Jan 12, 2011 at 12:55 pm
As the birthday girl in question, I can attest that these were amazing. Truly delicious. Sea salt with chocolate is my new favorite combination. Thanks, Katy!!!!
12 Rachel // Jan 12, 2011 at 12:59 pm
I can’t wait to make these! (And then eat 12…)
13 Nicolette // Jan 12, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Seriously! You’re torturing me… I may have to try these this weekend. Great food photography. Did you see our cute Blog Couture collage on Gypsy*Diaries?!
xo,
nicolette
http://www.simplycolette.blogspot.com
14 pha // Jan 12, 2011 at 11:30 pm
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it
15 Robyn // Jan 13, 2011 at 6:23 pm
Hi the cakes look amazing. I was wondering if you think I could make them in a regular sized muffin tin. I don’t have the 6 count type and would love to try this, thanks:)
16 Amrita // Jan 13, 2011 at 8:22 pm
I’m such a sucker for molten cakes….though only when it comes to eating one. Ask me to bake one and I’ll literally run and hide and blame it all on how I can never (I mean NEVER) get the centres to stay gooey and oozy!
Yours look awesome!
17 admin // Jan 13, 2011 at 8:32 pm
You could definitely use a regular size muffin tin! I didn’t realize mine weren’t regular size, actually. Mine has six cups for regular-sized muffins, I assume the ones you’re talking about have 12?
Thanks so much for the comments, everyone — keep me posted if you make them!
18 admin // Jan 13, 2011 at 8:33 pm
Amrita — Refrigeration is basically death for those oozey gooey centers. I stored mine on the countertop until they were ready to leave for the party, and they were still gooey several hours later!
19 Robyn // Jan 13, 2011 at 8:57 pm
Thanks, I will try them soon:)
20 Pearl (Crunch and Chew) // Jan 14, 2011 at 1:57 am
Straight on my to-bake list!
21 The Internet Kitchen: Jeff Bridges! | Macheesmo // Jan 14, 2011 at 6:02 am
[...] Chocolate Sea Salt Molten Cakes – Salted chocolate is heaven to me. Ok. Salt is heaven to me. But if I’m going to eat a rich chocolate dessert, it better be well-salted. This looks about right to me! (@ Sugar Laws) [...]
22 Peggy // Jan 14, 2011 at 7:58 am
Wow. These look amazing! I love the contrast of the chocolate with sea salt… and I will definitely be trying these out!
23 tanya // Jan 14, 2011 at 3:58 pm
again Y z named sea salt
24 tanya // Jan 14, 2011 at 4:03 pm
mmm really nice pics
what kind of camera did u use??
25 Jen // Jan 14, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Sooo yummy some friends and I made them last night! The salt really brings out a different dimension of chocolate flavor.
26 Nourhan @ Miss Anthropist's Kitchen // Jan 15, 2011 at 12:50 pm
This looks incredible! Thanks for sharing
27 toyplaza // Jan 15, 2011 at 6:50 pm
Nice post. I have recently been searching for information about this topic and yours is the best I have discovered so far.
28 Rach // Jan 17, 2011 at 12:25 pm
Thanks for the recipe! I totally made these on the weekend and they were divine! They even worked out great gluten free
29 Rosemaryandthegoat // Jan 23, 2011 at 5:04 pm
You called these “mini” but you did not mean mini muffin tins did you. I’m making mine in jumbo pans and will adjust the time. I think muffin top pans would work great for these, I just don’t have any.
30 Katy // Jan 24, 2011 at 12:18 am
I used regular sizes muffin tins, not mini ones! I just called them mini in comparison to full cakes.
hope this helps!
31 Alexandra // Jan 26, 2011 at 1:24 pm
First off I love your blog.
I am going to make these for my friend’s surprise birthday party this weekend in DC.
I have one quick question. You say to butter and sugar the muffin tins. Do you mean powdered sugar or granulated sugar?
32 admin // Jan 26, 2011 at 2:17 pm
Granulated — good luck!!!
33 admin // Jan 26, 2011 at 2:18 pm
(and thank you!)
34 Alexandra // Jan 29, 2011 at 11:03 am
Thank you for the clarification. I’ll let you know how they turn out! I ma expecting them to be a hit.
35 :) // Jan 29, 2011 at 1:21 pm
I made these today in a heart shaped muffin baking tin and they ended up so amazing! thank you for the recipe, its perfect for a present
36 Hannah // Feb 3, 2011 at 7:27 pm
These were fabulous – I made them for a friend’s birthday to go with mint-chocolate chip ice cream, and they were a hit with everyone. I substituted decaf instant coffee for the Kahlua and left out the salt (not sure how it would go with the mint ice cream), and they were absolutely delicious.
37 Laura // Feb 7, 2011 at 8:57 pm
I simply want to mention I’m beginner to weblog and seriously loved this. Almost certainly I’m going to bookmark your blog . You certainly have fabulous posts. Regards for sharing with us your blog site.
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39 Marlana Goldsmith // May 13, 2011 at 8:41 am
Made these last night. Everyone was in love with them! They were perfect
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