Molten Chocolate Cakes with Sugar-Coated Raspberries

These molten chocolate cupcakes are simple and elegant, and they bake in under 10 minutes in a standard cupcake or muffin pan. The best part about these little beauties is that the cake batter is extremely forgiving: You can make it up to six hours before you plan to serve the cakes. Fill the pans with batter and refrigerate, but remember to remove the pan far enough in advance of baking to let the batter return to room temperature. Because they bake for only 8 to 10 minutes, pop these little cakes into the oven as you're clearing the main course dishes and making coffee.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Calories: 494 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• cooking spray
• ½ cup sugar
• 5 large eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, or bars, cut into bite-size chunks
• 4 teaspoons flour (or matzo meal, ground in a blender to a fine powder)
• ½ cup white sugar, or as needed
• 1 (6 ounce) container raspberries, rinsed and drained

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Melt butter and chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water; remove from heat. Beat eggs, sugar, and salt with a hand mixer in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Beat egg mixture into chocolate until smooth. Beat in flour until just combined. (Batter can be made a day ahead; return to room temperature an hour or so before baking.)

Step 2

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position; preheat the oven to 450 degrees (230 degrees C).

Step 3

Line a standard-size muffin tin (1/2 cup capacity) with 8 extra-large muffin papers (papers should extend above cups to facilitate removal). Spray muffin papers with cooking spray. Divide batter among muffin cups.

Step 4

Bake until batter puffs but the center is not set, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully lift cakes from the tin and set on a work surface. Pull papers away from cakes and transfer cakes to dessert plates.

Step 5

Make garnish: Roll slightly dampened raspberries in sugar.

Step 6

Top each cake with sugared raspberries and serve immediately.