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Coffee Mug Molten Chocolate Cake for Two

By Cristin Walsh

Published on September 22, 2013

Time

20 minutes

Yield

Serves 2

Coffee Mug Molten Chocolate Cake for Two

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 ounce (28 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped, plus 1 ounce (28 grams) broken into 4 equal pieces¼ cup (1 ¾ ounce/50 grams) sugar 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup (1 ¼ ounces/35 grams) all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder

Before You Begin

We developed this recipe in a full-size, 1200-watt microwave. If you’re using a compact microwave with 800 watts or fewer, increase the cooking time to 90 seconds for each interval. For either size microwave, reset to 50 percent power at each stage of cooking. Use a mug that holds at least 11 ounces, or the batter will overflow. The bittersweet chocolate is added at two points. To make a mocha version of this recipe, add 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder along with the sugar to the chocolate mixture in step 1. This recipe is featured in our new book of small-scale recipes, Baking for Two.

Instructions

  1. Microwave butter and chopped chocolate in large bowl, stirring often, until melted, about 1 minute. Whisk sugar, eggs, cocoa, vanilla, and salt into chocolate mixture until smooth. In separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Whisk flour mixture into chocolate mixture until combined. Divide batter evenly between 2 (11-ounce) coffee mugs.
  2. Place mugs on opposite sides of microwave turntable. Microwave at 50 percent power for 45 seconds. Stir batter and microwave at 50 percent power for 45 seconds (batter will rise to just below rim of mug). Press 2 chocolate pieces into center of each cake until chocolate is flush with top of cake. Microwave at 50 percent power for 35 seconds (cake should be slightly wet around edges of mug and somewhat drier toward center). Let cakes rest for 2 minutes. Serve.
Coffee Mug Molten Chocolate Cake for Two
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Chantal Lambeth.

Coffee Mug Molten Chocolate Cake for Two

Headshot of Cristin Walsh
By Cristin Walsh
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Time

20 minutes

Yield

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ounce (28 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped, plus 1 ounce (28 grams) broken into 4 equal pieces
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounce/50 grams) sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (1 ¼ ounces/35 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ounce (28 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped, plus 1 ounce (28 grams) broken into 4 equal pieces
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounce/50 grams) sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (1 ¼ ounces/35 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ounce (28 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped, plus 1 ounce (28 grams) broken into 4 equal pieces
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounce/50 grams) sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (1 ¼ ounces/35 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

These individual chocolate cakes are cooked in coffee mugs in the microwave for a nearly instant dessert. To keep our cakes from overflowing, we had to supplement bittersweet chocolate with cocoa powder; cocoa powder has less fat, which produces less steam, thus less chance of an overflow. Microwaving the cakes on 50 percent power was the key to cooking them gently, helping create a light, tender crumb, and stirring the batter halfway through ensured even cooking. Finally, a few chunks of bittersweet chocolate added to each cake created a gooey, molten center.

Before You Begin

We developed this recipe in a full-size, 1200-watt microwave. If you’re using a compact microwave with 800 watts or fewer, increase the cooking time to 90 seconds for each interval. For either size microwave, reset to 50 percent power at each stage of cooking. Use a mug that holds at least 11 ounces, or the batter will overflow. The bittersweet chocolate is added at two points. To make a mocha version of this recipe, add 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder along with the sugar to the chocolate mixture in step 1. This recipe is featured in our new book of small-scale recipes, Baking for Two.

Instructions

  1. Microwave butter and chopped chocolate in large bowl, stirring often, until melted, about 1 minute. Whisk sugar, eggs, cocoa, vanilla, and salt into chocolate mixture until smooth. In separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Whisk flour mixture into chocolate mixture until combined. Divide batter evenly between 2 (11-ounce) coffee mugs.
  2. Place mugs on opposite sides of microwave turntable. Microwave at 50 percent power for 45 seconds. Stir batter and microwave at 50 percent power for 45 seconds (batter will rise to just below rim of mug). Press 2 chocolate pieces into center of each cake until chocolate is flush with top of cake. Microwave at 50 percent power for 35 seconds (cake should be slightly wet around edges of mug and somewhat drier toward center). Let cakes rest for 2 minutes. Serve.

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