Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

I've been wanting to make Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes for a while now.  I'm thinking since Valentine's Day is coming up, this is a perfect time to try these.  This is a first for me.  I've never made these little cakes before.  The Pioneer Woman made these and recommended this recipe from Tasty Kitchen.  It uses simple baking ingredients and it looks like it should be fairly easy to put together.  I'm doubling the recipe to make 8 little cakes.  There are five of us at our house and I'm pretty sure we'll have no problem eating any leftovers. :)

Ingredients (printable recipe)

8 pieces (squares) Semi-sweet Baking Chocolate

1 cup Butter

1 pint Powdered Sugar (2 cups)

4 whole Eggs

4 whole Egg Yolks

¾ cups Flour

2 cups Real Whipping Cream (seriously It's So Much Better!)

2 Tbl Sugar
Ice cream if desired

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spray 8 custard cups with Pam and place on cookie sheet.

Microwave chocolate and butter in large bowl on high for about 1 minute, until butter is melted. whisk until chocolate is also melted.

Stir in sugar until well blended. Whisk in eggs and egg yolks. Stir in flour.

Divide between cups.

Bake 13-14 minutes until sides are firm and center is soft. Let stand 1 minute.

Combine sugar and heavy cream and whip until stiff.

Invert cakes on dishes and top with whipped cream or ice cream.

 Getting started

 Batter is ready, into the cups...

 Ready for the oven.  I used 7 oz. custard cups and I baked 4 cakes at a time because that's what the original recipe suggests and I wasn't sure if baking all eight at once would change how they baked.  I didn't want them to be over or under baked.  In my oven 15 minutes  for 4 cakes was just right.  

The Results...

Rich, chocolatey, decadent little cakes was our result.  These lava cakes were delicious and very simple to make.  The only thing I would do different next time is serve these with vanilla ice cream, too.  The chocolate lava was similar to hot fudge sauce which would be delicious with ice cream.  And I think the contrast between the warm cake and cold ice cream would be nice together.  The kids liked having their own little "volcano" cake and gave this dessert 5 stars.  My husband and I agreed!