Thursday, October 25, 2012

How to Make a Lava Cake

Whats better than chocolate? How about chocolate embellished with chocolate? What about chocolate with chocolate center? You cant get more chocolate than that! You might have seen those new lava cakes on tv but thought they would be much too difficult for you to make yourself. Not true! Anyone who can bake a cake can make a delicious lava cake that will leave your family or your guests full and satisfied.

You can make lava cakes in various sizes but some sizes might be more appropriate than others, depending upon the circumstances around the serving of the cake. If youre only interested in a cake that has a liquid chocolate center, but the chocolate doesnt necessarily have to be hot, you can make the cake any size you want. If you want the chocolate center to be hot and gooey youll want to serve a large cake almost directly out of the oven.

If you will bake the cake long before serving, yet you still want the chocolate in the center to be hot, it will be necessary to reheat the cake in the microwave. Heating a large cake in the microwave until the center is warm can take much longer than heating small cakes. Large cakes can become spongy upon heating in the microwave. If you make small cakes theyll be easy to heat to the point of making the center chocolate hot. Another good reason to make the lava cakes in individual pans is the fact that, as you cut it, the "lava" will run out. That makes it difficult to serve the cake with the liquid center. If individual cakes are made each person will get their fair share of liquid chocolate center. Serve on individual dessert plates or even in small bowls. Bake the cake(s) as you normally would according to package directions or even make the cake from scratch. Devils food, or even ordinary chocolate cake, is perfect. After removing the cake from the oven let it cool completely. After it has cooled remove it from the pan and place it on a plate or other dish. Cut the cake in half and set the top half aside for the moment. Begin picking away the center of the cake. You can use a spoon or fork to remove large chunks of the cake. Or, you can use a knife to cut a circle or square into the cake and remove this piece. When youre finished you should have the entire center of the cake removed but the bottom still intact. Make sure you leave a one-inch thick bottom remaining. Chocolate used as ice cream topping, or liquid chocolate used for making chocolate milk, are perfect to make the lava inside the cake. Fill the hole in the cake with the chosen chocolate. Fill it all the way up to the top of the opening. Now replace the top of the cake. If the cake is served warm do not add frosting. You can sprinkle powdered sugar on top, if desired. If the cake will be served cold its okay to frost it. Use chocolate frosting or any other flavor. Even though the chocolate in the center will not be hot it will still be liquid. You can decorate the top of the cakes in any manner you wish. Add sprinkles, candies or other items - only if the cakes will not be reheated. Although the lava cakes are delicious you can make the cake with other centers besides chocolate. Ice cream toppings like caramel can be used instead of the chocolate. Just cut the cake in two, dig out the center, then add the preferred ice cream topping and replace the top of the cake. When you serve the lava, caramel or similar cake your guests or family will never forget it! Itll be quickly become a favorite so be prepared to make lots and lots of the scrumptious cakes!

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