Chocolate Lava Cakes for 2

This is a sponsored post by Challenge Butter, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible!

We all know the stereotypical “single on Valentine’s Day” clichés where you’re supposed to act lonely and sad and spend the night eating Ben & Jerry’s. But I want this post to be a reminder that it certainly doesn’t have to be that way.

Despite the fact that I’ve never really had a boyfriend, I have always loved Valentine’s Day.

When I was younger, I remember having trouble sleeping the night before because I was so excited about it. My parents always did such a good job of making me feel special and loved and including me in their plans.

Valentine’s Day wasn’t an exclusive holiday reserved only for those with a boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse. Valentine’s Day was about celebrating all of your loved ones. And wearing pink. Lots and lots of pink.

I feel like now that I’m older, some of my friends and coworkers get depressed that they don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend for Valentine’s Day, and that makes me really sad. In my opinion, being able to find a significant other is not as big of an accomplishment as being able to love yourself.

I understand that you may have a tough time being single, but just know that no one sees you any differently.

To everyone that is reading this blog post right now, you are loved! Remember that.

I wanted to focus my Valentine’s Day post this year on small serving size desserts you can make that are more practical for just two people. So if you’re making dinner for a date or a small family you can bake a cake and not feel guilty that you have a ton left over.

This chocolate lava cake is as easy as it gets. I love a good recipe that requires very few ingredients, all of which are pantry staples, and takes less than a half hour to bake.

The most important thing to focus on with this cake is don’t over bake it! After the 14-minute baking time is up, the top will not look done. Just focus on the edges. If the edges look firm, then it’s done.

Also, don’t wait a while to invert your cake onto a plate. The cake will stick to the ramekin if you wait too long. I recommend waiting no longer than 3 minutes. If the ramekin is too hot for you to touch, you can always wrap paper towels around a pair of tongs and flip it that way.

Chocolate Lava Cakes for 2

Yield: Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

• 3 ounces dark chocolate
• 1/4 cup Challenge butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (63 grams)
• 1 egg and 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons flour (24 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional but recommended to enhance chocolate flavor)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare 6-ounce ramekins by greasing them well with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in medium size microwave bowl for 1 minute. If chocolate is not smooth after 1 minute, continue to melt in microwave at 15-second intervals.
3. Add powdered sugar, egg, and egg yolk to bowl, and mix until smooth.
4. Add flour, salt, and instant espresso powder and mix until just combined.
5. Evenly distribute batter between two ramekins and place on baking sheet so it’s easier to remove from oven.
6. Bake between 12 to 14 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let cake sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Run pairing knife along edges of ramekin to loosen cake.
9. Invert cake onto plate by placing plate upside down on top of ramekin and flipping the cake so that the plate is on bottom and the cake is upside down on top.
10. Tap the ramekin a few times and then lift straight up.
11. Garnish with berries, whipped cream, or ice cream and serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Averie Cooks