Baking Sunday: Molten Lava Chocolate Cakes For a Crowd

Today I made myself work out before blogging. I suggest working out before reading this post because this Baking Sunday is a good one, especially if you're a chocolate lover. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Molten Lava Cakes courtesy of Master Chef, Whitney Miller!

Jenny and I enjoyed making these. The trick to these are baking them for a short period of time so the outside gets done and the inside middle stays liquid-y chocolate. They are delicious with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and these are so easy to make! Miller suggest baking them in a muffin pan. So if you are ever in need an easy dessert that's impressive, for 12 people or under, these are definitely go-to and are sure to please.

Last of all, my journey with Whitney Miller's cook book has been a fun one. I found her book while perusing through the cooking section at Half Price Books in Dallas this past summer (one of my favorite pastimes). I was originally attracted to the title of her cook book, "Modern Hospitality." Then, when I started looking through it, I became so intrigued! I thought to myself, "These are recipes that I would actually cook." So, I bought the book and have loved it dearly ever since. (Then, I watched her season of Master Chef. Thanks, YouTube). Miller's cook book features various updated versions of southern classics, she is a Mississippi girl after all, and I love that she learned to cook from her mother, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. We also discovered that her and Jenny attended the same college. Jenny is a Mississippi girl, too. I just love these southern belles.

Now for the REALLY exciting part: Saturday night, I tweeted about being excited to make the molten lava cakes with Jenny and tagged Miller in my tweet. Sunday, while Jenny and I were baking, she tweeted me back! I was SO excited. It's just kind of fun to have a Master Chef tweet you, you know? I sent her a picture of our final product and she said, "They look great!" :). So, these have the Master Chef's approval. Anyway, enough excitement. Enjoy the recipe, won't you? And grab a copy of Miller's cookbook if you have the chance. You won't be disappointed!

Molten Lava Cakes for a Crowd (Master Chef, Whitney Miller)

 *This recipe is taken straight from her cook book! No alterations.

Serves 12

WHIPPED CREAM:

• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

CAKES:

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter (salted will work if that's all you have)
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

To make the whipped cream: Beat the cream using an electric mixer in a large cold bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons of the confectioner' sugar. Cover and refrigerate while you make the cakes.

To make the cakes: Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Once the chocolate and butter are melted, stir in the coffee until smooth.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and confectioners' sugar. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until the cakes are slightly jiggly in the center, about 7 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of each cake and transfer the hot cakes to dessert plates. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and dust with the cocoa powder.

My attempt, yet again, to be artsy with my Iphone and Instagram. Hey, it does look pretty delicious, right?

Molten Lava Cakes for a Crowd

Serves 12

Rich and fudgy brownies were the go-to dessert at Whitney's house when a chocolate craving struck. That is, until she started making her molten lava cakes. These rich, gooey cakes will satisfy even the most die-hard chocoholics, and since they're baked in a muffin tin, it's easy to whip up a large batch in no time at all.

WHIPPED CREAM:

• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

CAKES:

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

To make the whipped cream: Beat the cream using an electric mixer in a large cold bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons of the confectioner' sugar. Cover and refrigerate while you make the cakes.

To make the cakes: Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Once the chocolate and butter are melted, stir in the coffee until smooth.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and confectioners' sugar. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until the cakes are slightly jiggly in the center, about 7 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of each cake and transfer the hot cakes to dessert plates. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and dust with the cocoa powder.

- See more at: http://www.boomerbrief.com/2011/11/modern-hospitality.html#sthash.LR1Iy3U4.dpuf

Molten Lava Cakes for a Crowd

Serves 12

Rich and fudgy brownies were the go-to dessert at Whitney's house when a chocolate craving struck. That is, until she started making her molten lava cakes. These rich, gooey cakes will satisfy even the most die-hard chocoholics, and since they're baked in a muffin tin, it's easy to whip up a large batch in no time at all.

WHIPPED CREAM:

• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

CAKES:

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

To make the whipped cream: Beat the cream using an electric mixer in a large cold bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons of the confectioner' sugar. Cover and refrigerate while you make the cakes.

To make the cakes: Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Once the chocolate and butter are melted, stir in the coffee until smooth.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and confectioners' sugar. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until the cakes are slightly jiggly in the center, about 7 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of each cake and transfer the hot cakes to dessert plates. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and dust with the cocoa powder.

- See more at: http://www.boomerbrief.com/2011/11/modern-hospitality.html#sthash.LR1Iy3U4.dpuf

Molten Lava Cakes for a Crowd

Serves 12

Rich and fudgy brownies were the go-to dessert at Whitney's house when a chocolate craving struck. That is, until she started making her molten lava cakes. These rich, gooey cakes will satisfy even the most die-hard chocoholics, and since they're baked in a muffin tin, it's easy to whip up a large batch in no time at all.

WHIPPED CREAM:

• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

CAKES:

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

To make the whipped cream: Beat the cream using an electric mixer in a large cold bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons of the confectioner' sugar. Cover and refrigerate while you make the cakes.

To make the cakes: Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Once the chocolate and butter are melted, stir in the coffee until smooth.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and confectioners' sugar. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until the cakes are slightly jiggly in the center, about 7 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of each cake and transfer the hot cakes to dessert plates. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and dust with the cocoa powder.

- See more at: http://www.boomerbrief.com/2011/11/modern-hospitality.html#sthash.LR1Iy3U4.dpuf

Strong, Smart, Celebrated

Photo by Tara Moore/Getty Images

Let me start by saying I'm no crazy feminist. I support equal rights between the sexes and am passionate about women's rights, but it's not something I wish to constantly discuss with anyone and everyone. As a girl and now a woman, I have felt extremely supported in all of my goals and ventures by men and women alike. I've never had any sort of devastating run in with a man who has told me that I cannot and should not be doing something (particularly in ministry) because I am a female. For the most part, as a woman, I have felt strong, smart, celebrated.

When I was a junior in college, I heard Lisa Bevere speak at a conference. I had read a few of her books and was excited to hear her speak, especially because I could relate to being a woman who felt called to ministry. You know what I remember the most about her? I remember her telling a story about how she had two dreams/goals in life. One was to be a mother. The other was to be a writer/speaker in ministry in some regard. So she told this story about how the Lord enabled her to fulfill both dreams simultaneously. Here is what she said: "I remember waking up early in the morning to feed the baby. I would sit on my couch and write with the baby at my breast. And that's how I wrote my first book." What an empowering story! Pretty BA if you ask me. From that moment on, I had a different respect for women, especially women who felt called to careers and to motherhood. Today, I find myself to be one of those women. Lisa Bevere's story was one of the only real stories, shed in a feminist type of light, that had a powerful impact on me. As a woman, it made me feel strong, smart, celebrated.

A few days ago I read about how Getty Images launched their "Lean In Collection" (Think Sheryl Sandberg here).  This particular collection features over 2,500 photos of females in leadership in contemporary work and life. You know how they say pictures are worth a thousand words? I think these pictures really are. They shed a really beautiful light on women in all sorts of different roles. Like Lisa Bevere's story, I've run into another little something that, as a woman, makes me feel strong, smart and celebrated. I couldn't help but share. Check these images out! I've posted some links below.

• You can view the full Lean In Collection here.
• Or check out a Buzzfeed that's been making the rounds with 44 Stock Photos from the collection that hope to change the way we look at women here.