Chocolate Cheese Lava Cake

This was baked during one of the house party a few years ago.

Recipe adapted from Phong Hong Bakes

For the moist chocolate cake :

100g self raising flour

50g cocoa powder

180g butter

120g brown sugar 

200ml evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Method :

1. Sift flour and cocoa powder and whisk to combine, Set aside.

2. Put butter, sugar, evaporated milk and vanilla extract in a saucepan and heat over low heat to melt the butter and dissolve sugar. Stir until butter is melted and set aside to cool.

3. Once mixture is cool, add beaten eggs and whisk to combine.

4. Pour into the flour/cocoa powder mixture and fold to combine (I used a whisk to mix). The batter is runny.

5. Pour batter into the containers (only half full because we need room to apply cream cheese and ganache layer later).

6. Cover the containers with aluminum foil and steam for 20-25 minutes or until cake is set and toothpick inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs.

7. Leave to cool completely.

Note : If you prefer, you may bake this cake in the oven at 160C for 25 mins but use the waterbath method (like baking cheesecake).

For the cream cheese layer :

- 250g cream cheese at room temperature

- 200ml whipping cream (can be straight from the fridge)

Note : Reserve about 2 tbsp of the cream cheese mixture for decoration (optional)

Method :

1. Beat cream cheese until fluffy.

2. Add whipping cream and continue to beat until mixture is thick and creamy (it does not take very long).

To assemble the cake :

1. Once the cake is completely cooled, pipe the cream cheese on top of the cake.

2. Chill the cake in the fridge until cheese layer is firm.

For the chocolate lava (ganache) :

- 200g semi-sweet dark chocolate, broken into smaller pieces

- 200ml whipping cream

- One tablespoon butter

Method :

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Set aside.

2. In a saucepan, bring the whipping cream to a boil and pour into the chocolate and butter.

3. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.

4. Gently stir until you get a thick smooth ganache.

5. Leave to cool.

Note : Mix some ganache into the reserved cream cheese mixture to yield a light colored mixture.

Final assembly :

1. Pour the ganache over the cream cheese layer until completely covered.

2. Pipe lines onto the ganache layer and use a toothpick to make feathering patterns.

Note : If you intend to serve immediately, chill the cake briefly to firm up the ganache slightly. If you refrigerate the cake overnight or for a few hours, take it out from the fridge to sit for about 30 minutes to an hour to soften the cream cheese and chocolate lava layer.

Verdict?

The cake is so rich, so chocolately, so cheesy, so sinfully delicious.