Pre-kids we'd stay in most Valentine's Days since it falls during the week a lot and we hated the crowds (never found that very romantic) and our anniversary is the 17th so we'd usually plan on going out for that. We'd rent a movie and order in Chinese or Thai and I'd make a dessert and it was lovely.
Staying in with two kids and getting up and down from the table to get more milk, a spoon, a separate plate because some food is touching another food and they CAN'T eat it, paper towels to clean up the milk I just brought to the table that someone spilled, ketchup, more milk because "I'm still thirsty and I still don't have any milk cause it spilled", another piece of bread because "the dog jumped up and grabbed mine out of my hand!" is neither romantic nor lovely.So two years ago we had "date night" for Valentine's Day. I told the kids we were all going on a date for Valentine's Day and got them dressed in their "dressy" clothes explaining that we make ourselves look nice for the other person (or people in this case) and that we were going to celebrate Valentine's Day together as a family because we all love each other. We went to "fancy" Red Robin for dinner and had a nice time (and even though poor Erik was coming down with a nasty cold, he suffered through with a smile on his face).
Last year I hadn't thought through what we were going to do yet -- maybe try ordering in again? -- and the kids asked me, "Are we going to have a date night again?!?!" So, now it is our tradition to have "family date night" on Valentine's Day. I'll probably make this cake for us to come home to.
I haven't made this dessert for Valentine's Day yet, but as I was thinking of an apropos post for this week, it was the first recipe that came to my mind. I had seen it on "Dessert First" from Anne Thornton and made it once before to high praise. It kind of has the same idea as a molten lava cake, but it is MUCH easier to make. I was actually a little bit upset when I realized how easy it was and how stinkin' good it was because it calls for ingredients that you have in your house all the time and I knew it would NOT be good for my waistline. The title may be a bit deceiving...it is NOT a pudding recipe, but more like a brownie had a three-way with chocolate cake and some sort of delicious bread pudding and somehow had a baby with all three parts. (Romantic, huh?)
It. Is. Divine.
It's perfect whether it's for a romantic dinner with just you and your loved one, a nice surprise treat after a weekday dinner for the whole family, or if you want to impress your friends or in-laws at a dinner party. It is sure to please anyone who likes chocolate -- and, really, is there any other kind of person?
~Leah
Gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Topping:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 cups hot water
- ice cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- For the cake: Whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Whisk in the milk, butter and vanilla. Stir together until smooth with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Pour the batter into an ungreased 9-inch square baking pan. Use an offset spatula to level into pan.
- For the topping: Whisk together the sugars and cocoa and sprinkle it evenly over the batter. Pour the hot water over the top, resist the temptation to stir it into the batter.
- Bake about 30 minutes, you want the center to bubble and look almost set, almost like a way undercooked brownie.(It will even jiggle a little bit!). Take out of the oven and let stand 15 minutes. Serve in dessert dishes, spooning sauce from bottom of pan over top. Serve with ice cream.
Notes
Yes, you pour the hot water on top and LEAVE IT ALONE! And, yes, it will NOT look done when you take it out. :)
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