Muffins. I'm usually not a fan of them, and the same thing goes for cakes and cupcakes. To me, they're often pretty flavorless and one-dimensional. Just sweet with a dry, spongey, yet dense texture. I'm way more of a pastry kind of girl. But, I really want to start liking the category of "cake" desserts, so I've developed a recipe that's exactly to my tastebuds. Rich, moist, and totally fudgy. So much so that I call them my molten lava cake muffins.
If you're like me, I think these Molten Chocolate Muffins will change your mind, too!
Why You’ll Love These Fudgy Chocolate Muffins
Molten chocolate center: Instead of dispersing chocolate chips/chunks throughout the batter, why not make it more interesting? I add the chocolate in the center of each muffin. The only cake I've ever truly loved is lava cake, because it creates an interesting textural contrast between the melty chocolate center and cake surrounding. These muffins have a similar effect.
Rich Flavor: Did you know that adding coffee to chocolate desserts really brings out the depth of the chocolate? No need to make a pot of coffee or shot of espresso, though. You can certainly do that, but you can also make it easier by simply using instant coffee/espresso powder.
Incredibly Moist: I use less flour and more hydration compared to classic muffin recipes. This makes them nice and moist!
Delicate: Because they are made with less flour, they are much less dense than a classic muffin.
Easy-to-make: This one-bowl, appliance-free recipe is perfect for both beginners and experienced bakers.
How to Enjoy Your Molten Chocolate Muffins
While they're most delicious straight out of the oven, they’re still pretty amazing cooled or just slightly warmed up. Pair them with a cold glass of plant milk, a hot cup of coffee, or even a scoop of ice cream for a next-level treat.
RECIPE
MAKES ABOUT 8 MUFFINS (cupcake size)
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup (150 g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (30 g) cocoa powder (sifted, to get out the clumps)
1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup (130 g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (73 ml) softened or melted coconut oil (I prefer unrefined coconut oil in this recipe. It adds a nice buttery flavor)
1 1/4 cup (300 ml) plant milk (at room temperature so it doesn't harden the coconut oil)
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup (85 g) dairy-free dark chopped chocolate chunks, plus a little extra for topping
Optional: flakey sea salt for topping
Method
Preheat the oven to 400 F or 200 C.
In a medium-large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee/espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Mix together.
Add in the softened/melted coconut oil, plant milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Mix until well-combined, but do not over-mix. Let the batter sit for 5-10 minutes to fully hydrate the flour.
Line your muffin/cupcake pan with baking cups (I like to use a cupcake-sized pan for smaller muffins). Pour in your batter, filling each cup about 3/4 of the way.
Press 2-3 chocolate chunks in the middle of each batter-filled cup. Then sprinkle some smaller pieces of chocolate on top.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops have started to crack slightly.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle on some flakey salt if you wish, and let sit for about 10 minutes to cool down. Then dig in and enjoy!
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