If you are a chocolate fan, you have to try these Chocolate Molten Muffins with a rich lava inside, such a decadent dessert.
Today we are making molten chocolate lava cake, but in the form of muffins, because let's face it, these are just easier to eat this way. You have probably seen lava cake on restaurant dessert menus, and if you love those, you will find these extra addicting!
We know they sound really fancy, but honestly, you only need a few simple ingredients to make the best molten chocolate cakes. Be sure to serve these when you have company over, because they are always a real crowd pleaser!
❤️ WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS CHOCOLATE MUFFIN RECIPE
✔️ A molten center that's absolute perfection.
✔️ Make chocolate truffles at the same time!
✔️ The perfect muffin that's both breakfast and dessert.
✔️ Great for brunch or holidays.
✔️ Easy to make at the same time as the Easy Chocolate Truffles.
CHOCOLATE MOLTEN MUFFIN INGREDIENTS
You may have all of these ingredients for this easy recipe in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this delicious recipe you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.
- Molten Center: heavy cream, dark chocolate bars (we really like Ghiradelli)
- Muffins: flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, egg, butter, vanilla, milk, sour cream, white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips
SIMILAR RECIPES
Enjoy this great recipe or some of these other similar recipes you will love:
- Chocolate Raspberry Muffins– the perfect combo of chocolate and raspberry
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins – for the peanut butter cup lover
- Chocolate Mint Muffins – all the chocolate flavor with just the right amount of mint
- Chocolate Rum Muffins – rich, moist, and decadent!
INSTRUCTIONS
Follow the full instructions and kitchen tips and quick tips for the best way to make this recipe. Don't forget to check the prep time and cook time in the recipe card below before you begin.
PREPARE THE MOLTEN GANACHE CENTER: Chop the chocolate bar into medium sized pieces and place them into a heat safe bowl. Pour the cream into a small saucepan and let it simmer, heating it just until it comes to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and cover it with a lid or large plate to trap in the heat. Whisk the chocolate mixture together until you have a smooth and creamy ganache.
Place the dark chocolate ganache in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. Scoop out several tablespoons at a time to make each truffle. Roll them between your hands to make a ball shape. Repeat until all of the batter is gone.
Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Once all 12 truffles are on the baking sheet, place them in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
🔴 TIP: If you're low on time you can skip the refrigeration and just scoop a spoonful of the filling into the muffin batter when you'd put the ganache ball into the muffin cup.
PREPARE: Let's make the muffins! Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees and place cupcake liners in the muffin tin.
MAKE THE BATTER: In a medium bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar; whisk together and set aside.
Add the egg, cooled butter, vanilla, milk, and sour cream to a large mixing bowl and mix until combined. You can hand mix with a rubber spatula or use an electric hand mixer.
Stir the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients until almost combined. Gently fold in a ½ cup of chocolate chips, being careful to not overmix the cake batter.
🔴 TIP: The muffins may sink if the batter sits out too long (due to the baking soda and the baking powder bubbling when they come into contact with liquid.) Do not prepare the batter ahead of time.
MAKE THE MUFFINS: Scoop 2 tablespoons of batter to each lined muffin cup. Then add a ganache center, then fill the rest of the muffin tin with batter until it's about ⅔ full.
BAKING TIME: Cook for about 18 minutes. The tops of the chocolate cupcakes should look a little dry and slightly puffed once they are ready. Sticking a toothpick in to test the doneness will not work with this recipe because of the melted chocolate in the middle of the cake.
COOL: After you have taken the muffins out of the oven, allow them to rest for 10 minutes in the muffin pan. Then transfer them to a wire rack so they can finish cooling.
DECORATE: Reheat the melted ganache and add it to a piping or plastic bag to drizzle chocolate over the top. Add sprinkles, a dust of powdered sugar, or additional chocolate chips. Feel free to serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate dessert craving.
TIPS FOR THE BEST CHOCOLATE MOLTEN MUFFINS
Follow these tips to make the best double chocolate muffins.
✔️ Don't overmix the batter. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until just before all the dry ingredients disappear. Overmixing will cause the muffins to fall in the center.
✔️ Don't make the batter ahead of time. Make the better when you're ready to cook the muffins.
✔️ Do not use white chocolate chips or colored oil based chips instead of chocolate chips. These other chips are not made from chocolate and will cause your muffins to fall.
STORAGE TIPS
Storing your food properly is important to prevent spoiling or food poisoning.
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag and refrigerate or store on the counter for up to 3 days if you can't eat it the next day.
Freeze: Store in an airtight, freezer safe, container. If you're storing in a zip top plastic bag, try to get as much air out as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Defrosting: A great way to defrost is in the refrigerator overnight.
MORE CHOCOLATE MUFFIN RECIPES
If you love muffins you'll enjoy our Chocolate Mint Muffins, Cornbread Muffins or our Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Muffins. You'll also salivate at these other molten muffins!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The only ingredient in this recipe that contains gluten, is the flour. Pillsbury or King Arthur make gluten free all-purpose flour that you may substitute, however we have not tested it with this chocolate cake.
Because these are so delicious, we recommend just making a batch (this recipe makes 12) and freezing the rest for later!
Ingredients
Dark Chocolate Truffle Ingredients:
- 2 4 oz. dark chocolate bars, chopped
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Muffin Ingredients:
- 1 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅜ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg - room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter - melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips - plus more for the tops of the muffins, if desired
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
Truffle Instructions:
- Prepare the truffles first. This recipe will make 12 truffles to fill each of the 12 muffins.
Place chopped dark chocolate pieces in a small heat-proof bowl.
Simmer the cream in a small saucepan, heating just until it comes to a boil. Pour cream over the chopped chocolate and place a large plate or lid over the bowl to trap the heat.
Whisk chocolate/cream mixture until it turns into a glossy chocolate ganache. If needed,, microwave the mixture for a few seconds at a time and stir until smooth if some of the chocolate does not melt all the way.- Place the ganache in the refrigerator or freezer for about 2 hours to firm up.
Scoop tablespoons of the dark chocolate ganache and roll it between your hands to form 12 round balls. Place the formed truffles on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and place back into the refrigerator to chill until ready to put into the muffin batter.- Set aside any remaining ganache to drizzle over the finished muffins, if desired.
Muffin Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar; set aside.
Mix together egg, cooled butter, vanilla, milk, and sour cream in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
Add ½ cup chocolate chips and fold gently into the batter.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter into the bottom of each muffin liner in the muffin tin. Place one dark chocolate truffle into the center of each muffin cavity and then cover with another scoop of batter.
Sprinkle some additional chocolate chips over the top of the batter, if desired.- Bake for approximately 18 minutes until the tops of the muffins are slightly puffed and appear dry on the top.
- Cool muffins for about 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- Truffle centers will remain soft and melty while muffins are warm. You can reheat muffins in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to remelt the truffle center.
- Reheat leftover ganache in the microwave until fluid. Scoop into a piping bag or a small plastic bag and snip the corner off. Drizzle the ganache over the tops of the muffins.
Melt white chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds at a time, stirring until chocolate is fully melted. Drizzle white chocolate over the muffins as well, if you wish.
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