Originally known as the Molten Lava cake – I decided to give it a little twist by having something to call my own. Ferocious Lava; the name is born due to the many attempts I tried today. Two days ago, a friend of mine placed an order for the Moellux Au Chocolate (Lava Cake).
Few months ago, she did a prior inquiry and told me how her friend loves the lava cake and she’d give my French a try once her friend comes home from oversea. Then the day came. I was overly excited and my soul could not resist having to bake some for my own before the order date. So, I baked and enjoyed my good share of Moellux. It was good especially when it’s hot; it oozes hot lava as if it’s out to kill YET something tells me that it’s just not good enough (there were too much of a cake and too little lava leaking around)
I had question running all over my head. It’s always easy to serve Lava cakes at a restaurant or once it’s hot out from the oven. But, how do I retain the same consistency even after its chilled? After my baked ones, I experimented by keeping some in room temperature. One – I kept in the chiller and I microwave it to reheat. Guess what? Failure – because I didn’t place my cake in a microwavable tub (I just left it there to heat directly on the plate) and it took away the moisture in the cake AND my lava turned into a stiff filling. How sad! The ones which I didn’t keep in the chiller were then shared between 2 people. Slice open half – there’s the filling YET it wasn’t oozing no more thought it was still soft.
How do I retain the consistency even after my client chills the cake? Thus, I tried working on my recipe again. Came out with a recipe and gave it a go. First attempt was totally havoc. I baked in a ramekin, with the wrong flour in the recipe and I checked on the time. It came out really lava-ish (was way too watery). Second attempt came in with the same recipe – baking it at a longer go. Still, it was not much of use – the cake texture doesn’t feel right and it’s too wet for my liking. Imagine my client carrying the cake box filled with pouring lava’s.
Third attempt with a different flour – I tried baking in the ring mold instead of the ramekins (I prefer the sturdy shape of the mold). This time, I tried baking with the ring and putting on an even longer time. Guess what? It came out totally baked with no fillings at all. So disappointing!
Fourth attempt – I worked on the recipe adjusting the amount of flour I used. I baked in a ramekin and I found out the ramekin somehow forms a hole on my cake when I turn it over to unmold despite of whichever recipe I used. This one came out perfectly nice. I then baked in the mold (thinking that fewer minutes would be better as it might bake faster than the ramekin). It came out unbaked and it was all over the place. So I failed baking in the ring but the recipe was already perfect!
Sixth attempt – because I simply forgot the exact amount of flour I put in (this is a lesson to be learned to always write down whenever I alter the recipes). Sometimes I’m way too lazy. I would still need that final attempt to bake in the ring (by the way – ring doesn’t have a base) so I placed silpad on top of the tray). Voila! It came out perfect. I had to give it a cut to ensure that it’s all good. Baking in a ramekin is way easier because it allows you to see the lava directly meanwhile baking in the mold is a little tricky. Conclusion – I’m a happy woman.
I had to give it a cut to check out it's filling! Oozing Lava!
The first attempt and the fifth attempt - baked in ramekin
The sixth and fifth attempt - baked in mold & ramekin - which one you like better?
