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Quick Chocolate Pudding Cake

Servings: 8
Comments:
Five minutes to stir together the ingredients, 5 minutes to bake-that’s right, you can have warm chocolate pudding cake just 10 minutes after your brain starts demanding chocolate RIGHT NOW! Depending on your particular microwave, the cake may have a layer of sauce at the bottom all the way out to the edge of the pan, or the sauce may collect only in the center, leaving the edges pure cake. Now this isn’t the most beautiful dish in the world, but scoop it into dishes, add vanilla ice cream, and you’ll remember once again that beauty’s only skin deep.

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup boiling water

Instructions:
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and espresso powder. Add the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla, beating until smooth.

Scoop the batter into a lightly greased 9-inch microwave-safe pie pan (glass or ceramic), or a microwave-safe 9-inch round or 8-inch square cake pan. Pour the boiling water very gently over the top of the cake; don’t stir it in. Cover the pan with a dinner plate, glass lid, or whatever you usually cover pans with in the microwave.

Microwave the cake for 5 minutes at regular power. Remove the cover, and poke a spoon into the center of the cake. It should be set, but have a layer of chocolate "sauce" at the bottom. If it's done, remove it from the oven, and wait 5 minutes before serving. If it seems way too moist, put it back into the microwave, without a cover, and cook for another minute or so. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired, before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Date: May 26, 2003