I set out for these cakes to be like a lava cake with a runny center. Because the fiber in the dates thickens the batter, and the dates don't melt in the
oven like white sugar does, the gooey centers are more like a thick pudding than runny lava. Still really decadent and satisfying for *those* cravings, and best with a little ice cream or whipped cream on the side.
You need:
3 eggs
a heaping half-cup of Medjool dates (about 10), pits removed - measure the fruit by packing it into the cup
1/2 cup (one stick) melted butter
a dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
7 tablespoons cocoa powder
5 tablespoons whole wheat flour
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Blend the dates, eggs, and butter in a high powered blender or in a small bowl using an immersion blender, until smooth.
Add the salt and vanilla and mix thoroughly, then mix in the cocoa, and finally the flour.
Spoon the batter into 8 muffin cups and press down/even out with wet fingers. I use silicone cups because they're reusable and everything comes out of them perfectly, but you can use paper or foil cups, or little ramekins well greased and dusted with cocoa.
Bake for 8 minutes, or until the middles are not quite set. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool just
enough to handle. Turn the cakes out onto a plate alongside some vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or some other tasty white creamy thing.
Here's what they look like when they're ready to come out of the oven. You can see that the middles aren't cooked through, and that's good. That's the pudding part!
I think this would work really well with almond flour too, but I haven't tried it yet.
To re-heat leftover cakes, try 5 minutes at 350.
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