Molten Lava Cake

So Dan and I bought an elliptical machine today. My mom told me a few weeks ago that I was looking fatter than ever, so exercise has been on my mind a lot lately. I went running a few times...embarked on an 18 mile bike ride one day...hiked in the Great Falls....and then hit a slump. I blame the weather. Cold, wet, and windy...there's no way I'm going out into that.

Last week I became convinced that buying exercise equipment would solve all my problems: I could get a great cardio work out at home whenever I wanted, and if the weather was good I could still go for a run outside. Boom, just like that my newly accumulated flab would disappear and my thighs would become toner than ever.

First, I bought some free weights and an exercise ball (which Dan has now taken over as his computer chair). All that remained was some cardio equipment. It should have been an easy thing to acquire, but it wasn't. Dan and I spent all morning running around Virginia looking for a machine that I liked, and then when we finally found The One, the damned thing wouldn't fit inside our tiny Mazda. We eventually had to take all the pieces out of the box, pack everything into the car, and cart all the loose components back to our apartment. Then, when we finally got everything home, it took us another two painstaking hours to put everything together.

I haven't actually tried out the new machine yet, but it looks great in my living room, and I have every intention of getting on it shortly. In the meantime, I thought Dan and I deserved a reward for having such a productive Saturday, so I whipped up a batch of molten lava cake to celebrate. Warm, gooey, chocolate-y lava cake is the perfect treat for any special occasion, and it's so easy to make. Happy exercising, everyone!

Molten Lava Cake (Adapted from The Savory Sweet Life blog)

Ingredients:

- 1-1/4 sticks butter
- 1 cup Ghiradelli chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Steps:
(1) Preheat oven to 425.
(2) In a medium bowl, microwave chocolate + butter in 30 second increments until melted. Mix until smooth.
(3) Add flour and sugar, mix until smooth.
(4) Add eggs + yolk, and vanilla extract.
(5) Divide batter between five (5) 4-oz ramekins.
(6) Bake for 8-10 minutes.
(7) To serve, run a knife around the edges of the ramekin, then upend on a plate. Eat with warm with fruit and whipped cream.
** If you don't eat the cakes right away, you can reheat and eat them later. Still delicious, but instead of a liquid chocolate center, you'll get a really dense, moist chocolate cake.

One year ago: Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting