Impress Guests with this Fancy (Easy!) Dessert

...Or feel free to keep it all to yourself :)  You know when you go to a restaurant and "molten lava cake" is on the dessert menu?  In less than 30 minutes, it can be yours, fresh and warm from your own oven. 

I always wondered how the cakes could be made so they ooze with chocolate as you cut into them with a fork... it seemed like you would have to make something to fill the cake, definitely a multi-step process. But good news, there is nothing complicated about this recipe.  It's out of a box (shhh!) and just requires the addition of butter and eggs (and ice cream if you want to eat it a la mode... my favorite!).

While visiting my family in Kansas last weekend, my mom made these molten lava cakes and even gave me a box of mix to bring back to Chicago with me.  Seeing that box in the pantry all week made me crave this chocolate deliciousness... so I had to make them last night.  I baked some salmon, whipped up some rice (Uncle Ben's 90 second rice in the microwave!), and opened a bottle of wine for me and Scott.

But the highlight of the meal was dessert...

Chocolate Molten Lava

Ingredients:
Betty Crocker Decadent Supreme Chocolate Molten Lava Cake Mix
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs

1) Heat oven to 425 degrees for shiny metal pan or 400 degrees for dark and nonstick pan. Generously grease and flour 8 regular-size muffin cups.

2) Microwave chocolate [comes in a packet with the cake mix] and butter in medium microwaveable bowl uncovered on high 45 seconds; stir until smooth. (If chunks are not completely melted, microwave on high 10 seconds longer.) Caution: bottom of the bowl will be hot.

3) Stir cake mix and eggs into melted chocolate until well blended (batter may be lumpy). Spoon about 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup. [Batter will be sticky but look similar to brownie batter.]

4) Bake for 12-14 minutes for shiny metal pan or 10-12 minutes for dark or non-stick pan, or until edges are firm (centers will be soft).

5) Cool 15 minutes [the hard part]. Remove carefully from cups after loosening from edges. Place upside down on serving plate. Serve immediately [with ice cream if desired... or berries and whipped cream... or a little drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce...]

Look at those gooey "lava" centers!

To reheat if needed, microwave uncovered on high 15-20 seconds.

It's a simple recipe that looks complicated... and a fun way to impress dinner guests (thanks again for the tip, Mom).  For any of my friends who might come over for dinner and indulge in some molten lava cake for dessert, I guess the secret is out!  But this cake is yummy enough, I don't think anyone will mind that it's from a box.

Anyone else have a super-easy recipe that looks fancy and complicated?

P.S. Happy sunny Saturday for those in Chicago today!