Quick & Easy Hot Chocolate Fudge Cakes

It’s valentine’s day on Sunday; cue eye rolling! Can you hear them from wherever you are in the world? Because I certainly can. I’m all up for celebrating holidays and going over the top, because why not? It’s just one more thing to get excited about, but valentine’s day? Never understood it!

I’m more excited about the fact that DEADPOOL IS OUT! You have no idea how many times I have watched that trailer, I mean I’m the type of person that could watch trailers for an hour and a half instead of watching a film but I think watching it about 13 times in two days is kind of a record for me, and I definitely watched it 4 times in a row the first time I saw it, yes I know, I’m like a toddler when it comes to trailers (AGAIN AGAIN!) and I’m not even the slightest bit ashamed.

The reason we are all here is because my mum insisted I make something chocolaty for valentine’s day, I honestly tend to ignore things like this and get on with my life and part of me is a little “let’s make something anti-valentines” because she’s mentioned it so many times but chocolate is chocolate and I’m not gonna say no to chocolate.

I’ve been making these for years, it’s my go to “I want hot chocolate cake” and trust me I crave hot chocolate cake a worrying amount but it means you don’t have to make a whole chocolate cake and still get to enjoy the ooey gooey chocolate goodness. It pretty much tastes the same, involves slightly less effort and means there’s not a chocolate cake left sitting on the side in the kitchen screaming your name while you’re trying to eat your salad and be a good girl.

Perfect for the single pringle, simple enough for the boyfriend who has the valentine obsessed girlfriend that needs some form of romantic gesture (or you know, if you’re the boyfriend and are actually into romantic gestures) and just as suitable for anyone who’s into the whole anti-valentine’s day party, which I’ll mention is maybe as ridiculous as celebrating valentine’s day but I guess I can go along with ridiculous; each to their own. I personally think the ideal situation for consumption is an action movie marathon with your best friend but you get the idea and I think I’m ticking all the February 14th boxes.
So let’s get to the chocolate!

Chocolate cakes
55g/2 oz/¼ cup butter/margarine
55g/2 oz/¼ cup caster sugar
2 free range eggs
40g/1 ½/⅓ cup oz self raising flour
15g/½ oz/⅛ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder

Chocolate icing
70g/2 ½ oz/⅓ cup butter/margarine (the spreadable stuff works best for this recipe)
140g/5 oz/1⅛ cup icing sugar
30g/1oz/¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp water (if needed)

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6
Line or grease a bun/patty/fairy cake tin, (if you don’t have one of these you can use a cupcake tin they’ll just end up half the height of a cupcake). Cream the butter/margarine and sugar together until fluffy, add the rest of the ingredients and mix together until well combined. Spoon into fairy cake cases and bake in the oven for 12 minutes.

For the icing whisk the butter/marg until smooth then gradually add in the icing sugar and cocoa powder until everything’s incorporated. If you’re not using spreadable butter add the water to loosen the icing.

To prepare place two cakes in a bowl and spoon on some icing, microwave until the icing has melted and the cake is hot, do not overheat, mine usually takes 25 seconds on 850. Serve with cream, ice cream, Greek yogurt, a really obnoxious teddy bear holding a heart... or on its own; whatever tickles your fancy!

Makes 8 cakes, serves 4 – 8 people depending on portion size