The best thing about slow cookers is that anything can be cooked in them - even a comforting and delicious chocolate cake, perfect for serving to guests or finishing off Sunday dinner.
Because the cake is cooked through on a low heat, it stays incredibly moist. You can leave it on longer if you want the cake to be completely cooked through, but by turning the slow cooker off at around the 3-hour mark, the center won't be entirely set, and so it will be very similar to the pudding cake we all ate as kids.
It's true, there's nothing too fancy about this cake, and you'll be able to make it with the most common ingredients you most likely have in your pantry right now. The addition of espresso powder is a nice addition to any chocolate dish, as you won't really taste the coffee flavor, but it really brings out the chocolate - especially when using cocoa powder.
Ingredients1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder, plus 1 teaspoon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 teaspoon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Directions1. Brush the inside of a slow cooker with about 1 teaspoon of melted butter. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder on top and, just as you would a cake pan, shake to coat slightly. This will prevent the cake from sticking.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together both sugars, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla until everything is fully combined.
4. Place a bit of the egg mixture into a smaller bowl. Add about 1/3 cup of the boiling water and whisk vigorously. Then add this mixture back to the egg mixture and whisk. Pour the rest of the boiling water into the egg mixture and whisk rapidly again. This tempers the eggs, so that they don't cook and scramble once the boiling water is added to them.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to mix well.
6. Pour the cake batter into the prepared slow cooker and cover tightly with a lid. Set slow cooker to "Low" and cook until the surface of the cake is entirely dry and the chocolate cake has pulled away from the sides slightly, about 3 hours.
7. Turn the slow cooker off, remove lid, and allow the chocolate cake to sit for 30 minutes before serving.
The chocolate cake is best when served warm with whipped cream, ice cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar on top.
Pro tip: Make this cake your own by adding your favorite nuts to the batter after you've combined all the ingredients together. You can also add cayenne pepper to give it a little kick or, if you're looking to cut back on calories, use 1/2 cup applesauce as a substitution for the butter.
