Typically my use of mason jars only extends to the occasional seasonal drink holder.  Who doesn’t love some spiked apple cider in a festive mason jar mug?  I have generally fought the crazy mason jar trend, but these microwave chocolate lava cakes in a jar fit the bill.  I wanted something small that I could bring as a hostess gift and I’m leaving tomorrow.  I saw a lot of great DIY hostess gift ideas, and I absolutely adored the red velvet cupcakes in a mason jar but I’m on a tight schedule so I’ll keep that one on the back burner for now.  Well that sparked my memory of this awesome company that sells molten lava cakes in jars – genius!

So then my quest, which went as far as google-ing “molten lava car in jar recipe.” and much to my surprise, I got so much more than I ever could have asked for with a microwave version.  I also found another homemade, non-microwaveable version.  I fully intended to try both recipes and see which turned out better & the night is still young.  But in the meantime the microwave version was awesome!  It took less than 5 minutes to whip up and only one minute to microwave – of course I had to taste test it!

Make 1 box of family-sized brownie mix according to the package and add an extra egg in there.  Fill a half pint mason jar approximately halfway with the brownie mix.  Drop two Dove promises chocolates [stacked on top of each other] in the center of the brownie mix in the jar and press down on them so they are covered with brownie mix.

If you’re like me and need to try immediately, microwave [with no top] for 1 minute.  BE CAREFUL taking it out of the microwave, because it will be really hot.  I used the chocolate carmel chocolates and milk chocolates, although I’m sure almost any flavor would be great – there was a chocolate raspberry, too!

I couldn’t resist and I dug right in, although it would have been amazing with some vanilla ice cream.  And to be clear the above picture is after I ate more than half.  Although it did sink down a little bit from it’s original crazy exploded look in the microwave.  The carmel one was more of a gooey chocolate carmel cake rather than a lava cake but so delicious.  I’m sure the milk chocolate will be very lava-like but I’m currently too stuffed to microwave another!