These Gooey Chocolate Chip Rock Cakes are very easy to make using simple store cupboard ingredients. They are filled with a chocolate Hazelnut soft centre and are ideal for making with young children. Fun to make and squidgy to eat.
This recipe is similar in appearance to Bettys Fat Rascals and just like Bettys Gooey Rascals they have a soft gooey centre. While their recipe for a fat Rascal is a closely guarded secret, I've made what I think is equally delicious and very simple to make. Get the children involved and have fun.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This recipe is well worth making. I have added visual step by step instructions.
- It uses simple store cupboard ingredients.
- Is ideal for bake sales and charity events
Ingredients
- Self Raising Flour - Contains a raising agent to give the buns a little lift.
- Salt - Just a pinch, nothing more. Seasalt or table salt is fine.
- Light brown sugar - For added flavour
- Butter - Unsalted, fridge cold. If using Salted butter, omit the pinch of salt mentioned above.
- Chocolate Chips - Milk or dark chocolate drops are fine. Try using White chocolate chips which I used to make these White Chocolate Muffins with Buttercream
- Vanilla extract - If you get the chance, you should definitely try combining chocolate and vanilla to experience their delightful flavour pairing. An excellent representation of this delectable duo is showcased in this Chocolate and Vanilla Marble cake, which is infused with both chocolate and vanilla flavours.
- Egg - Medium size, free range and organic if you can.
- Milk - Whole/Full fat or semi skimmed is fine.
- Chocolate Hazelnut spread - Any Hazelnut spread is fine, which is what I used to make this Chocolate Hazelnut Bundt Cake. Try using one without added oils.
- Glace Cherries - Cut in half
- Flaked Almonds - Just a few.
Substitutions and Variations
- Replace the butter with Margarine if you wish.
- Substitute the Cherries with a whole Almond Nut.
- Use Chopped nuts in place of the Flaked Almonds.
If you make this recipe using other substitutions, I would love to hear how you got on in the comments below.
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180deg Fan Assisted. Line a baking tray with a sheet of baking parchment
Step 1: Add the flour, salt and sugar to a large bowl. Give it a little mix. Using your finger tips, rub in the butter until you have fine breadcrumbs.
Step 2: Using a food processor will make the job a lot easier and quicker.
Step 3: Pour the breadcrumb mixture back into a mixing bowl for the rest of the recipe. Add the chocolate chips and give everything a good mix. Mix the egg, milk and vanilla extract together in a small jug to disperse all the vanilla flavour, then add to the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Using a cutlery knife or spoon, bring all the ingredients together to form a firm cookie-like dough.
Step 5: Scoop up some dough using an icecream scoop. Using the back of a teaspoon dusted with flour, make a well in the centre.
Step 6: Make the hollow large enough to take a teaspoon of Hazelnut Chocolate spread.
Step 7: Carefully cover and seal the Hazelnut spread with a little more dough if needed.
Place each ball of dough onto a baking tray pressing them down a little, but not too much that the Hazelnut spread seeps out during baking.
Decorate the Choc Chip Rock Cakes with a Glace cherry half and a few Almond flakes.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 – 17 mins or until baked. They should have a nice golden colour. The centre should be nice and gooey while still warm and will be set once completely cooled.
Leave on a baking tray to cool completely. Enjoy these Chocolate Rock Cakes while they are still warm.
Expert Tips
Tip 1: Using an Icecream scoop will give you evenly sized Rock Cakes
Tip 2: Dust the back of your teaspoon and fingers from time to time to make the job easier.
Tip 3: The baking times will differ slightly, depending on the size of Rock Buns that you make.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try not to leave them uncovered. Keep them in an airtight container.
The butter could be too soft or perhaps too much liquid has been added. If needed, once the Rock Cakes are on the baking tray ready for baking, place the tray in the fridge for 10 mins to allow the dough to firm up again before baking.
Storage
Room Temperature: Will Keep for a could of days if kept in an airtight container. After that, they can become a little dry.
Fridge: You could keep them in the fridge, but they could start to dry out. Room temperate is fine.
Freezer: These Rock Cakes will freeze easily for up to a few weeks. Warm again in a moderate oven for a few minutes before serving will bring back the soft gooey centre.
More Rock Buns and Small Cake Recipes that you May Like to Try.
After making this recipe please let me and other readers know how you got on by leaving a comment below. Especially if you used alternative ingredients.
Recipe
Gooey Chocolate Chip Rock Cakes
Equipment
- 1 Baking Tray
- 1 Icecream Scoop Optional
- Baking Parchment
Ingredients
- 200 g Self Raising Flour
- Pinch of Salt
- 50 g light brown sugar
- 110 g Unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 100 g Milk Chocolate Chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 medium egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
Decoration
- 7 teaspoons Chocolate Hazelnut spread
- 7 Glace Cherry Halves
- Handful of Flaked Almond
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180deg Fan Assisted.
- Line a baking tray with a sheet of baking parchment
- Add the flour, salt and sugar to a large bowl. Give it a little mix.200 g Self Raising Flour, Pinch of Salt, 50 g light brown sugar
- Using your finger tips, rub in the butter until you have fine breadcrumbs. Using a food processor will make the job a lot easier and quicker. Pour the breadcrumb mixture back into a mixing bowl for the rest of the recipe.110 g Unsalted butter
- Add the chocolate chips and give everything a good mix.100 g Milk Chocolate Chips
- Mix the egg, milk and vanilla extract together in a small jug to disperse all the vanilla flavour, then add to the dry ingredients.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 medium egg, 2 tablespoons milk
- Using a cutlery knife or spoon, bring everything together to form a stiff dough.
- Scoop up some dough using an icecream scoop. Make a well in the centre large enough to take a teaspoon of Hazelnut Chocolate spread. Carefully cover and seal the spread with the dough adding a little more dough if needed.7 teaspoons Chocolate Hazelnut spread
- Place them on a baking tray pressing them down a little, but not too much that the Hazelnut spread seeps out during baking.
- Decorate with a Glace cherry half and a few Almond flakes.7 Glace Cherry Halves, Handful of Flaked Almond
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 – 17 mins or until baked. They should have a nice golden colour. The centre should be nice and gooey while still warm and will set once completely cooled.
- Leave on a baking tray to cool completely.
Your Private Notes
Notes
- Using an Icecream scoop will give you evenly sized Rock Cakes
- Dust the back of your teaspoon and fingers from time to time to make the job easier.
- The baking times will differ slightly, depending on the size of Rock Buns that you make.
- These Rock Cakes will freeze easily for up to a few weeks.
- Warm again in a moderate oven for a few minutes before serving will bring back the soft gooey centre.
Nutrition
Note: Recipes are tested using Metric only. The provided nutrition information is an estimate for the entire recipe, the calorie accuracy nutritional facts, unit and portion conversion are calculated by a third party app. and are not guaranteed.
Chris
I used to love these but can no longer eat any kind of dried fruit so stopped making them. These are great because I only have to pick the cherry off! The family will love them too. Thank you.
Lynn
You could replace the cherries with chocolate chips and have the best of all words.:-)
Patricia Smith
made these today with my 4 year old granddaughter. they were amazing and fun to make.thankyou. Will definitely make them again. don't know what Betty's taste like, but they couldn't be much better x
Lynn
Thank you so much for your kind words. I am so pleased that you like the recipe.