Delicious Reading: Mug Cakes

Some very delicious desserts have been given very unappetizing names. “Dirt pudding” and “dump cake” come to mind. “Mug cake” isn’t quite so unfortunate. Still, it’s a humble name befitting a guilty pleasure, I suppose.

Brooke Clubbs

If you want to serve cake to a crowd, you bake a lovely sheet or layer cake, or maybe even use some fancy ramekins so everyone can have their own individual cake. If you want to quickly scratch an itch for something sweet without heating up the house or having lots of leftovers, you mix up a few ingredients, put it in a mug and microwave it.

Some cake mix companies have caught onto this: Betty Crocker offers Mug Treats and Warm Delights; Duncan Hines created Perfect Size for 1. But I recently happened upon a recipe I can use for endless variations of a relatively healthy mug cake I eat for breakfast. It all starts with one banana and one egg.

Chocolate Mug Cake

Spray the inside of a mug with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix together:

• 1 ripe banana

• 1 egg

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Pour into the mug and microwave on high for 2 minutes.

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Banana Bread Mug Cake

Spray the inside of a mug with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix together:

• 1 ripe banana

• 1 egg

• 1 tablespoon PB2 powdered peanut butter

• 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Pour into the mug and microwave on high for 2 minutes.

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These recipes are obviously not very sweet, which makes them great for breakfast, in my opinion. If you want a more decadent mug dessert, something sweeter and a little less “sponge-y” than the versions with egg, try this one from Table for Two food blogger, Julie Wampler.

The Moistest Chocolate Mug Cake

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (You can add 1 tablespoon more if you like it a bit sweeter.)

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon milk

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon hazelnut chocolate spread or mini chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.

Whisk in the milk and vegetable oil until all ingredients are combined and batter has no clumps.

Pour batter into a microwave-safe 14-ounce mug. (You want enough head space for the cake to rise without pouring over.) Add hazelnut chocolate spread in the middle of the batter or mini chocolate chips. Just drop it in the middle; no need to push it down and sink it in the batter. It does that on its own when it cooks!

Place a paper towel into the microwave and set the mug on top. (This is to catch any batter if your mug cake overflows.)

Microwave mug cake for 70-90 seconds on high. Carefully remove from the microwave and enjoy.