I had made this cake only once before, when it was part of the curriculum for an adult education course I was facilitating some years ago. I was tasked with promoting the course at a local drop-in centre, and made the cake as a friendly gesture while visiting there and chatting with some of the clients and staff. I’m not sure how well it turned out… certainly it did not produce any new students for me!
But more recently, a friend, self-professed “I don’t cook” bachelorette, made this microwave cake and posted a photo of it on a social media networking site. Mostly it was so that we could laugh along with her, because it had overflowed everywhere like a volcano, and she regretted using self-raising flour. She also threw down the gauntlet, challenging me to make it and upload a photo as well.
Promptly I set about researching the internet for the best 5-minute chocolate cake recipe out there, and found a couple. This one is largely based on the recipe from Instructables, with a little baking powder thrown in for good measure. The idea to add peanut butter was found here. Using a very large mug (soup mug?) this totally worked. Any smaller and mine also would have been running over!
5-minute Chocolate Mug Cake
You will need:
1 large mug (400mL capacity)
Microwave
Ingredients
4 tablespoons plain flour – make sure you measure it right – or the cake is a lie!
¼ teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoons whisked egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (*I didn’t have any, so added 1 tab peanut butter instead)
splash vanilla or other flavouring – try peppermint or cinnamon
For a fudgier version, omit egg!
Method
Add all of the dry ingredients to the mug and mix.
Add the egg and combine well. It gets pretty pasty at this point.
Stir in milk and oil.
Add chocolate chips and splash of vanilla. Stir well. *If adding peanut butter, push down to submerge, but don’t stir through.
Microwave for 3 minutes in a 750w oven. Leave to sit in microwave for a few minutes before removing. {Once the heat stops, food continues cooking in the microwave, so always err on the side of a shorter cooking time}.
Eat while warm with a spoon and loads of cream!
The texture was great, no complaints, though it certainly could be improved with chocolate chips and some cream to accompany it. And without a doubt, it would have run over if my mug wasn’t so incredible large!
Definitely worth making again, next time with more add-ins!