At this harrowing time in our lives I think it's safe to say that there has never been a greater need for Cake in a Cup.
Like most people, I can tell you exactly where I was during certain momentous world events. When I found out John F. Kennedy Jr. died I was talking on the phone to my friend Renee. For the O.J. Simpson verdict I was in the lobby of CBC television studios. And for Cake in a Cup, I was browsing Stumble Upon.
Remember Stumble Upon?
After seeing the recipe for Cake in a Cup I jumped out of my computer chair and bounced, Tigger-style towards the cupboard. Everything I needed to make an actual chocolate cake inside of a coffee cup in 3 minutes FLAT, had been inside my cupboard my whole life and I had NO idea.
Cake in a Cup Recipe (s)
This good old cake in a cup takes basic cupboard ingredients like flour, sugar and cocoa to make what is essentially an INSTANT cake that you cook in the microwave.
Perfect for a midnight snack, easy dessert or binge watching buddy while you're living the life of a shut in. The perfect companion to Netflix is mug cake. Everyone says so.
What's in it? Basic ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder salt, milk, vegetable oil. An egg and chocolate chips are optional.
The one thing this cake doesn't require is love. THIS IS NOT A CAKE MADE WITH LOVE, it is a cake made out of insanity and necessity.
How do you make it? Just like a tiny cake. Mix your dry ingredients like the sugar, cocoa, baking powder and flour together in a microwave safe mug.
Stir them up well.
Add in your wet ingredients.
Stir those up.
And then cook it as all the world's best desserts are cooked - in the microwave on high.
This is O.K. on it's own, but really like my sour cream, cilantro, cheese topped homemade chili, it's all about the toppings. Add frozen berries, powdered sugar, whipped cream or chocolate shavings to elevate this chocolate mug cake. Or, ORRRRR top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
That's how you turn this into something - well, something a little more impressive than what it is - an emergency dessert to be used in dire circumstances. Like right now.
I made this recipe on one of the bazillion television shows that I hosted.
This cake in a cup recipe is to be used in a chocolate craving emergency! It's kind of like jello ... you might not want to serve it at a dinner party, but sitting all by your lone self in a bathrobe on the sofa it's perfectly acceptable.
Now, let's be honest here for a second, shall we? I know this is the Internet and that sort of thing is often frowned upon, but just for kicks ... let's be honest.
CAKE IN A CUP IS GENIUS! It may be the greatest invention ever, second only to potato chip flavoured toothpaste (fingers crossed someone has this one in the works).
Is it the most delicious cake you've ever had in your life? Well, that depends on how drunk you are.
It'll certainly be the most fun and fastest cake you've ever made in your life.
I expect you'll be adding this to your very own list of "remember where you were" momentous occasions.
Cake in a Cup.
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsps flour all purpose or cake
- 4 Tbsps sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 Tbsps cocoa
- 2 Tbsps vegetable oil
- 5 Tbsps milk
- 1 tablespoon Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Add dry ingredients to a microwaveable mug. Stir to combine.
- Add oil and milk.
- Mix well, making sure to incorporate all the dry ingredients hiding at the bottom of the cup.
- Top with a couple of tablespoons of chocolate chips. These will sink down into the middle of the cake when you cook it.
- Microwave on high for 1.5 minutes.*
Video
Notes
- Cut the sugar back to 3 tablespoons and omit the chocolate chips to save over 100 calories.
Nutrition
For those of you who don't know (my mother) Stumble Upon was an Internet network from the olden days (before Pinterest) with some of the best information on the Internet. Quick hits of brilliance. And a few toads. It still exists by the way, under the name of Mix.
→Follow me on Instagram where I often make a fool of myself←
Pam'a
Thank you, thank you, Karen-- Cake in a Cup has made for some lovely moments with my beloved, who has now stopped pining loudly for the "Pie Delivery Truck" every night after dinner.
Oh! p.s. If you don't have any of that fancy-schmancy self-rising flour around, there's a fix: Add a TEENSY pinch of baking powder (I worked it out, and it's roughly a 1:48 ratio) and use a bit less flour--what the pros would describe as a "scant" 4 Tb.
Jennifer
OMG, that is friking fabulous!! Can't wait to try it and show my SIL!!!
Zina
I am so going to do this with my nieces when I get back to the UK.
Nicole*
I'm new here and I'm really enjoying your blog - so funny!
this cake sounds awesome - is 11:18pm too late to cook a cake in a cup?
Karen
Absolutely NOT too late to make cake in a cup. It's NEVER too late to make cake in a cup! Thanks for visiting! - karen
Tickled Red
Shhh...don't tell the monkeys it's that easy! They will be eating chocolate cake 24-7 and swinging from the ceiling fan. :) Wonderful post darlin'...that's actually a brilliant find.
JennyM
Have you ever made Egg In A Cup? I'm not sure a scrambled egg needs to be simplified, but it makes the perfect size egg... uh, puck? to put on an English muffin, and all you have to wash is a coffee cup.
Quick shot of cooking spray into a mug.
Crack in one egg.
Beat egg with fork.
Add small pat of butter and splash of milk or water. Some shredded cheese if you have it. Give it a good stir.
Microwave on high for 1 minute at 50/60%.
Ta da!
Nadine
A.MA.ZING. How have I made it this long without a cake in a cup? Thank you for changing my world.
PS: you can use regular flour if you need to!
Amanda
I made this last night --so ridiculously easy! And, pretty delicious for something so simple. I think I'll add butterscotch chips, and walnuts next time for a bit of flare. But, cinnamon & cardamom might be really nice, too :) Thanks for sharing this, Karen! Lovin' your blog!
alicja
Ok. My first post here :) I come from Poland, and that`s were I live. I can hardly understand what you`re writing (I was always better at german) but, nevermind, you make me laught EVERY SINGLE TIME, when I read your blog :)
It`s totally crazy. I laughed when I was reading about yoghurt tampons. Actually I died with laugh ;)
That`s for the beggining.
Next- I`m not sure, what is the difference between sailboat and fibregals sailboat, but, that`s what I found once:
http://books.google.com/books?id=uNlKy795HNgC&lpg=PP1&ots=CeYSHfSqFu&dq=fibreglass%20sailboat&hl=pl&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false
allison albainy
Apply for Oprahs show...You are already great...You would win! PFFFTTTTTT! :)
Heather
I put a pinch of cinnamon in my cake in a cup. It plays nicely with the density of the chocolate.
Kayla Beth
You are so right on the cinnamon!
Joni N.
But I don't have any self-rising flour.
Jessica
I agree with Kate - I don't even know what Oprah's show giveaway is, but I'd vote for you fo' sho'!
Jessica
I second that, Oonafey. I'm shit out of luck. No microwave AND my oven doesn't work. So no Cake-in-a-cup OR plain old oven baked cake for me. Grocery store cake. That's where it's at.
Hey, Karen! Wanna add "How do you fix an oven on a 50's gas range?" to your "Ask Karen" list?
Pam'a
Ooo. That no-oven thing... A second shot of brilliance in a single sitting!! Must...break...oven...
Oonafey @ Little Pink Houses
Damn. If only I had a microwave.
Pam'a
Aiiiiiieeeeee......
Well, you may finally have found a good enough reason to GET one!
Lori
Must. Try. Now. Oh my.
Kate
AMAZING!! Plus I think you should apply for Oprah's show giveaway that she is having! I would love to watch all your blog ideas on the TV!!
Courtnet
This is genius! My kids will love it!
Sara
Occasion #1 - "Stumbling" and link clicking a week ago and found your site!
Occasion #2 - At the library a couple months ago looking at some pastry cookbooks and found "101 Recipes for Microwave Mug Cakes"...of course I checked it out. Can't believe I've had all these mugs sitting around here with nothing in them but coffee, tea and hot chocolate...pfttt
Christina
Thank you for my daily dose of laughter! x