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.
In fact, Cake in a Cup was my very first Stumble. I was instantly hooked. I Stumbled for 17 days straight after that, surviving solely on water and Blue Diamond Almonds. For those of you who don’t know (my mother) Stumble Upon is 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. Of course it’s pretty much been banished to the back of our brains with the likes of My Space and and the tv show Alf.
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! This was the “thingamabob” all over again.
It was pretty good that StumbleUpon Cake in a Cup, but it could have been better. So I made it better.
Cake in a Cup
What to make if you have 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, it’s delicious.
CAKE IN A CUP!
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, 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 self-rising flour
- 4 Tbsps sugar
- 2 Tbsps cocoa
- 1 egg
- 3 Tbsps vegetable oil
- 3 Tbsps milk
- Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Add dry ingredients to microwaveable ceramic mug. Stir.
- Add egg, oil and milk.
- Mix well, making sure to incorporate all dry ingredients at bottom of cup.
- Top with a couple of tablespoons of chocolate chips.
- Microwave on high for 3 minutes.
Nutrition
TIP:
- If you don’t have self rising flour, substitute with 1/4 cup of flour mixed with 1 heaping 1/4 tsp of baking powder and 1/8th tsp salt.
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Rereading some older posts and came across this one. I definitely tried this first time around and it “hit the spot” as I recall. But I didn’t recall making it this way as described.
Why would you cook the dry ingredients for 3 minutes prior to adding the egg and cooking another 3 minutes?
Please review the recipe again as I think there is a mistake there.
You’re right Gigi! Thanks, that must have happened when I was transferring my old recipes into the new format where you can print them. Thx! ~ karen!
Yeah, but then I make 4 because one isn’t enough. Lol.
Works out to 1/4 tsp of baking powder, with regular flour. Thank you. The kidlets love this.
Ah! Thanks. Glad the kids like it! I haven’t made it in ages actually. Hmm … 😉 ~ karen!
I hope this works, because I am testing some recipes for my daughter’s 11th Birthday and one recipe I came upon ended up tasting like rubber and even looked like rubber.
LOL. ~ karen
Even faster cake in a cup.. here for you —
one pkg angel food cake mix – dry
one pkg chocolate cake mix – dry.
(or any flavor mix you like)
mix these two dry mixes together super duper well store,in dry store container.
Take out one coffee cup to microwave in, I spray it with Pam.. cooking spray.
3 Tablespoons of dry mix,
2 Tablespoons of water, mix quite very well.
few chocolate chips on top.
Micro for one minuit..
SHAZAM you have cake in a cup!! light and yumm. Just to add to your cake recipies… OOOH and you can give a few Tablespoons as gifts with the how too’s. easy peasie.
Your cake in a cup was calling my name tonight. I read this post a week ago, but tonight it flung itself back into the front of my mind when I was craving chocolate….
It is cooking now and the anticipation is killing me. I admit I popped a few of the chips while waiting and they were Trader Joe’s chips which I heard were at the head of the class for all chocolate chips. I had such a chocolate rush from those 2 or 3 tiny morsels that I am afraid my head will explode when I finally get my cake in a cup!
Ok, it is ready…I will be back in a jiff.
Karen, you are a goddess sent straight from chocolate late at night heaven! I threw a few more chips on top and they are all soft and melty now.
My husband has just come home, do I had my newfound cake – or run screaming with joy to share it with him….you’ll have to guess which route I took!
(I shared.)
Bridget – Hahah! Thanks for the play by play. Loved it. ~ k!
oops… i just reread this. I saw cake and got confused and forgot how to read apparently because I now see that you explained stumble upon. (your mom and i should be friends)
I feel like I am about to ask a question that is going to change my life forever. reverently whispers… What is stumble upon?
Stupid Karen. I JUST discovered your blog,showed my daughter the stupid cake in a cup recipe – and now she makes it all the time and leaves the cakey cup on the drainer and looks at me all innocent with cake moustache on her 10 year old face saying there wasn’t enough to make two. She hides the cocoa, I know it. Stupid kid.
Alyson – Sorry. I’m stupid that way. ~ karen
Karen: In response to jj’s post above, I don’t know about lowfat but how about a no fat version?
Air in a Cup.
Instructions: stare at a microwaveable ceramic cup and think hard about whether you REALLY want to bake anything cake-like in it that will just go to your hips anyway. Then, just walk away.
There you have it; the no fat version. AIR IN A CUP. Pure genius 🙂
South Beach Diet, why have you made me such a cynic? I think I need to eat cake. NOW. Excuse me for a moment while I go search the pantry.
My advice to anyone still following this thread: if you’re gonna eat cake, go for the full meal deal. In a cup no less! Carpe diem!
Shari! LOL! I like it. ~ karen
If anyone comes up with a lowfat version of this please post it!
A pinch of chili powder goes wonderful with chocolate. Chocolate anything.
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.
OMG, that is friking fabulous!! Can’t wait to try it and show my SIL!!!
I am so going to do this with my nieces when I get back to the UK.
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?
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
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.
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!
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!
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!
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
Apply for Oprahs show…You are already great…You would win! PFFFTTTTTT! 🙂
I put a pinch of cinnamon in my cake in a cup. It plays nicely with the density of the chocolate.
You are so right on the cinnamon!
But I don’t have any self-rising flour.
I agree with Kate – I don’t even know what Oprah’s show giveaway is, but I’d vote for you fo’ sho’!
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?
Ooo. That no-oven thing… A second shot of brilliance in a single sitting!! Must…break…oven…
Damn. If only I had a microwave.
Aiiiiiieeeeee……
Well, you may finally have found a good enough reason to GET one!
Must. Try. Now. Oh my.
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!!
This is genius! My kids will love it!
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
Thank you for my daily dose of laughter! x