I don’t know what we did before the blogosphere existed. No siree, I do not. We probably all sat at home on a Saturday night and whittled obscene historical dioramas. Or something.
But here’s what we certainly didn’t do. We certainly didn’t go to one of our usual blogs in a moment of boredom, then go to that blog’s alter ego, and there discover an actual recipe for a microwave cake in a mug.
Which I feel completely obliged to share with you here, mainly because if the Canadians can make delicious chocolate cakes in mugs, well, so can we. In fact, we are practically required to do so, given that Canada is some kind of subservient commonwealth possession of Great Britain and we have blitz spirit on our side. And all that being depressed about VAT increases and demonstrating against obscene tuition rises can make a person hungry.
Here’s how to do it.
Start with a big mug.
In it, put:
4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
Add:
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp oil
2 tbsp chocolate chips
a splash of vanilla
Mix it all up really well. Microwave 2.5 minutes.
And don’t blame me if it doesn’t work, I haven’t tried it because I’m not quite depraved enough. Yet.
Blame Raych. Hers looked delicious. And when I googled the recipe, about a hundred other people’s looked delicious too.
This cake in a mug thing is gonna be big. Phenomenon-wise, it’s just the sort of thing to dwarf Wikileaks.
You heard it here first.
I don’t have a microwave. Please advise.
Bake a cake.
Meg, I am stumped by the “mix it all up really well” instruction. You and I know that the entire mix will fly out of the mug all over ourselves, the floor and the counter. That’s why mixing BOWLS and cake tins were invented. Love from Betty Crocker
You’re the chef. Give it a try. Maybe you need an itsy bitsy whisk?
I’ll make it tomorrow and report back.
Itsy bitsy whisk = fork. Get with the program, people. And mixing bowls and cake tins = more dishes, which defeats the whole purpose of eating cake in a mug. Which you baked in the microwave. To avoid turning on the oven.
Sorry, oh great one. My followers are a little backward.
Your followers are over-achievey. The whole purpose of this exercise is to combine sloth with cake. It’s all the non-effort of going out to pick up a cake, but without any of the necessary putting-on-of-pants.
You’ll have to excuse them. They’re not used to cake. They’re usually thinking about, um, Proust and stuff.
Proust = madeleines, which are essentially tiny cakes.
Please forgive my zeal in this matter. I feel strongly about both laziness and cake.
Meg, I feel you should have carried out a risk assessment on this first. I’m prepared to do it, if you like? Someone’s got to.
Have to try this tomorrow. Thanks.
Previously noted on microwave cup recipes:
1. Warning: cup may become very hot.
2. Don’t forget: Avoid metallic rimmed mugs, your microwave will not like it.
This sounds like a great excuse to get out some whipped cream and mini marshmallows on top when still warm – mmm hot chocolate.
Dying to do this! I’m an official Uni student in 9 months. I feel this may get used and abused much.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mary Mayfield, Meg Rosoff. Meg Rosoff said: Chocolate Cake in a Mug http://goo.gl/fb/s3DXl [...]
OK, this is a definite one to try out over the Christmas holidays. I like the sound of Raych, she sounds like my kind of gal.
Mission accomplished! Cake made. Most batter remained in mug. Everything about it fun, made it in the time it took son to eat a sandwich. However…tastes a little spongey, not so cakey, helas. Son says there are definitely times he could use one of these emergency cakes, though. I like idea of putting the kettle on, making the cake, making coffee. Applaud the sloth to cake ratio Raych extols. Is there a recipe for book in a mug?
Bravo! We can happily rename it chocolate sponge in a mug if you prefer. Still sounds good to me.
Book in a mug! Now there’s a smashing idea.
Just think how much time for cake baking the book in a mug recipe would allow…
Oh, my mouth waters! As does my soul!
Meg! Hie thee hence into the scullery, and get out a mug!
Thanks so much for this! My 13 year old son, on the sofa with a temperature, perked up enough to watch me make this and even to eat the top inch or two. We discovered your blog after he read How I Live Now in school recently (all the way thro – not just extracts!) and really enjoyed it; and as he has just completed NaNoWriMo, your Secrets of Successful Writing went down well too – it reduces him to helpless giggles every time, in fact. Art, cake, cartoons, literature … we await your next post with delighted anticipation.
Ah, how nice to meet people with similar attention spans to mine! Makes my publisher crazy though — they’d like me to talk about books more than occasionally…..
How was the cake? My 13-year-old is about to make our first…..
Cake has been a big success, thank you: substitute soya milk and you have a dairy-free version too, for child no 2. All bases covered!
My daughter’s was fantastic. A bit sponge-y, but delicious.
Well now this looks like it would come in handy on a cold evening! Me thinks some powdered sugar on top ought to polish off this instant sponge mug delicacy! I’ve stumbled upon a website with more instant, microwavable concoctions: http://www.microwavemugcakes.com/
~ Thanks for sharing!
Wow! Even I could make that. Probably. My grandson is in hospital at the moment and yesterday the ‘play therapist’(!) came round and helped him to make Chocolate Rice Crispie cakes with a Smartie jus. Mmmm….
Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’