5-Minute Mug Cake

It's not pretty. It's not elegant. It's not delicate. It's not "the best cake I've ever had." But it's pretty good. And it's hot. And it's fast. And it's chocolate. And it might be just what you needed this afternoon.Of course the biggest problem with baking is that it takes so much time. Other problems are that it takes so many ingredients, it makes so many servings (and my family won't eat it all so I either have to wait for company, eat it myself, or throw it away.) Too often if I need "just a little something" I go for something store-bought and not that good, like an Oreo or a Tootsie Roll. Ho-hum.

But. This little mug cake changes that. It was super quick to make; I didn't time it but from starting to pull the ingredients out to putting it in the microwave was probably 5 minutes or less. And then it cooks for about 3 minutes. And then you have a fresh, hot, slightly pudding-y chocolate cake ready to be spooned out and nearly-burn-your-tongue-on. If you've got ice cream, throw on a scoop. In fact, you could probably whip one of these up during a commercial break, put it in the microwave, and then run back to get it when it beeps or at the next break (if you ever actually get to sit down and watch TV. I remember those days.) So cozy. So needed.5-Minute Mug Cake
4 T cake flour or all-purpose flour
4 T sugar
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg
3 T milk
3 T oil
3 T chocolate chips
Splash of vanilla extract
1 medium-to-large mug

1. Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and vanilla, and mix again. Make sure there's nothing dry at the bottom.

2. Place mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes (at 1000 watts.) The cake will rise over the top of the mug, then sink when it's taken out. Allow to cool a little, and tip some out onto a plate or eat from the mug. Serves 1 to 2.Recipe from Fairfax Chocolate Lovers Festival Cookbook, 2009