Mug Cakes!!!

Published in 425 magazine November 2015, photos by Michael Kartes

MUG CAKES a.k.a. THE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT TREAT

It’s late, it’s been a heck of a day; you’re tired, your sweet tooth is ON, and you are rummaging through the cupboards, about to eat a spoonful of peanut butter and some old raisins just to keep the beast at bay.  Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, you remember last night, aimlessly scrolling through Pinterest, imagining that you’re the genius party planner, the artsy mom who fabricates crazy-cool hair bows on the side, the industrious thrift-store scavenger reupholstering mid-mod dining chairs.  And what’s this, Pinterest? What’s this delectable delight?  The MUG CAKE!  Forty-five seconds to molten bliss.  You are skeptical but desperate, so you give it a go.  Flour – check! – you’ve got a bag of flour.  Sugar, sure, everyone’s got sugar.  No eggs…grrr.  Wait!  No problem; Pinterest said this is better.  Butter?  Well duh, you’ve got butter AND that peanut butter…stand by.  Cocoa powder, do we have this?  Aunt Edna brought cocoa powder last Christmas for REAL HOT COCOA.  You find it and get to mixing in your mug.  Mind explosion!  The day’s woes slip away like silk sheet.  You say, “Self, am I really having a brownie-like cake right now?  Three minutes ago, I was about to lick the sides of the empty maple syrup container, and now I’M SAVED…by what is basically an Easy-Bake Oven treat for grown-ups.  Nice job, self…”

INGREDIENTS

3 Tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. soft butter

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. milk

1 Tbsp. liquid mix-in (peanut butter, hot fudge, Nutella, etc.)

1 pinch of salt

1 Tbsp. cocoa powder

¼ tsp. baking powder

Pick a heat-proof 12 oz. mug.  Mix dry ingredients in the mug, then add all wet ingredients.  Mix. It may seem like there isn’t enough moisture – don’t add more, just keep mixing.  Mix until thick.  Push batter into bottom of the mug.  Microwave for 45 seconds, no more than one minute.  Add mix-ins to your heart’s content:  nuts, candy, chocolate chips, etc.  Enjoy.