the easiest way to make instant cake

ok... so, at first I was skeptical when I saw a recipe for cake made in a coffee cup in the microwave, and the original recipe I found (no offense to the person who invented it) tasted like a chocolate rubber band... but, I got to thinking (being a kitchen science geek) that this idea had potential... so, E and I got to work in the kitchen and came up with 3 variations. Here they are :)

Ella's magic chocolate cake in a mug

get a standard coffee mug (about 8 to 12 ounces) and put in:

5 tbs all-purpose flour
2 slightly rounded tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
2 slightly rounded tbs sugar
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

mix these ingredients together and add

3 tbs milk
2 tbs oil
1/4 tbs vanilla
1/4 tbs white vinegar

mix it all up and heres the great part... lick the spoon or have your kid lick the spoon... no eggs, no worries

you can add come chocolate chips or nuts now if you want

put it in the microwave for 1 minute, maybe 1 and a half. check it at one though... since there are no eggs it cooks really fast... if the top is bouncy and a fork stuck in it comes out clean, its ready. Its good with a scoop of ice cream dumped right into the mug.

Version 2: Vanilla Cake with chocolate frosting

Get a coffee mug (a standard 8 or 12 ounce one works just fine) and put in:

6 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 rounded Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

mix it all up with a fork and add:

4 Tbs milk
1 Tbs oil
1/2 tsp vanilla

mix it all up really well and make sure there are no flour lumps at the bottom of the cup. Microwave it for 2 minutes and the minute it comes out of the nuke put a handfull of chocolate chips on top. Wait five minutes and your chocolate will have melted so you can spread it around for frosting. Give it a few more minutes before you eat it, or it will be very warm still.

You could forgo the chocolate at the end and after mixing everything together just before you cook it you could add a couple tablespoons of frozen wild blueberries for a blueberry muffin in a cup...

and, just to be different:

Carrot Cake in a mug

Get a large coffee mug and put in:

6 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 Tbs sugar (brown or white depending on your taste, I used brown)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

mix your dry ingredients up with a fork and then add:

4 Tbs orange juice (milk or butter milk would work too, though not be as good probably)
2 Tbs oil
1/4 tsp vanilla
3 Tbs finely grated carrot
1 Tbs chopped pecans (optional)
1 Tbs raisins (optional)

mix it all up and make sure its mixed all the way to the bottom (don't want flour lumps!) and put it in the microwave for 2 or 2 and a half minutes. Let it cool a little and eat it. It's really good with cream cheese and honey

Enjoy everybody