Another dessert recipe? You best believe. Why? Because it’s Friday and if you’re reading this, I’m assuming God woke you up this morning. That’s MORE than enough to celebrate. So there’s that!
Back in the winter time, I shared my family-approved recipe for my red velvet cake here. That recipe is simply unbeatable when baking for large family gatherings and the like; it’s actually my go-to cake to make when I’m home for the holidays. However, what about for the rest of the year when you want quality dessert but you live alone? A recent trend of relatively small-portioned cakes in mugs, or “mug cakes,” have become extremely popular among those of us in the sweet tooth digital world. Can I be honest, though? If you haven’t actually made a mug cake before, allow me to explain them to you in a nutshell: many of them are dry. I’m not sure if this is because of an inadequate amount of butter or oil in the cake, or imbalances in the ingredients, but either way I’m not having it. Dry cake is an abomination at my house and I don’t even joke about such things. Luckily, here comes the cavalry…in the form of chocolate, of course. This brownie mug cake is absolutely perfect for those of us who live alone, or for those of y’all who simply don’t feel like sharing (you’ll end up sharing). In addition, it actually tastes good and rich because I made sure plenty of butter went into it. I gave this recipe to a couple colleagues to do as an activity with their children. Success! So without further ado, let’s talk about this recipe.
You will need:
A sifter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup white sugar
pinch of salt (literally, a pinch)
1/4 cup of water
2 heaping tablespoons of melted butter
a splash of vanilla extract
vanilla ice cream for topping (or whatever ice cream you choose. Follow your heart).
strawberries for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
1. This first step is probably the most important: sift together your flour and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. On many mug cake recipes, I notice that this step is not included in the recipe. Sifting flour in mug cakes is no less important than it is with any regular cake. In fact, sifting flour for a mug cake is probably even more important because the cake is smaller, which means any lumps of flour in it will be that more noticeable. You’ll taste those lumps more often and everything. Ew. If you’re going to make something nice for yourself, you may as well do it correctly. Don’t put in half the effort just because the recipe is simple; you deserve better. Let’s go, I’ll wait!
2. Add in your sugar and salt, and stir everything together.
3. Add in your water, butter, and vanilla in the order listed above. Stir everything together.
4. If you haven’t already, carefully pour this mixture into a microwave-safe mug, and stick it in the microwave for anytime between 1 minute to almost 2 minutes. Once a minute has passed, check on the cake every ten seconds. This is another integral step; it’s important that the cake remains spongy and moist. Overcooking it will cause it to dry, and there’s nothing more horrendous than a dry brownie. We’re trying to break the mug cake stereotype here, remember? 😉
5. Let the mug cake stand in the microwave for maybe 3-5 minutes. Then, remove it and add your favorite ice cream on top. Finish with a strawberry…or two or three or…you get it.
The taste should be smooth, chocolatey and magical, just like a traditional brownie. This is absolutely perfect for a spa night or just any regular night in. Give it a try!
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