Recipe: Microwave Mug Cakes

Not living at home with full access to mum’s cupboards can prove a struggle for the keen baking enthusiasts among us. Hence why these 3 SUPER EASY recipes: Brownie in a mug, flapjack in a mug, and cake in a mug – are a necessity for all students (especially those who enjoy creating, and eating baked goods!):

 

1. Brownie in a mug

This is my personal favourite. Though the quantities can be altered to taste, I tend to use:

• 2 heaped spoonfuls of sugar
• 1 heaped spoonful of flour
• 1 heaped spoon of cocoa powder
• A pinch of baking powder
• A shallow spoon of vegetable oil / melted butter
• 1-2 spoons of water (NB: just enough to make the mixture runny)

(Whether this is a teaspoon, regular spoon or serving spoon, I will leave to your discretion.)

1. Combine the ingredients and stir until the mixture is a smooth consistency
2. Bake for 20 second intervals (stirring intermittently), until the brownie reaches desired consistency….. And voila!

Top Tip: Feel free to stir in chocolate lumps, ice cream, fruit, raisins… the possibilities are endless!

2. Flapjack in a mug

This one really is easy. A versatile fibre-filled snack – where can you go wrong?!

Ingredients:

• 2 parts sugar
• 2 parts butter
• 1 part honey or golden syrup
• 4 parts oats (use porridge oats for optimum results)

Method:

1. Melt the sugar and butter together in the microwave (the amount of time varies to quantity, so make sure you keep an eye on it! It shouldn’t take much longer than 30 seconds).
2. Once fully melted stir in the syrup / honey until combined; then add the oats.
3. Cook for a further 30 – 60 seconds – you should see small bubbles appearing on the surface. Like the brownie this will also taste great with added extras, raisins being my personal favourite! These can be added with, or after the oats.

Top tip: Add the oats gradually – less oats will make for a gooier flapjack. This way you can enjoy the flapjack to your own personal preference.

3. Vanilla cake in a mug

Ingredients:

• 5 table spoons self-raising flour
• 2 table spoons sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 table spoons milk (full fat is the best… but not a necessity)
• 3 table spoons vegetable/sunflower oil
• Vanilla extract

Method:

1. Mix the flour and sugar together, then add the egg, oil, and milk.
2. Stir until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency, then add the vanilla essence.
3. Bake for 2-3 minutes, or until the cake is slightly browned and firm on top – watching to make sure the cake doesn’t overflow!

Top tip: Unless you have an excessively large mug, split the mixture into two to prevent it from overflowing! Feel free to cook simultaneously or separately, but bear in mind that if you do them separately it will take less time to cook.

Top tip 2: If you want to make it chocolate cake substitute one or two of the table spoons of flour for cocoa powder!

 

These are arguably the most mess-free/yummiest/easiest/fastest recipes of all time, so try them, love them, and pass them on!