For as long as I can remember, Saturday night has been Ice Cream night in my house. (Sometimes Friday too, just saying.) Not this Saturday though, I forgot to buy any and I’m out. What to do?
I looked at the ingredients in my cupboard to make cookies, but saw I didn’t have enough flour. What about a mug cake? I found a recipe online, but I’ve got no vanilla.
But I DO have lemon juice in the fridge, and some pretty potent lemon extract too.
Lemony Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp All-purpose Flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 tsp lemon extract
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp Powdered Sugar (for dusting the cake after baking)
Instructions
Combine the flour, granulated sugar & baking powder in a small bowl (not the mug you’ll be cooking it in).
Add the egg, oil, lemon juice & extract, mix the ingredients well with a fork.
Spray a mug (a large coffee mug) with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour mix into mug and microwave on High for 90 seconds. If you have a lower wattage microwave like I do (mine is 700 watts) cook 2 minutes. If you do it just right, it should be light & fluffy. Cook it too long and it will make your cake rubbery.
Eat from the mug or plop it on a plate and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.
I’m enjoying mine as I type this with a cup of cold milk.
I almost made a mug cake recently. I don't recall what dissuaded me. Probably because it was chocolate and someone else's idea. I would like lemon, with a large cup of coffee.
ReplyDeleteJoanne, you should buy some lemon juice & extract, and make one of these--I need another one, soon!
DeleteI am sorely tempted.
DeleteThat does look good, Dug. I just saw a recipe for great lemon squares on Martha Bakes (on Raku). May try them soon. Also I have a pretty good recipe for chocolate cake in a mug... which uses ingredients I always have on hand... when I get a sudden urge for chocolate! Great with a glass of milk too!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rian! I would've preferred lemon squares, but I'm not the cook you are. For a bachelor, this had to do. :^)
DeleteYou are totally amazing, Doug! I wonder what happens if you don't add vanilla. Does it alter the taste that much? I made a smoothie for lunch because the fresh blueberries really didn't look fresh anymore. I usually add yogurt but didn't have any so added extra ice cream. Since I can't taste very well, seemed fine to me. Art says it was good so I'll go with that. And... I love ice cream too.
ReplyDeleteIt's so amazing to me that you can bake something in a mug. That sounds like a lot of fun.
Thank you Kay! Well, I think the vanilla was only for flavor (for a white mug cake recipe I found online). These mug cakes can be tricky though, cook them 10 seconds too long and they're not good. Your blueberry ice cream smoothie sounded delicious, darn it I'm sorry you can't taste things that well!
DeleteYou are such a creative cook! I've never made a mug cake; it sounds very easy as long as it's not overcooked. (which I would probably do!)
ReplyDeleteThanks Margaret! Oh I feel silly for posting this 🙂
DeleteStunning! It looks lovely and tasty. I've seen "cake in a mug" pre-packaged kits at the store. My daughter-in-law tried one, and wasn't impressed and it looked horrid. Youur's looks much better, and you didn't have to buy the kit. We are impressed. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda! 🙂
DeleteThat looks amazing! I've tried chocolate cake-in-a-mug and it wasn't very nice. I like lemon flavour.
ReplyDeleteThanks River! Yeah that lemon hit the spot ☺️
DeleteThat looks DELICIOUS, Doug!!! And since my fridge is out of dessert, I'm going to make that today. I have lemon extract but not lemon juice so I'll substitute lime juice. Also, 3 tablespoons of sugar seems excessive so I'll use only 2 tablespoons. Is your photo a mug cake cut in 2 or was it 2 batches? Great tip!
ReplyDeleteThank you Florence! Listen--it wasn't too sweet with 3 tbls of granulated sugar, but I don't blame you for cutting it back a bit. Also, make sure you use a big mug because after baking it will fill the mug. That was one batch, I sliced the cake in 2 hunks after it plopped out. :^)
DeleteRoger that, Doug! I'll use three level tablespoons of granulated sugar. And a big mug. Will let you know later how mine turns out.
DeleteYou were so right, Doug! Not too sweet at all. Perfectly textured and DELICIOUS!! I can tell it would have been better using lemon juice instead of lime juice so will pick some up next grocery run. Never heard of these mug cakes before but will make plenty in the future. Also, a quick treat for drop in visitors. Thank you for sharing that Doug. Excellent tip!!!
DeleteWow! Florence thank you for the update, I'm glad it turned out so well! It sounds like yours turned out better than mine, I'm going to give this another go real soon but I think next time I'll use a little more lemon extract. 😋👍
DeleteYou had me at lemon. That really looks yummy and I always admire your cooking efforts. You are fearless and just jump in managing to make a really tasty looking dish. A natural born chef.
ReplyDeleteThanks Patti! That wasn't my recipe, I just changed it from a white cake to a lemon with what I had on hand--by the way, i'm surprised how yellow it turned out haha :^) I'm no chef though, just a desperate bachelor!
DeleteHi Doug, this looks great! I love your inventiveness in the kitchen. Never have made a mug cake but that will change!
ReplyDeleteHave a good week.❤️
Robin
Thanks Robin! Desperate times call for desperate measures :^) Just remember, it's too easy to overcook these and make a rubbery blob. Please let me know how yours turns out when you give it a go. <3
DeleteThat really does look good! And simple. And fast. It ticks ALL the boxes.
ReplyDeleteThanks Debby, you're exactly right and I felt a little guilty for blogging it--I was just surprised how much I liked it :^)
DeleteWow Doug, yours came out nice! I’ve wanted to try mug cakes but was afraid it would be a rubbery blob. Our microwave is powerful. We had hurricane Ian come thru Wednesday night. No damage besides one palm tree fell. We got our power back on Saturday morning. All is well, and now I feel like cooking! Joyce in FL
ReplyDeleteJoyce it is good to hear from you, and I am very glad you made it thru that terrible hurricane relatively unscathed! My gosh, what a real nightmare. :^( As for this little mug cake, YES I think a strong microwave will not make a good mug-cake. I usually grumble about my low-watt model from Wal-Mart, but in this case, low-watt was best.
DeleteAh, the all-important wattage! What watt is your microwave? I have one where the wattage can be varied depending on the recipe so I'd like to know in case I try your recipe.
ReplyDeleteRiver, my microwave is 700 watts--I used to have a much bigger one until I moved and only had room for a smaller oven. I'd love to get a variable wattage, I need to look into that.
DeleteYour microwave cake looks excellent. Will wonders ever cease? An instant cake. Now this is my kind of baking!
ReplyDeleteThank you Susan--I know, it is amazing what one can do with a coffee cup & microwave! :^)
DeleteHahaha. Well, I'll be darned. I'll never look at a coffee mug again without thinking of this recipe.
ReplyDeleteGigi you might want to try it for you & David sometime. It makes a big enough serving for 2. :^)
DeleteLooks good! We had our first pumpkin pie of the season last night. More to come (I hope!)
ReplyDeleteThanks Tom--hmm, I haven't had pumpkin pie in 5-6 years, now you've got me thinking of one :^)
DeleteDo you know I've never had a mug cake? Good thinking - that's a good way to enjoy your sweets. I did buy a pumpkin pie today. It's my son's favorite and I sneak a piece too.
ReplyDeleteMaebeme,I never had one either until a year ago when I saw a video on mug-pancakes (that are really good). But you're the second person who's mentioned pumpkin pie, and boy am I craving a piece now :^)
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