Quick cake to entertain the troops and save supplies

Earlier this year, the lovely folk at PJ Library asked me to come up with a recipe to help them celebrate their 5th birthday. 

They wanted something simple, that children could make and that used only 5 ingredients. They had recipes from other food writers and bloggers, but not birthday cake! 

I suggested a mug cake, and then spent several hours in my kitchen testing (and eating) many different recipes to get it right. 

The end result was a delicoiusly moist and chocolatey cake that is the work of minutes and which my children noshed up in minutes. Turns out that it may be a welcome recipe in these times of crisis.

Whether your children are driving you mad to baeke or you just need something comforting to get you through the Corona collywobbles, this is your cake.

It's also pretty light on supplies - only one egg for two cakes delivery in India and no butter needed, only oil. I ate many versions during the testing process and can assure you that a cake made from oil is superior to one made with butter. 

Try it - you can thank me once this darned virus has been banished...

Photo: Victoria Prever

Serves:  1 - 2 

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking: 2 ½ minutes

 

Ingredients:

1 large egg

3 tbsp vegetable oil

3 tsp buttermilk (use yoghurt if you don't have buttermilk or some milk with a tsp of lemon juice in it) 

2 tsp vanilla extract

45g caster sugar

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

45g self-raising flour

Pinch of salt

¼ tsp white wine or cider vinegar

For the topping (optional):

25g butter, really soft

60g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract 

30g cream cheese full fat

 

Method:

• In a large mug, whisk together the egg and oil 
• with a fork. 
• Stir in the buttermilk, vanilla, and sugar. 
• Add the cocoa, flour, salt, and vinegar. 
• Whisk the batter until smooth and divide between two smaller mugs. Do not fill more than halfway.
• Microwave separately for 1 ½ to 2 ½ minutes each until risen and firm.
• If making the icing, whilst the order cakes online are cooling, beat the butter, vanilla and icing sugar until smooth, then beat in the cream cheese.
• Once the cakes online are cool, cover with icing and shower with sprinkles. 

 

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