Almost instant Chocolate Cake in a Coffee Mug

By now most of the free world has gotten the email "Incredible Chocolate Cake in a Mug" email and recipe.  Or a variation there of.  It claims to be the most perfect cake for one jonesing for some chocolate.  All told it was 6 minutes from start to tasting which is really fast.

I got the email again for the umpteenth time.  I decided what the heck, lets try it.  Looking at it closely I figured that it is more like a cakey brownie rather than a real cake.  What was missing was a leavening agent.  Hence I added a bit of baking powder and salt to get it to take off with a lighter crumb and texture.  I'm glad I did as what I got was still pretty rubbery.  I think that is why those microwave snack cakes years ago never took off...texture was wrong.   I won't bother with it again but would be interested in hearing from anyone who tried and is addicted to the stuff.  

I still have to laugh at the punch line at the end.   The em quote: "And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night !!!"   I mean really, this isn't that good and you are much better off just grabbing a few chocolate chips out of the pantry and save yourself the bother.   

The recipe with my two minor changes:

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

• 4 tablespoons flour 
  
• 4 tablespoons sugar 
  
• 2 tablespoons cocoa 
  
• 1 egg 
  
• 3 tablespoons milk 
  
• 3 tablespoons oil 
  
• 3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional) 
  
• A small splash of vanilla extract 
  
• pinch salt
  
• pinch baking powder
  
• 1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)
  

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.. 

Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. 

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.  Then EAT!  (This can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

They weren't kidding that it rises out of the mug, but they didn't warn us it would be so nasty looking as it popped out of its baking sheath.

I cheated also with the recipe, I premixed it in a bowl to make sure I had nothing stuck on the mug itself, or had lumps or had stuff at the bottom that never got mixed in.  My two shiny copper bits...skip it and grab a handful of chips to quash the chocolate craving.