DANGER! DANGER!: A quick and personal chocolate cake

Do you have the recipe for the most dangerous cake in the world — warm chocolate cake that bakes in the microwave in three minutes?

A friend shared this with me and I must admit it made me curious. All you need is a large microwavable coffee mug and some basic pantry ingredients. Therein lies the danger! You are now only five
minutes, (includes prep time), away from indulging in fresh chocolate cake any time of day or night!

Obtaining the recipe challenged me to create my own version of this quick-to-make chocolate cake. My husband “suffered through” days and nights of trials and errors until I came up with the perfect
formula that scaled-down the calories in this dangerously convenient dessert.

I was able to eliminate the egg and oil by substituting applesauce. Two tablespoons of wheat flour replaced half of the white flour; of course, this is optional and only convenient if you keep wheat flour on
hand. For my creation, two tablespoons of chocolate chips were adequate, vanilla was unnecessary, and only one and one-half tablespoons of cocoa powder were needed.

My purpose? To cut the fat and cholesterol in a dessert that may become addictive! What could be handier than having a recipe for one, or possibly two, which takes five minutes to prepare and results in
a satiated sweet tooth?

I have included the original recipe with my version to give you an option.

5-MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE (Low-fat version)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

4 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ tablespoons Hershey’s cocoa

1 tablespoon low fat milk

1 (3.9-oz.) single-serving unsweetened applesauce

2 tablespoons chocolate chips

Combine white and whole wheat flour, sugar, and cocoa in large coffee mug; mix until blended. [Use a chopstick for easy mixing!] Stir in milk, applesauce; blend thoroughly. Add chocolate chips and mix
again. Put mug in microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts; older microwaves may take a minute or 2 more. (Low fat version does not rise.) Allow to cool, loosen with knife, and tip onto plate.
Even better served with a spoonful of vanilla yogurt!

5-MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE (original)

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons Hershey’s cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips

Dash of vanilla extract

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in milk and oil and mix well. Add chocolate chips and vanilla and mix again. Place mug in microwave and cook for 3 minutes
at 1000 watts. (Don’t be alarmed — the cake will rise over top of mug.) Allow to cool and tip onto serving plate or eat right out of the mug if desired. Enjoy with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream!

Mary Ann Kauchak’s third cookbook, “SHORTCUTS, TOO” is available at Mom’s Apple Pie in Occoquan. She can be reached at makauchak@comcast.net.