For the past year or so, I’ve been hearing a lot about mug cakes. It was probably Kelly who first told me about them, then I started seeing them on cooking websites. They are little cakes, made for one or two people, that you put together quickly & cook in a mug in the microwave. They are perfect for those times when you don’t want or need an entire cake sitting around tempting you. And those times when you want to have something sweet, right away. Or the times . . . well, you get the picture.

I’ve collected a variety of different mug cake recipes over the past few months but I didn’t try any of them out until this past weekend. We had just come back from the warmth of Florida and I wanted to encourage the sunshine that I had been basking in for the previous week to come up & join us in the Northeast. A Lemon Mug Cake seemed like the right way to do that. With the beginning of Daylight Savings time and the temperatures in the 40s (at least for this week), I’m hoping spring and sun-filled days are right around the corner!

Lemon Mug Cake  (adapted from cooking.com) Time required: 10 minutes, makes  2 mug cakes

Ingredients:

• For Cake Batter:
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons white chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk, regular or almond
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• For Lemon Syrup:
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon water

• For Glaze:
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• up to 1 teaspoon water

Directions:

Lightly grease two 10-ounce microwave-safe mugs and set them aside.

In a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl, microwave the oil and the white chocolate chips together until just melted, about 30 seconds on high. Stir them together until they are smooth.

Add the sugar and stir. Stir in the milk, lemon juice, almond extract and zest. Beat in the egg with a fork.

Add the flour, baking powder and salt and stir until the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between two mugs, about 4 ounces in each, filling the mugs no more than halfway.

Microwave one mug at a time for 60 seconds each. The cake will fall and may appear wet, but it should spring back to the touch. If it is not done, microwave in 10 second bursts, checking for doneness. Do not over cook or the cake will become tough and spongy.

Make the Lemon Syrup: Combine the sugar, lemon juice and water in a microwave safe container for 30 seconds. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Poke holes in the cakes with a long cake tester or a tooth pick then spoon half of the hot syrup over each cake. Allow the cakes to cool slightly and set up.

For the Glaze: Stir together the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Add up to a teaspoon of water, a little at a time, to achieve the desired consistency. Alternatively, dust the cakes with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

Times suggested in the recipe are for a 650-watt microwave oven. More powerful microwaves will require less cooking time.

Bring on the sunshine & warmer weather!  ~Linda

Lemon Mug Cake  (adapted from cooking.com) Time required: 10 minutes, makes  2 mug cakes

Ingredients:

• For Cake Batter:
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons white chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk, regular or almond
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• For Lemon Syrup:
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon water

• For Glaze:
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• up to 1 teaspoon water

Directions:

Lightly grease two 10-ounce microwave-safe mugs and set them aside.

In a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl, microwave the oil and the white chocolate chips together until just melted, about 30 seconds on high. Stir them together until they are smooth. Add the sugar and stir. Stir in the milk, lemon juice, almond extract and zest. Beat in the egg with a fork. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and stir until the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between two mugs, about 4 ounces in each, filling the mugs no more than halfway. Microwave one mug at a time for 60 seconds each. The cake will fall and may appear wet, but it should spring back to the touch. If it is not done, microwave in 10 second bursts, checking for doneness. Do not over cook or the cake will become tough and spongy.

Make the Lemon Syrup: Combine the sugar, lemon juice and water in a microwave safe container for 30 seconds. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Poke holes in the cakes with a long cake tester or a tooth pick then spoon half of the hot syrup over each cake. Allow the cakes to cool slightly and set up.

For the Glaze: Stir together the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Add up to a teaspoon of water, a little at a time, to achieve the desired consistency. Alternatively, dust the cakes with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

Times suggested in the recipe are for a 650-watt microwave oven. More powerful microwaves will require less cooking time.