Emergency Treats - Microwaved Cake and Cookie

Video HERE

I have been on a healthy eating regime for over 3 years now, but there are some occasions when you need to indulge. These recipes take just minutes to make and - as you make them yourself - you know exactly how much you have indulged without having to raid the local corner shop for chocolates and snacks.

Microwave Mug Cake

This recipe is almost infinitely variable depending on what you have in the cupboards...
[Serves 2*]
4tbsp Sugar (Brown, white, or a combination)
5tbsp Plain Flour (Swap up to 2tbsp for Cocoa if you like)
1/8tsp Baking Powder (Not required if you're using Self-Raising Flour)
2tbsp Raisins/Choc Chips/Chopped Chocolate Bar/Nuts... whatever you like
1 Egg (See note below)
2tbsp Oil (or melted butter)
2-3tbsp Dairy (Milk, yogurt, sour cream, or non-dairy alternative)

*That is, if you feel like sharing. I have tried the egg replacement techniques (mayonnaise, banana etc) but none seem to work as well. If you're nuking for 1 then you can just go with half a beaten egg and try to hold on to the rest for something else - you could use just the yolk, but I find that ends up with an excessively eggy cake.

Method:

1. Grease 2 mugs with oil or cooking spray.* 
2. Put the sugar, flour (cocoa) and baking powder into a small bowl and stir to mix.**
3. Add the raisins (or whatever), egg, oil and dairy and mix until combined.
4. Share the mixture between the mugs, filling no more than 1/2 way up.
5. Transfer to a plate*** in the microwave and nuke on HIGH for about 90 seconds.
6. The top should be puffy and look dry, if not nuke for UP-TO 30 seconds more. Too much and you'll end up with a bouncy ball.
7. CAREFULLY lift the mugs out and invert onto a serving plate. The cake should drop out with a gentle shake.
8. Serve topped with icing or yogurt or cream.

*I don't always bother, really - mainly because I like my cakes cooked slightly under and they slip out easily that way. You don't have to turn these out, they can be eaten out of the mug if you like.
**Yes, I know it's a mug-cake, but I'm cooking these in square-sided mugs which make it difficult to properly mix everything and you'll often end up with dry flour in the corners. One bowl isn't gonna break the dishwasher, trust me.
***If you've over-filled the mugs this stuff has a tendency to splurge, so either keep a constant eye on the machine and stop it if looks like it's gonna make a mess, or wash your turntable when it does.

Cookie for One

My friend actually found this recipe on Pinterest, I found it rather too sweet, so we've tweaked the ratios somewhat. This is really more of a cookie for one-and-a-half, even tweaked it is still rather rich... although that may be because we'd just scarfed a mug cake each as well...

1tbsp Butter, melted
2tsp White Sugar
2tsp Brown Sugar
2 drops Vanilla
Few grains Salt
1 Egg Yolk
4tbsp Plain Flour
2tbsp Choc Chips
Up to 2tsp Milk

Method:

1. Grease a small mug or dish.
2. Mix together the butter, sugars and vanilla, then add the yolk and salt and mix well.
3. Add the flour and stir until doughy, adding enough milk to bring it together.
4. Stir through the chocolate chips, then spoon into the dish and press into the bottom.
5. Nuke for 40 seconds-1 minute until slightly risen and firm to the touch.
6. Wait for a few minutes before scoffing topped with yogurt or cream.