Mugging It Up!

By Gini Rainey

We all have them – those friends that we love to entertain, but who don’t always like the same things as everyone else.  It would so boring if we all like the same things, but sometimes that bit of individualism can throw a veritable wrench into the planning of a dinner party or get-together.  Imagine if you will, trying to please all of them at the same time!  Impossible, you say?  Well, when it comes to dessert, here is a great idea that I came up with when I got a few new cookbooks this week.  What if you had, oh, I don’t know, maybe six people with completely different tastes, sitting around your dinner table and you could serve each one of them a dessert that would please them all.  Impossible, you say?

Well, there’s a cookbook available that can help you achieve that plan!  Mug Cakes is a colorful 168 page cookbook written by Leslie Bilderback and published in 2013 by St. Martin’s Griffin.  With everything from the wonderfully rich Red Velvet Mug Cake to a savory Apple-Rosemary Mug Cake or a spicy Chocolate-Pasilla Chile Mug Cake, this book will have you pouring enough batter into a mug or two and popping them into your micro-wave to please even your most picky guest.

While these cakes don’t have to be micro-waved in a mug, they do need to be baked in a micro-wave safe container.  Most of the recipes will make two mug-cakes when using the size of mug you come across in nearly every souvenir shop.  Your baking dish is only limited by your imagination. For instance, there is a recipe for Red, White, and Blueberry Mug Cake pictured in small mason jars – perfect for that Fourth of July picnic. The only cautionary is to be sure to not fill the mug/glass/container more than half full and to remember that different containers will require different cooking times and just think of the look of amazement on your guests faces when you present them with a tray full of several yummy choices of desserts!

Believe it or not, the recipe that caught my eye was for a Chocolate-Raspberry Mug Cake.  Start out by microwaving 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and ¼ cup dark chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet) for 30 to 60 seconds until melted.  Now whisk with a fork to combine, then whisk in 1 large egg.  Stir in 3 ½ tablespoons of milk, ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.  Add 2 tablespoons self-rising flour and a pinch of kosher salt and fold in ¼ cup fresh or frozen raspberries.  Divide the batter between two mugs and microwave separately for 1 ½ to 2 ½ minutes until risen and firm.  Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate whipped cream, or chocolate ganache and, of course, a couple of fresh raspberries.  OMG this sounds amazing – and so easy.