Baking is a piece of cake with the simplicity of mug cake recipes, perfect for those looking to dodge the full-blown baking kerfuffle. Mug cakes are my go-to because they’re a breeze to make and satisfy those sudden dessert cravings when they hit in no time at all.
Plus, they’re a godsend for anyone who hates washing up – you won’t even need an oven, and you’ll have next to no cleaning to do. After nailing a dreamy red velvet version previously, I stumbled upon a rapid-fire carrot mug cake recipe that looked too good not to try, writes Express.co.uk’s Angela Patrone.
The recipe is courtesy of cookbook author and 31 Daily blogger Stephanie Wilson. Describing her microwavable creation, she said: “This carrot cake in a mug recipe is a three-minute microwave mug cake dessert perfect for the season. Sweet, delicious and incredibly quick and easy.”
First things first, I sorted all the ingredients and grated the right amount of carrots. Next up, I found a microwave-proof mug hefty enough to hold 300ml and gave it a light buttering.
Then, plopping the portioned-out butter into the mug, I zapped it in the microwave for about 15 seconds until it was totally melted.
What’s brilliant about this recipe is its flexibility – you can mix all the ingredients in a small bowl or directly in the mug, which was my choice.
In the mug, I stirred together the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, milk, flour, baking powder and a dash of cinnamon. I used a fork to whisk everything until it was smooth, then folded in the shredded carrots with a spatula.
The recipe suggests zapping the mixture in the microwave for between one to one and a half minutes. With my 900-watt microwave, I found the sweet spot to be around one minute and 10 seconds. However, start checking on your cake at the one-minute mark. It should look set, but be wary of overdoing it in the microwave.
Once it was ready, I crowned my carrot mug cake with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of icing sugar. The recipe also suggests a cream cheese frosting as an alternative topping, but I’m not a huge fan of that.
When it came to the taste test, the sponge was impressively moist and packed with flavour, considering how quick and easy it was to make.
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