I vividly remember my first encounter with a microwave oven back in the 1970’s. Our hostess was serving a custard-based homemade pie on her silver-rimmed china. For some reason, she decided to heat each slice separately in her brand-new microwave oven.
Silver-rimmed china is not microwave-safe, so she had to delicately transfer each slice of pie to a microwave-safe plate, gently reheat it, and then delicately transfer it back to the china…..trying desperately to keep each slice intact (which was not always successful). Looking back, this was probably not the best use for a microwave oven.
Today, microwave ovens are commonplace and used in far more appropriate ways than reheating custard pie. For my latest cookbook, Gluten-Free Cooking for Two, I knew I had to include this easy chocolate cake that is “baked” in a microwave oven in 60 seconds. It forms two perfectly-proportioned desserts, just right for two people.
This cake is so simple that anyone could whip it up. Even age-appropriate children could prepare this for Mom (or Grandma) for Mother’s Day. The best part is there’s no waiting. By the time you find a fork in the silverware drawer, this cake is ready to eat. Enjoy!
Chocolate Cake in a Cup
Text excerpted from Gluten-Free Cooking for Two ©2017 by Carol Fenster. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
These cute little individual cakes microwaved in coffee cups are just perfect for couples, and they are super quick. They can be eaten right out of the cup, once they’ve cooled a bit.
1/3 cup Carol’s Gluten-Free Flour Blend (see below)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa (not Dutch-processed)
¹/8 teaspoon (dash) baking powder
¹/8 teaspoon (dash) salt
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon water
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Powdered sugar or chocolate syrup, for garnish
[1] Generously grease 2 shallow, microwave-safe 6-ounce (¾-cup) coffee cups. (My coffee cups are 3¼ inches in diameter and 2¼ inches high. The batter may spill over the edge during baking if you use a smaller cup.)
[2] In a small bowl, whisk together the flour blend, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt until well blended, and then whisk in the egg, oil, water, and vanilla until smooth. The batter will be soft. Divide the batter between the two coffee cups and place the cups on saucers or plates to catch any drips.
[3] Microwave on medium-high (70%) power for 50 to 60 seconds. The cakes are done when they look firm and are no longer shiny on top. They will continue to cook after they are out of the microwave. The cooking time may vary depending on the wattage of your microwave oven. Cool slightly before eating right out of the cup, dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with chocolate syrup — or both!
Makes 2 cakes
Per cake: 335 calories; 5g protein; 17g total fat; 3g fiber; 42g carbohydrates; 94mg cholesterol; 215mg sodium
Carol’s Gluten-Free Flour Blend
1 ½ cups brown rice flour (or sorghum flour)
1 ½ cups potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour
Whisk together until thoroughly blended. Store, tightly covered, in a dark, dry place for up to 3 months.