5-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

 This recipe was given to me years ago.  Every now and then, when you want something sweet in a hurry, try this!

Serves 1 (or 2)

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips, optional

Small splash vanilla

Put flour, sugar and cocoa in a large, microwave-safe mug and mix well. Add egg, and mix thoroughly. Pour in milk and oil, and mix well. Add chocolate chips and vanilla, and mix again. 

Place mug in microwave and cook for three minutes at 1,000 watts (“high” on a 1,000-watt oven, lower setting for ovens with greater maximum wattage). Cake will rise over top of mug. Allow to cool a bit. Tip out onto a plate, if desired, and share with a friend or eat straight from the mug. 

Also seen here.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 My good friend’s mom, who also happened to be our 8^th grade teacher, shared this recipe in the local paper.  It’s been a favorite since. (Recently our landlords when we were living in Germany visited us and reminded me that I had shared this recipe with them.  It became one of their favorites as well.)

2 C sugar     1 tsp cinnamon

4 eggs     ½ tsp allspice

1½ C oil     2 C grated carrots

2 C flour     8 oz can crushed pineapple,

2 tsp baking soda drained

¼ tsp salt     ½ C chopped pecans

Mix sugar, eggs, and oil.  Sift dry ingredients together.  Add to batter, mix well.  Add carrots, pineapple, and nuts. 

Pour batter into 3 9” round pans or 9 x 13” pan.  

Bake at 325^o for 35-45 minutes.  Cool, then frost. 

Frosting for 3 layer cake: (make ½ for 9 x 13” size)

1 lb box confectioners sugar

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cube butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and cream cheese.  Mix in confectioner’s sugar.  Add vanilla.  Keep cake refrigerated.

Cocoa Apple Cake

One night I wanted to make this cake, but I didn’t have apples, so I adapted it by using applesauce.  It is so much easier.  I've made it with grated apples, and I prefer the one with applesauce.

Even though there isn't a lot of cocoa and chocolate chips in it, it s a chocolate cake.  Everyone wants the recipe.

1 C butter                                 1 tsp allspice

1½ C sugar                                2 C applesauce

3 eggs                                      ½ C water or coffee

2½ C flour                                ½ C chocolate chips

1 tsp baking soda                      1 C chopped walnuts

2 Tbsp cocoa                            2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

             Grease and flour a Bundt pan well.  Preheat oven to 325^o.

Cream butter and sugar.  Mix in eggs.  Sift dry ingredients.  Add to creamed mixture.  It may look a little unappetizing, but it'll be fine.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour.  Let cool slightly before turning out of pan.  Great on it's own, but even better with ice cream.

Eileen's Coffee Cake

I have made this coffee cake for over 30 years.  It is adapted from an old Sunset recipe, but I have changed and adjusted it so the recipe is now truly mine.  My students used to make a "cake mix" (through step 2 of the recipe) for the 8 x 8" size to give as gifts to their parents for the holidays.

See notes below to bake in 9”/13” pan.

Base:
            1 1/4 C flour
            3/4 C sugar
            1/4 tsp cinnamon
            1/2-1 Tbsp molasses
            1/3 C salad oil
Topping:
            1/4 C oatmeal
            1/2 tsp cinnamon
            1/4 tsp nutmeg (opt)
            1/4 C chopped nuts (opt)
Batter:
            1/2 tsp baking soda
            1/2 tsp baking powder

            1 egg
            1/2 C milk or water
            2 tsp vinegar

            In a bowl, mix together first 6 ingredients.  Remove an amount equal to the oil that was added.  (1/3 C)  This will be for the topping.  Add the nutmeg, cinnamon, oatmeal, and nuts; mix and set aside.

            To the remaining mixture, add the baking soda and baking powder.  This much can be done the night before or up to 6 weeks earlier.

            When ready to bake, combine the egg, vinegar, and liquid together in a small bowl, and then add to the main mixture.  Blend together; mixture will still be a little lumpy.  (Also, the batter is fairly thin in consistency and will not fill your pan very high, either.)  Pour into a greased and floured 8 x 8" baking pan.  Sprinkle the topping over the batter.  

Bake at 350^o oven for 25-30 minutes, or until wooden pick comes out clean.

Tastes best when served warm.

*To make in a 9 x 13" pan, double everything EXCEPT: use 2 1/4 C flour, and only 1 egg.

Nobby Apple Cake

This is a cake that my mom used to make from a Farm Journal Cookbook.

1 C sifted flour                  3 Tbsp butter or 1/4 C oil
1 tsp cinnamon                 1 C sugar
½ tsp nutmeg                    1 egg, beaten
½ tsp salt                           1/2 C chopped nuts
1 tsp baking soda              1 tsp vanilla
2-3 C diced apples

Preheat oven to 350 . Grease an 8x8” pan. Sift dry ingredients together. Peel and dice apples.

Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and mix well. Mix in dry ingredients then stir in apples, nuts, and vanilla.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. Serve hot or cold, with or without whipped cream or ice cream.