Double Chocolate Mug Cake Mix

People always ask me how someone who cooks and eats so much stays thin. It's two simple things really.

1. I walk most places. To the library, the dollar and bulk food stores, to pick up a few groceries, to my daughter's daycare. If it's close by, I go on foot.

2. I can eat junk food whenever I want, but I don't keep it in the house. We only have healthy foods and snacks here, so if we get an after dinner craving I either have to bake it myself or I have to change out of my comfy pj's and drag my butt out to the store. In winter this is even more unappealing.

It works great for me, but my husband has a sweet tooth and therefore stronger cravings. He often wants me to bake something for him, but I don't like the idea of messing up a nice clean kitchen before bed, or the idea of a whole batch of something laying around.

Then I heard about... microwave mug cakes! I tried a recipe, but it just tasted too bland and sponge like. I knew I could do better, so I modified it to taste more like real cake and not like the 'dessert' portion in a Swanson dinner.

So behold...

Double Chocolate Microwave Mug Cup Mix (single use)

1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons chocolate chips
1 tablespoon powdered milk

Big Batch (makes 4 uses)

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup powdered milk

What else you'll need

1/4 cup applesauce (or 1 egg)
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine 3/4 cup of mix with applesauce/egg in a large mug and stir well. Stir in water, oil and vanilla and mix until smooth. We have a couple of those large novelty mugs left over from the big Friends craze which work perfectly.

Microwave on high for 3 minutes, then let sit for a couple of minutes to solidify cake and keep yourself from burning your mouth off.

Delicious!!! I have found the perfect solution: my husband has a serving of cake for his sweet tooth, there are no leftovers to tempt us and this mama only has to wash one dirty mug in the morning. Everybody wins!