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As I explain in my previous post, sometimes it’s challenging to comply with food safety regulations when residents make food other people will eat. For this reason, baking mug cakes is a terrific activity. It’s easy to measure out the ingredients in advance, so each resident only handles the food they’ll eat themselves.
Activities that include baking are helpful to residents because they trigger memories and lead to reminiscing. They also use various senses, such as sight, smell, and taste. The scent of freshly baked food enhances the appetite, and residents feel a sense of accomplishment in the finished product.
I hope you’ll try out my two favorite mug cake recipes:
Luscious Vanilla Mug Cake
- 4 Tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 Tablespoon butter, softened
- 4 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Spray your mug generously with oil, then pour in the batter. Microwave for about 90 seconds.
Decadent Chocolate Mug Cake
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl, then stir in other ingredients. Spray the mug generously with oil, then pour in the batter. Microwave for about 1 minute and 45 seconds.
Provide a variety of fun toppings to decorate the mug cakes:
- candy sprinkles
- powdered sugar
- caramel sauce
- frosting
- chocolate (or another flavor) chips
- cinnamon sugar
- whipped topping
- ice cream
- coconut flakes
A few tips:
- Use a large (at least 12 oz.) mug, so the filling doesn’t run over the sides in the microwave.
- Cooking time may vary depending on your microwave. You’ll probably want to do a test run first and adjust accordingly.
- Mug cakes taste best when eaten right away.
- We like to run a knife around the edge of the cake, then flip it over onto a plate. Doing this makes more surface area available to decorate.
Do you have a favorite mug cake recipe? Please share it in the comment section. You can also find more scrumptious recipes in this mug cake cookbook available on Amazon.
Angie says
We enjoyed trying out these recipes. I personally would use a bit less vanilla in the vanilla mug cake. Maybe 1/4 tsp.
Diane says
Hi Angie,
I appreciate your feedback. Yes, this cake definitely has a vanilla flavor, so you may need to adjust according to individual tastes.