I have this problem when I’m pregnant. Every night, the second the kids are in bed, it hits. A craving for some sort of baked good. A HOME-baked baked good. Nothing from the store will satisfy. Actually, if I’m being honest, this happens every night even when I’m not pregnant. But that isn’t such a big deal because I have much more energy and probably have something lying around that I baked earlier in the day anyway.
And if I don’t? Well, I’ve been known to bake a chocolate cake at 11 o’clock at night without batting an eye. Anything to satisfy that craving.
Unless I’m pregnant. Then I’m tired. All the time. And midnight baking might only happen somewhere in the second trimester, which we’re well past at this point.
This is where mug cakes come in.
They’ve been my saving grace for the last few weeks.
5 minutes and I’ve got a cup 0′ baked goods.
Not only that, but a relatively healthy cup o’ baked goods to boot. These cakes are so soft and full of banana flavor. The batter is swirled with Nutella and there is a lovely little melted chocolate surprise at the bottom. Topped with a scoop of coconut cream and drizzled with more Nutella. That’s how we do mug cakes around here.
These cakes are gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free. I used oat flour, which I think makes the texture even better in a mug cake than white flour….more cake-y, less sponge-y.
Ok, actually, I guess I can only say these cakes are almost refined sugar free. The batter is sweetened with a little honey, but then there are the swirls of Nutella. So….it is what it is.
These cakes get their molten lava-ness from the mini chocolate chips and hot coffee poured over the top just before cooking. I’m not a coffee drinker at all, but I do love using it in baking…it ups the chocolate flavor and adds a little something special. I keep a little container of instant coffee in my cupboard to throw in to chocolate cakes when it seems right.
If you didn’t have any around, however, hot water will work too.
For less mess and easier banana mashing, I mash the banana inside a ziploc bag with my hands and then add the other wet ingredients in and squish together inside the sealed bag. Less mess, more efficient than mashing with a fork.
These cakes would be great topped with slices of banana, I’m thinking. Then it could easily be considered a breakfast cake, right? Actually, I made these for my kids the other morning and they made a great breakfast! They loved them and gobbled them up as fast as they could….after I finished shooting the cakes, of course 😉
- ¾ C. Oat Flour
- ½ t. Baking Powder
- ⅛ t. Salt
- 1 Banana, very ripe
- 4 T. Coconut Oil, melted
- 2 T. Honey
- 2 Eggs
- 2 T. Nutella
- 2 T. Hot Coffee or Water
- 2 t. Mini Chocolate Chips
- ¼ C. Coconut Whipped Cream(add a little honey to firm coconut cream and whip)
- More Nutella for drizzling on top
- Placed the oat flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together.
- Place the peeled banana in a ziploc bag and seal. Mash the banana with the palm of your hand against the counter until smooth. Add the coconut oil, honey, and eggs to the bag, re-seal, and mix together with your hands.
- Squeeze the banana mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk together until smooth. Add the nutella and swirl through the batter until distributed in thin ribbons.
- Divide the batter between two microwavable mugs.
- Place 1 teaspoon of mini chocolate chips in the center of each mug.
- Pour 1 tablespoon of hot coffee or water over the top of the batter in each mug.
- Microwave each cake for 1 minute and 25 seconds(this can vary depending on how strong your microwave is....give or take 10 seconds. Watch it as it cooks. When it has stopped puffing up and the top no longer looks glossy it should be finished.
- Top with coconut whipped cream and a drizzle of Nutella.
