Microwave Mug Cake

I love plums but the rest of my family aren’t fans so this recipe was perfect for me. I loved the combination of plums and cinnamon and the ease with which the cake came together. The cake was a good texture—just the right amount of loft. It was not at all rubbery or dense like some microwave cakes can be. The cake was nicely sweet which contrasted with the tart plums. I used a 12-ounce mug, which was just barely big enough. My parchment paper stuck out about 2 inches above the edge of the cup and supported the rising cake, but it might have overflowed if I hadn’t had as much extra parchment. I checked the cake after 2 minutes, but it started to collapse, so I quickly closed the door and started the microwave again. After 3 minutes, the cake was set and sprang back when I touched the top. I let it cool about 5 minutes before I tasted it, but it was still hot. After 10 minutes it was the perfect temperature. I drizzled the warm cake with heavy cream, which added a nice bit of richness and creaminess. Ice cream would have been good, too, but it would have added more sweetness, which would have been too much for me. I would like more fruit, maybe even twice as much. (Next time, I might use twice the plums and divide the mixture between 2 mugs to make a couple smaller cakes.) I had some cake left over and ate it the next day. The texture was a little denser than it had been when the cake was warm, but it was still very good.

This yummy mug cake recipe is the perfect solution for when you need a quick fix for that sweet tooth. It’s a quick and easy recipe that has you eating cake in 12 minutes! It’s also a good basic mug cake recipe—you could leave out the plums and add any other fruit or chocolate to accommodate whatever it is you may be craving. I ended up making two mug cakes so I could use up the extra egg. The plum cooked nicely in the microwave. I do think it could be mixed with the cinnamon and sugar to get it more incorporated. I did get some crispy bits of pure sugar that didn’t dissolve or mix in with the plum.

This upside-down plum cake is a fantastic option for dessert on a warm summer evening. You don’t have to turn on the oven to enjoy it and you can enjoy it all summer long with different stone fruit as the season progresses. I liked that it was pretty quick to put together and only takes 3 minutes in the microwave to bake. My microwave is 1050W so it may have been done sooner than that, but it wasn’t rubbery or overdone when I took it out after 3 minutes. I let the cake cool for 5 minutes, but probably should have let it cool for 5 more minutes. (It was really hot! But we were impatient and didn’t want to wait.) The cake had a soft, springy texture and a simple flavor that complemented the sweet, juicy plum topping. We ate the cake unadorned, though whipped cream or vanilla ice cream would have been lovely. I would also, most likely, share this cake with my husband instead of making 2 next time and add a scoop of ice cream to each. It was quite a large portion for me, though he would probably rather have his own.

Freshly “baked” warm cake just for you—if that doesn’t sound delightful, I don’t know what does! I couldn’t have tested this upside-down plum cake recipe at a better time as beautiful stone fruits had just become available at the market and the hot weather was making me reluctant to turn on the oven. I love experimenting (and cake!) so I tested the recipe twice, following the recipe exactly the first time, and with some adjustments the second time. I found that 3 minutes was too long in my 1100w microwave oven; 2 minutes was just perfect. Letting the cake cool for good 5 minutes made a better presentation; the fruit started to slide off the cake immediately when too warm. Lastly, I completely omitted the sugar for the plums the second time. The fruit was plenty sweet and didn’t need any additional sugar. I used 2 black plums and the mug was able to accommodate all the slices.

The word “cake” conjures up a different picture for different people. For many, the word is synonymous with “birthday cake” and this picture consists of two layers and thick frosting. In my family, however, birthday cakes were different. I had the good fortune to be born in early May, so strawberry shortcake was usually my birthday cake of choice. For my mother, however, celebrating a late August birthday meant plum cake. We were lucky that her birthday coincided with the very limited time when tiny Italian prune plums were available in the local market. And even though it meant heating up the oven in summer, plum cake was the order of the day. She would have loved having a recipe that would allow her to have her favorite cake in less time than it would take to preheat the oven. The sponge-like consistency of this cake would let it successfully compete with the more time consuming big cake. And the size is perfect for one or two. I have a 1100-watt microwave. My cook time was 2 minutes, 20 seconds on high power. At that point the cake had shiny damp spots on top but was firm, not liquid. The damp spots disappeared during cooling. This makes 2 servings, especially if served with ice cream.

We ABSOLUTELY loved this little microwaved gem of a mug cake. It takes just a couple of minutes to make and works surprisingly well. It has GREAT flavor. Remember this is a cake baked in a microwave and made in well under 10 minutes, so don’t expect a bakery-quality masterpiece. But we found it to have a fine texture and it feeds 2 people nicely. I made this in a 12-ounce ramekin and it was a perfect fit. I finished it with a little homemade whipped cream. The entire affair was delightful!

So easy to make and the perfect recipe for just one! The mug cake is a light sponge with a cinnamon flavor and juicy plums give it a fresh taste. Eat it right after you bake it (just let it cool for a few minutes first).