With school and studies going on in full swing, cravings can hit us at all hours. And sugar cravings are particularly common when one is doing a lot of brain work.

So to help you out with something sweet and quick to make, here is the recipe of banana mug cake that you can easily make in the microwave, needing no adult help or supervision.

It is a simple cake that is moist, sweet and delicious. Bananas are available all through the year, so why not enjoy it this way?

But the thing to note here is that mug cakes, while very easy and quick to make, are usually a bit different from the cake made in the oven. So don’t be surprised by the slight difference in its texture.

Microwave cakes should not be overcooked as they become hard from the inside, despite appearing a bit wet on the top. Generally 60 seconds is the ideal timing for most mug cakes, but each microwave is unique so you will have to adjust10-20 seconds accordingly. This you will come to know after making mug cakes a few times.

For this mug cake, I took it out after 60 seconds and it was perfect. Previously, my mug cake looked too wet and I had to cook it for 10-20 seconds more, only to end up with a rock hard cake, which still looked wet at the top! So it can be a bit tricky to get it right in the beginning, but soon you will get a hang of it.

Now let’s see how to make this cake that takes a couple of minutes of preparation and a minute to cook!

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoon flour
• 3 tablespoon sugar
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• One pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoons of chocolate chips

Topping options: Chocolate chips, Banana slices, nuts, sprinkles,

Instructions

Take a ripe banana and cut into slices. In the mug you are going to use, put the bananas, except two slices that you will use as topping later, and mash it really well. Now add in all the wet ingredients. Whisk everything together.

Now add the dry ingredients — flour, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Mix until well combined. Add the chocolate chips and mix, and top with banana slices that we kept aside earlier.

Place the mug in the microwave and cook on high for about 60 seconds. Like I mentioned earlier, you may have to cook for 10-15 seconds more if it is still not done from the inside, which you can check by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the cake is done.

You can enjoy it with more banana slices, Nutella, whipped cream, ice cream, maple syrup or honey drizzled on top. Enjoy it while still warm.

The writer Instagrams @the_experimentalcook

Published in Dawn, Young World, March 12th, 2022