Chocolate Cake In A Mug? Who Knew??

I just discovered - IT'S CHOCOLATE CAKE DAY!!

So, I'm re-posting this fabulous recipe!

As the ultimate chocolaholic, I was skeptical. Chocolate cake in a mug? In the microwave? in 5 minutes?? Might be barely edible, but that's all.

I had all the ingredients, so why not give it a try? With about 5 minutes prep time, I popped the first mug in the microwave for 2 minutes.

After letting it cool for 10 minutes (believe me, this was hard because it smelled heavenly) I took a skeptical bite. Delicious! Amazingly delicious! How could something this easy be so good!

There are several recipes for Chocolate Mug Cake, but here's the one I spotted in the September edition of Good Housekeeping.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons flour (I used self-rising. Some recipes call for cake flour)

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (Not Dutch processed, if possible)

1 large egg

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons chocolate chips

small splash of vanilla extract

Preparation:

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in milk and oil and mix well. Add chocolate chips and vanilla extract and...you got it...mix well.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes. The cake may rise over the top of the mug (I used over-size coffee mug), but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool and tip onto plate if desired. (Hubby added vanilla ice cream to his)

Please let me know how you like it!

And, be sure to visit Janet Rudolphs's Dying For Chocolate Blog

for more great chocolate recipes!

Mary

Mary Cunningham Books

* (publisher has issued a challenge! First author to sell five books on Amazon wins a prize! Tell you friends!) Buy Cynthia's Attic on Amazon!

Kids Say...

I thought we needed something funny this morning. These should make you smile.

TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America.
MARIA: Here it is.
TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America?
CLASS: Maria.

TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.

TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'
TEACHER: No, that's wrong
GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.

TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O.
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.

TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?
GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.

TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with 'I.'
MILLIE: I is..
TEACHER: No, Millie..... Always say, 'I am.'
MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.'

TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.

TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing that we didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE: Me! (This kid has no self-esteem problems!)

What's your favorite kids joke? Please post!


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Magic In Cynthia's Attic

Do You Believe In Magic?

My first encounter with magic came to a soggy ending. I was around six-year-old, attending my first (and only) magic show. My friend, Cynthia and I got front row seats for the afternoon performance in our school auditorium. Our mothers were seated behind us.

I remember nothing about the show except for the final trick. Mr. Magic would pull a rabbit out of his top hat using nothing but a magic wand and – oh, and a volunteer from the audience. "Me! Me! Oh, please, pick me!" And, wonder of wonders...he did!

I'm not sure when my inhibition disappeared over the years, but in the first ten, I had no problem performing; ballet recitals, piano recitals, singing; magic shows. I was happy on center stage. But, back to the magic show. I performed my task – waving the wand over the black top hat –perfectly. Abracadabra... the magician pulled a beautiful white bunny out of his hat and placed it in my arms!

I grinned and searched out my mother in the audience. I'm not sure which was whiter; the bunny or Mom's face. I'm guessing her face. Needless to say, I was thrilled, and sat for the remaining few minutes of the show petting this adorable, silky rabbit. We didn't have a pet at that time, so this was perfect. He (or she) would sleep with me, visit my friends, and what a hit I'd be during show-and-tell at school!

I could tell that Cynthia was just a touch envious until...Fluffy (I've since named him Fluffy) piddled all over my lap. Ewww! I'd been 5 seconds away from letting her hold him. Funny how the excitement and glamour dissipated with my soaked dress.

I remember very little else about Fluffy. He went to a farm, I was told, on which he would live to a ripe old age. I imagined him scampering through Mr. Mcgregor's Garden, happily feasting on carrots and lettuce leaves; watering the ground behind him.


Mary Cunningham Books


I'm proud to announce the release of Book Four in the award-winning series, "Cynthia's Attic" was released by Quake (Echelon Imprint) DEC 1 2009! Buy on Amazon or from Echelon Press