Apple cinnamon mug cake in microwave

I am fascinated by mug cakes.I tried once or twice.No more than that.Earlier attempts failed.This time, I tried sincerely ,I think.I loved this recipe.I tweaked it & made this cake in a mug !

Ingredients : 1/4 cup atta ( whole wheat flour ) , 1 tbsp apple sauce,1 tbsp jaggery sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder, 1 tbsp Nestle coffee mate powder , 1/2 tbsp peanut butter, 1/4 tsp baking powder & oil or ghee to grease the mug.

Method : To make apple sauce, deseed & peel an apple.Chop it into 4 pieces.Pressure cook the washed apple pieces up to 1 whistle. Cool.Mash up the cooked apple.Apple sauce is ready.Keep it aside.

Take atta in a bowl.Add the Nestle Coffee mate powder,baking powder, cinnamon powder.Mix all nicely many times over.Keep aside.

Take 1 tbsp apple sauce &  1 tbsp jaggery sugar.Mix nicely.Add peanut butter & mix nicely.Add this liquid mix to the dry atta mix kept aside.No lumps should remain. The  batter thus ready , must have drop down consistency similar to consistency of idli batter.

Grease inside surface of mug with oil or ghee.

Pour the cake batter into the mug.Microwave cake batter in mug for 2 minutes. Put off microwave. Cool.Put a toothpick in the mug cake to test if it is baked. If it is wet,microwave for 30sec -1 minute.Cool & enjoy !

In the topmost snap , the cake can be seen leaving the sides of the mug.That is an indication that it is fully baked !

The mug cake was fluffy & nice.Except that cinnamon was not traceble.Next time, I must put 1/2 tsp cinnamon instead of 1/4 tsp.

This mug cake or for that any mug cake is a great idea for a quick & easy bake.It is a sumptuous snack !

Tips : I used Nestle coffee mate as I had no options..My kid had got it some time before & was lying around in the kitchen shelf. In the original recipe, milk is used. Since, I used whole wheat flour & that too 1/ 4 cup ,I used 1/4 tsp baking powder.  As Nestle coffee mate is sweet ( it has some sugar ( , I used just 1 tbsp jaggery sugar.I replaced oil in original recipe with peanut butter .One can use ghee or oil .If flaxseed meal is used or even yoghurt, then , ghee or oil or butter need not be added.Flaxseed meal or yogurt will make up for the fat content.

I have posted picture of jaggery sugar in my earlier blog post of Vegan Strawberry cake.

If batter is too watery, keep microwave on for up to 3-4 minutes, instead of 2 minutes.If batter is too semisolid, it may get done faster. Batter must have drop down consistency or be like idli batter ( dosa  batter is more watery in comparison to idli batter )

Christmas Fruit cake : alcohol free,dairy free,eggless !

I have been wanting to bake the Christmas cake which I had come across at various food blogs.Now that I have baked quite a few cakes,I thought of trying this cake out.I selected the recipe @ http://www.mariasmenu.com/desserts/eggless-kerala-christmas-fruit-cake as it uses no liquor & is eggless.I changed some ingredients & my cake is Vegan !

Ingredients :Soak dry fruits like chopped almonds,cashews,walnuts,figs,brown & black kishmis,pistachios in fruit juice overnight.I soaked 11/2 cups of mixed & chopped dry fruits in mixed fruit juice brought from store.I soaked in a glass & the juice was just  enough to drown the dry fruit mix.

Keep 1- 2tbsp multigrain atta to coat the soaked dry fruit mix before adding to batter to prevent all dry fruits from sinking to the bottom of the cake.

Dry ingredients : 11/4  cup multigrain atta ( I used Pillsbury ) ,1/2 + 1/3 cup mineral sugar ( this is brown in clour & just like white  sugar in texture though less sweeter ) ,1/2 tsp baking soda,1/2 tsp baking powder,1/4 tsp cinnamon powder,1 clove & 2 cardamom...dry roast & pound them with pestle into powder ( or use 1/8 tsp clove & cardamom powder mix ),  salt to taste.

Wet ingredients : 11/2 cup soaked dry fruit mix, 1/4 cup oil,1 tbsp white vinegar, 1/2 tbsp flax seed powder soaked in 2 tbsp water for 15-20 minutes,1 tbsp grated orange peel ,1 tsp grated ginger,1/2 tsp vanilla essence,water to make batter thinner if need be.

Mix all dry ingredients with whisk or fork nicely many times so that all ingredients are nicely mixed.Keep aside.

Mix vinegar,oil ,orange peel,grated ginger ,vanilla essence nicely.Add flax seed water mix.Mix all nicely.Pour this wet mix into  the dry mix.Mix nicely.

Add 1-2  tbsp multigrain atta to soaked  dry fruits & then add these atta coated dry fruits  to cake batter.Mix nicely so that no lumps remain..Keep aside.

Take a microwaveable vessel.Line the vessel bottom with butter paper.Pour the cake batter into the vessel.Microwave for 9-10 minutes.Put off the microwave.Let it cool for 10 minutes..Insert a knife in the middle of the cake.If knife comes out clean ,it is done.If not,microwave for 1-2 minutes more.Cool & check again.

I cut the cake today in the morning. .Still it was very crumbly.Next time,I must bake only for 9 minutes.One of my best cakes till date.I distributed to one & all as today is Christmas !