LOL that's dangerous information!

Oh lawd.

Well I was quicker on the draw to try this than blowing hard boiled eggs.

Try as I did it took 5 minutes just to prep prior to the 3 minutes in the mw. So if it were to make my file I would have to rename it 8 minute chocolate cake.

But alas it will not make my file. I guess some things are worth waiting for. Could not even get the kids to eat it.

Good times.

foodonastump? What was it like? Was it the texture you didn't care for or the taste? Tell us!

Shaun, I would really have to say "everything". It had kind of a styrofoamy texture (I am having a hard time thinking of a better description), it was not particularly chocolatey despite using the optional chips, it just really was not good.

Try it for yourself if you have the ingredients on hand - it was kind of fun despite the outcome. And do use a large mug as noted in the recipe.

p.s. cooksnews - Being as this was "Bertha's" recipe I trust I am not insulting you here. Otherwise I would have kept my comments to myself!

cooksnews: did you try it yourself?
Foodonastump: Why wouldn't the kids try it? Did it look weird?
I'll put my son to the task and report back once we try it out. I know, cooksnews says we can stop everything and throw this thing together, but it will take me at least 5 minutes to get all the ingredients assembled. I need to climb to the highest height to reach the cocoa and bend to the lower cabinet shelf for the flour. Vanilla, who knows where that is?

Oh they tried it. They did not complain, but they also did not ask for a second bite. (We were sharing right out of the mug.)

I've heard about this recipe and a quick search convinced me to pass (yet I tried the boiled egg trick, go figure).If you have the time, read the following link about this recipe. It is really funny.
Jo

Here is a link that might be useful: worth the read about 5 min. cake

Jo - LMAO!!!! Great read - It was worth reading to the bottom to see that egg/salsa picture!

The comment, "There isn't really much flavour, and the texture is identical to foam rubber" pretty much sums it up for me.

I am suprised the stoners liked it. I cannot imagine it pairing nicely with cottonmouth.

I just read my own post and didn't realize the link had 3 pages. It is a classic.
Jo

Here's a link with photos

Here is a link that might be useful: 5 minute cake

It's clear from the feedback that this doesn't produce a good result, so my question is:
Can we do a better quick chocolate cake?

Here is my attempt. It is based on a chocolate cake recipe from the New Joy of Cooking. That's my go to chocolate cake recipe and I already had the ingredients in a spread sheet for scaling. It is a classic war-time ration saving recipe with vinegar and baking soda for leavening and no milk or eggs. That allows it to use only baking center non-perishable ingredients for quick preparation.

All ingredients were roughly measured - no fussing with leveling. Note that 4 tbsp = 1/4 cup so for speed I used a 1/4 cup dry measure for the flour and sugar - filling it about full for the flour and about 3/4 for the sugar. I didn't measure the chocolate chips - just gave a good shake of the bag.

For baking, I found the idea of a mug shaped tower kind of repulsive and figured that things cook better in a microwave flatter anyway - I used a Chinese bowl that holds about 2.5 cups. I also baked it in the toaster oven in two Fiestaware ramekins to check the difference - they were just what came quickly to hand and I wasn't sure it would fit in one. Another time, I think I would use a single larger bowl so I could mix it in the bowl.

So here goes:
Cloud Swift's Quick Chocolate Cake rev 1
modified from The New Joy of Cooking Vegan Chocolate Cake

4 tbsp (1/4 cup) flour
3 tbsp (a short 1/4 cup) sugar
1 tbsp cocoa
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
some mini chocolate chips
scant 3 tbsp cold water
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp white vinegar
splash vanilla

If baking in a toaster oven, set to 400 F.

Put flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips in the bowl and give it a stir.

Add water, veg oil, vinegar and vanilla and mix.

Bake in microwave 2 to 2.5 minutes on high, or
bake in oven 10-15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

The results
It took me 4 to 5 minutes to put together. With practice, I might get faster. 3 minutes in my microwave on high made over done so I reduced the time above.

The flavor of the mircowaved bowl was very chocolate and texture was okay. I think it would have been good if it hadn't over-cooked. So, if I had to have cake in 6 or 7 minutes, it would do.

But the prep time for the baked cake was the same and the texture and flavor were really good (IIDSSM) - so if one can defer gratification another 12 minutes, baking is the way to go.

I found this microwave cake recipe in my "desserts" file, not sure where it came from so if it's YOURS, thank you for posting it! I have not tried this yet but here is the recipe:

1 Box Cake Mix
1 Egg
1 Can Pie Filling

Mix all ingredients together (it will be VERY thick)
Spoon into a microwaveable BUNDT cake pan
Microwave on high for twelve minutes
Remove and let sit for a few minutes
(It will finish cooking as it sits)

Another thought. Comments about the rubbery texture were attributed to the egg. Suggestions included using part of the egg, egg whites or powdered eggwhites. I am going to try it with meringue powder.

Jo

My boychic may still try it but after reading more about it we thought we would look for some alternatives. For one thing, 3 minutes is way too long in the microwave. It looked pretty gross in the pictures. What about using cupcake pans. And there probably should be more cocoa and less sugar. We use 2 T. sugar with a cup of flour for pancakes, for instance. The whole egg may be necessary. Anyway, this is for some other time, when we have nothing interesting to do. Right now I should be grading papers for a course I am teaching this month. That's why I am so busy reading the cooking forum, I guess.

Gee, this one isn't exactly getting enthusiastic raves! I've made it twice so far, and I really don't think it's that bad. OK, let me qualify...for a cake-like thing baked in a microwave, it's pretty good. I'm not a fan of micro muffins or brownies, and if this one looks kinda funny (obscene?) as it grows out of the mug, well, that's the nature of micro-baking, isn't it?

The other linked discussions re this recipe are very entertaining, so much so that my family had to WAIT for their reheated leftovers tonight... I think a common cause of failure was the use of choc drink powder instead of real cocoa (don't want to even think about strawberry Quik!). Also, microwave ovens come in a wide variety of power ratings, so cookings times may vary.

This is NOT my best or fav chocolate cake recipe. But I'll keep it around for those emergencies when one NEEDS a quick choc fix. (And since I'll be gutting my kitchen for a total reno next month, there will surely be many such occasions). I can do this one in less than 5 min, since cocoa and choc chips will always be centre-front-eye-level in my pantry. Hmmm, I think I'll do some experimenting for a variant for some of my best friends who are on choc-restricted diets.

By reading the comments from Jessy's link, I found recipes for spice and peanut butter/chocolate mug cakes. I think I will try this with my kids. At least it will be fun for them, even if it isn't the best-tasting cake in the world.
Lisa

cooksnews: Point well taken! This was a fun thread that provided some comic relief and a good break from work I needed to do. If you find some variations share the results with us. And it probably is a nice afternoon activity to do with kids on a rainy day. (or anyone who is not too fussy about where their chocolate fix comes from.)

cooksnews, you might try my version. It only has two more ingredients and goes together very quickly. It can be microwaved, but if you have a toaster oven available during your remodel, and take 10 more minutes for cooking that way, it will taste even better.

The more I think about it, maybe it is not such a great idea to have a quick chocolate cake solution. Too tempting!

By the way - I seem to have started a common typo: It is cooksnsews (as in cooks and sews), not cooksnews (cook's news). Thought I would correct it since I caused it.

OH, oops and sorry cooksnsews!

Do you mean to tell me it's not cook 'n' snooze?

I stand corrected.

Jim

When I first posted this recipe, I had no idea I would spend more than 5 minutes considering its possibilities. Can you believe I've spent the past hour playing with variations and options?

First, I tried Cloud Swift's version. Frankly, I found it a tad dry. I microwaved it, so as to give the most effective side-by-side comparason (besides, I don't like the bake feature in my toaster oven, a small appliance that may not survive the transfer to the new kitchen).

My following experiments were cocoa free attempts for two of my sewing buddies (yes, I sew when I can escape from the kitchen). I'm so glad none of them are gluten intolerant....#1 was a burnt sugar butterscotch type thing. I micro'd 2 tbsp butter with 3 tbsp brown sugar, then mixed in an egg, 3 tbsp milk, 6 tbsp flour, plus vanilla extract. It was OK, but bland. If I had some of those little butterscotch baking chips, or even some chopped walnuts, I'd have added those.

Next, and most successful, if I may say so, was the orange poppyseed log. BTW, I cut down on the sugar and fat of these two experiments, as recommended by a few critics. The slightly reduced volume is just enough to keep the mixture from jumping out of my mug during the bake process. Anyway, for this one, I used 5 tbsp flour, 3 tbsp sugar, egg, 3 tbsp milk, 2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp poppyseeds, and a spash of orange extract.

Samples of each are sitting on the kitchen counter, awaiting the teenaged son to return from work.

For myself, I still prefer chocolate. Also the texture resulting from the egg and milk, ingredients that I always have on hand. Once again, it is a huge mistake to compare these to real baking. If I have to make enough cake for more than myself, I'll use a more conventional method. If I make a more conventional cake for just myself, I'll eat the whole thing anyway, and that will precipitate other consequences...

Trader Joe carries frozen chocolate lava cakes and they are ready in the microwave in a minute and a half, so I'm told...

Did anyone see the calorie breakdown for this little gem? See the link left by Glenda, go to jana 7/17/08.

My step-mother just sent me this recipe. She said it was so GOOD she ate the whole thing. Hmmm, never again-it was as tasteless, dense and not worth the calories.

Jojoco, funny read, especially after tasting the cake!