Melt-in-the-middle chocolate mug cakes are the most popular flavour for these speedy sweet treats. But this straightforward recipe fits the bill perfectly for those craving the warmth and fruitiness of homemade banana bread.
Stephanie Wilson, a cookbook author and blogger at Daily 31, shared the recipe, which promises to be "quick, easy and delicious" and has all the traditional flavours of warm banana bread. Thanks to a microwave, the "warm and cosy" dessert takes two minutes to make from scratch, using largely pantry ingredients. It's versatile, too, so you can add chopped nuts, chocolate chips or raisins for extra flavour.
The recipe caters to one cake cooked in a single mug, but you can easily scale it up to serve two or three people. Simply double or triple the quantities.
Always cook mug cakes in single portions, using either a microwave-safe mug or a bowl, to ensure speedy baking.
Regarding her recipe, Stephanie explained that the bananas should be mashed very well for a smooth batter. She noted that you can use dairy or non-dairy milk, as "both work well."
The blogger recommended brown sugar for the "best banana flavour" and said that vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon are worthwhile additions to bring out the best in the fruit.
Banana bread mug cake recipe
Ingredients
- Two tablespoons of butter melted
- 1/2 ripe large banana mashed
- Two tablespoons brown sugar
- Two tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- A pinch salt
- One tablespoon of raisins to serve (optional)
- One tablespoon of chopped nuts to serve (optional)
Measure out the butter in a microwave-safe bowl or the mug you will use for the cake, and melt the butter in the microwave.
Mash the banana thoroughly until smooth, then add to the butter, followed by the brown sugar, milk, and vanilla. Stir well with a whisk or fork until thoroughly combined.
Next, add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt (about one-quarter of a teaspoon). Stir everything well until well combined. If you wish to add a topping, you can sprinkle over the chopped nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips.
There's no need to stir these in. Depending on your microwave power, microwave the cake for 60 to 90 seconds.
Allow the mug cake to cool slightly before adding extra chopped bananas, raisins and nuts, if preferred. An additional drizzle of melted butter will finish the cake nicely, or you can add a scoop of ice cream.
