Try This: “I threw in what I had” Chocolate Cake April 20, 2008

We wanted dessert last night and we needed it quick, given that it was already bedtime when dinner prep was in progress.  My daughter suggested the famous lava cake we’ve made plenty of times.  I didn’t have quite what I wanted for it, but I remembered a recipe for a pound cake in the microwave, also from Pampered Chef.  I found that one – which is called Sunshine Cake and has citrus flavors, in their cookbook – Casual Cooking and used it for figuring out times, improvising, etc. 

Here’s what we came up with and it turned out delicious…or I wouldn’t be sharing, of course! 

 

“Throw in what you have” Chocolate Cake:

• Any chocolate, devil’s food, fudge, etc cake mix
• Eggs/oil/and just a little shy of the water it calls for (ours called for 1 1/3 cups and I used 1cup)
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1 kids cup (indiv serving size) applesauce
• 1/4 cup flavored liquid creamer (I used vanilla spiced rum)
• approx 1 cup chocolate chips (I used a mix of milk and semi-sweet chocolate)

Mix together well.  Don’t use the mixer – the batter should be thick and dense, as will be the cake.  Microwave cakes don’t rise and get fluffy like those in the oven do.  They have more of a moist pound cake type of texture. 

Pour into a bundt stone pan (or any micro safe one should work) that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Microwave on high for approx 15 minutes, turning 1/2 way through if yours doesn’t have the rotating tray in it.  It will still be a bit “wet” toward the center, but you should feel it mostly solid when a tester is poked in.  Flip while still warm onto a platter. 

I had some leftover homemade strawberry frosting in the freezer.  We served this cake with a pretty little swirl of icing to the side ( piped out of a ziploc bag) and with fresh sliced strawberries.  Any type of icing would work or ice cream or topping, etc.  It’s best to eat warm (although we agreed today that the leftovers were much better than other micro cakes we’ve had), so just serve your icing on the side so it doesn’t all melt and get messy. 

We felt pampered and quite extravagant with this dessert – a pretty big accomplishment for 15 minutes in the microwave. 

I’m sure you can mix up and experiment with flavors.  Good luck and enjoy!