As far as microwave cakes go, I am so often underwhelmed with the result. But this self-saucing mug pudding is definitely an exemption. It's rich, fluffy, and moist; it even rivals the classic oven-baked version! Another mug or a microwave-proof jug for the sauce: we just use a plastic jug, but if you don’t have one, you can make the sauce in another mug. The flour and the egg are added next. You’ll want to add self-raising flour, or if you only have plain flour then mix up 100 grams or a cup of flour to one teaspoon of baking powder.You can then use the required 1 and 1/2 tablespoons and keep the rest for another recipe. You can mix the batter in the mug, add the jam at the end and push it under the batter (less dishes).

Make sure when you’re stirring it all together that you mix the dates at the bottom of the mug in. Continue to stir making sure there are no lumps but don’t over-mix it.

Ingredients

Next, chop the dates. It’s possible to buy pre-chopped dates in the baking section of some supermarkets, however, I would still chop them even smaller! Can I use gluten-free flour? Yes, that is not a problem! Use the same baking powder and salt measurements above. Brown sugar: This will give your mug pudding a caramelly sweetness and provide it with moisture too.

Mix the flour, mixed spice and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Using an electric hand whisk, beat the egg white in a clean glass bowl until it forms stiff peaks, then set aside. Measuring spoons for the ingredients: Because you’re making the sponge in small amounts, you need to be quite precise with your measurements, or the texture of the pudding will be wrong. It helps to use proper measuring spoons. Large mug (or two!) for the sponge: We like to use two of our extra-large mugs. The mug will only end up being half full of sponge, but it does need room to rise while it’s in the microwave.This also limits spillage and time spent cleaning the microwave. Why is my pudding overflowing? If your pudding overflowed, you are using a mug that is too small. Use a mug which is at least 350 mL (12.5 oz), or use a small microwave-safe bowl. If your pudding starts to overflow, stop the microwave and let the pudding sink down, then resume cooking. I will be the first to admit it isn’t the prettiest of puddings when it’s still in the mug, but you can definitely just pour the sauce straight over it once it’s cooled and eat it directly from the mug.

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Can I use white sugar or caster sugar? Yes, you can substitute it equal to the amount of brown sugar in this recipe. Please note brown sugar makes the pudding softer and richer. Can I use water instead? In a pinch, yes. Though it will not be as rich and creamy, it should still be good. When you are hit with a desperate need for chocolate, this Self-saucing Chocolate Pudding in a Mug recipe will give you what you want and more! You can make this gooey, chocolate-suffused treat in just 7 minutes using just a mug and a microwave! Can I use vegan milk? Of course, you can use almond, soy, or oat milk for this recipe without changing anything else.

Why is it hard and chewy? It is likely that you have overcooked the cake. 90 seconds will be plenty of cooking time for this cake in the majority of microwaves. If you know that your microwave is more powerful than normal microwaves, reduce the power to 80%. Don't confuse the chocolate sauce for uncooked batter. When in doubt, a slightly undercooked cake is far better than an overcooked cake! These magic sponges take 10 minutes to prep and they cook in the microwave in 30 seconds flat – just enough time to plump the cushions, find the remote and make a cuppa! As I mentioned, we use quite large mugs to give the pudding room to rise in the microwave, and we like a flatter sort of pudding, but most general coffee mugs should work.Then there’s the claim from the Udny Arms Hotel in Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, who had it on the menu in 1967 too. I would definitely recommend stirring the Chocolate Chip one half way through, I didn’t and I had a giant clump of chocolate in the middle. Not a bad thing, but it did make it a bit solid! We decorated our puds with squirty cream and sprinkles, because why not?! Sugar: you can substitute brown sugar with white or caster sugar. Please note brown sugar makes the pudding softer and richer. Why did my pudding overflow? If your pudding overflowed then you are using a mug which is too small. Use a mug which is at least 350 mL (12.5 oz) or use a small microwave-safe bowl. If your pudding starts to overflow, stop the microwave and let the pudding sink down then resume cooking. Home-made cakes donʼt come much simpler than this! Spoon through zesty, spiced yogurt to reach the glorious sponge beneath.

If you’re making for two then you can just split the egg between the two mugs, but if you’re just doing for one then beaten egg will keep in the fridge covered for up to 2 days. Start by greasing the inside of the mug with butter. Some of this will melt into the mixture when you cook it but it does still help with getting the pudding out at the end if that’s what you want to do.Economical and basic it may be, but a dollop of whipped cream and strawberries will make it impressively date night-worthy! The reason for using just two tablespoons of beaten egg is that if you use the whole egg then the sponge has too much of an “eggy” taste, rather than being light and caramel flavoured.