Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Four Ingredient Nutella Mug Cake

Posted by Kirbie / 30 comments » / Four Ingredients or Less, Mug cakes, Nutella, Recipes

I just made one of my favorite easy mug cakes even simpler and healthier. And it still tastes just as good.

My theme for this weekend was to simplify. I’ve been making a lot of cookies that require only three or four ingredients lately. The reason why they work so well is because one of the key ingredients (such as Nutella) already has many other ingredients contained inside. So instead of doubling up and adding more oil, sugar, etc, you just use what is already in the spread and add only the essentials.

I have been wanting to get back to my mug cake series and I thought the perfect way to ease in would be to simplify some of my mug cakes. So I started with one of my favorites, my pure Nutella mug cake. And I took a look at the ingredients. Did I really need all this stuff? Did I need sugar when Nutella is so sweet? Did I need more oil? Did I even need the egg? Obviously not.

I slashed out all the ingredients I didn’t think were needed and kept the essentials. Just four ingredients. This Nutella cake is delicious and healthier than the original. I know it’ll be even healthier if I make my own Nutella spread, but that also takes more time, and the whole point of mug cakes is that they are a quick fix.

The cake crumb is a little loose without the egg, but since you’re spooning it out of a mug, it shouldn’t be an issue.

The original recipe was 1015 calories (I know I know! It’s a lot. But the mug cake makes 1-2 servings, so if you share, it’s about the same as other desserts.) The new recipe is only 531 calories. So not only does the recipe become easier, but half the calories are gone too. And it tastes just as good! And if you share this one, then you’re only ingesting around 265 calories.

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Four Ingredient Nutella Mug Cake

Ingredients:

4 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup Nutella
3 tbsp fat free milk

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into an oversized mug. Mix with a small whisk until batter is smooth. Cook in microwave for about 1 minute. Sharp knife inserted should come out clean and top of cake should look done rather than gooey. If cake is not cooked in one minute, add an additional 20 seconds. Let cake cool in mug completely before eating.

 

Posted by Kirbie on March 6, 2013
30 Comments »
 

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30 Responses to “Four Ingredient Nutella Mug Cake”

  1. 1

    Piovono Polpette — March 6, 2013 @ 1:53 am

    Oh well, I’ll definitely try it after my check with my dietician this month :P

    • Kirbie replied: — March 6th, 2013 @ 9:18 am

      Hope you like it!

  2. 2

    Rachel (teacher-chef) — March 6, 2013 @ 6:28 pm

    So smart – I mean Mug Cake is SO easy to begin with, but when you get rid of 1/2 the ingredients this makes it even easier (and less calories means its ok to make it more often)!!

    GREAT

    • Kirbie replied: — March 6th, 2013 @ 11:22 pm

      Now that I made it this way, I don’t even know why I made it so complicated before.

  3. 3

    Phoebe — March 16, 2013 @ 5:13 am

    Just tried this, took me 5 minutes from start to end and it tasted pretty good! I like it with a gooey center. Thank you!

    • Kirbie replied: — March 16th, 2013 @ 5:06 pm

      Glad you enjoy it!

  4. 4

    Mimi — April 2, 2013 @ 10:26 pm

    Yum!

    • Kirbie replied: — April 3rd, 2013 @ 8:23 am

      Thanks!

  5. 5

    Eva — April 20, 2013 @ 6:22 pm

    Can you use full cream milk? I’m lazy and I don’t want to go and buy some

    • Kirbie replied: — April 21st, 2013 @ 12:28 am

      yes! it wont be as low in fat and calories but you can definitely use whole milk.

  6. 6

    Adriana — April 21, 2013 @ 12:22 pm

    Ohhh… Done it ! Failed it!! :( (
    It was all over the mug..and I used a tall one…like the one of the image..but finally had a good taste :)
    Maybe next time will be better!!!

    • Kirbie replied: — April 22nd, 2013 @ 2:11 pm

      Hmm not sure why it went all over the mug. This cake shouldn’t rise as high. But maybe try again with another mug and be careful on your baking powder measurement.

  7. 7

    Christine — April 25, 2013 @ 11:47 pm

    Could you use this recipe for cupcakes? It looks sooo good but I wanted to make mini cupcakes with them

    • Kirbie replied: — April 27th, 2013 @ 7:13 am

      I’ve never tried making mini cupcakes but i think it would be hard. the small quantity would likely overcook too fast. also i’m not sure how you would put the cupcake molds in the microwave

  8. 8

    Candy — April 26, 2013 @ 12:33 am

    I’m not gunna lie…every single time I’ve made this, I have burned the roof of my mouth because I cant wait for it to cool. And sometimes when I’m feeling indulgent I’ll add a tablespoon of peanut butter or some ice cream.

    • Kirbie replied: — April 27th, 2013 @ 7:12 am

      hehe! glad you like it so much!

  9. 9

    clare — April 27, 2013 @ 9:11 am

    by microwave do you mean the normal ones for regeating and defrozing?

    • Kirbie replied: — April 29th, 2013 @ 9:57 am

      yes

  10. 10

    Hoozzeck — May 10, 2013 @ 1:44 am

    Is it really necessary to use baking soda?

    • Kirbie replied: — May 10th, 2013 @ 8:51 am

      Baking powder, not baking soda. and yes. otherwise you’ll end up with a flat hard thing. The cake needs a rising agent.

  11. 11

    Hoozzeck — May 10, 2013 @ 1:45 am

    Oh and is it possible to substitute nutella with peanut butter? Sorry for the many questions!

    • Kirbie replied: — May 10th, 2013 @ 8:50 am

      I need to play around with a peanut butter version. I know it’s not a direct substitute because peanut butter is much thicker so you would have to play around with the measurements.

  12. 12

    Hoozzeck — May 10, 2013 @ 4:59 pm

    So in other words I can use self-raising flour too since it’s a rising agent?

    • Kirbie replied: — May 13th, 2013 @ 9:43 am

      No, I don’t know how it will turn out if you use self raising flour. Yes it has a rising agent built in, but it’s the ratio. the best ratio for this cake is using 1/4 tsp of baking powder. i believe that is higher than what you would get out of 4 tbsp of self raising flour

  13. 13

    Israa — May 11, 2013 @ 4:26 pm

    This was a complete failure :( It might have to do with the fact that I used a toaster oven instead of a microwave. I’m so upset now! Thanks for the recipe though. I’ll be sure to try it whenever I get a microwave.

    • Kirbie replied: — May 13th, 2013 @ 9:38 am

      Oh no. Yes you need to do this in a microwave and not a toaster oven.

  14. 14

    sophie — May 14, 2013 @ 5:47 am

    just did this, so awesome quick and easy! i used self raising flour and it was fine, lovely (if bad for you) snack or something to warm you up! good with whipped cream or ice cream!!

    • Kirbie replied: — May 14th, 2013 @ 8:22 am

      Glad to hear it worked with self rising flour.

  15. 15

    Isabelle — May 18, 2013 @ 4:55 am

    Hi :) You said cook in microwave right, but can i cook in oven? Because my house didn’t have the microwave. And every type of mug also can heat up?

    • Kirbie replied: — May 18th, 2013 @ 11:40 pm

      I’ve never tried in an oven. I’m not sure how it turns out.

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