When the mug cake craze started a couple of years ago, I thought, “Who would want to make only a single serving of cake when they could make a whole cake and have some cake to eat for several days?!”
Who indeed? Perhaps someone (like myself) who has a problem controlling herself when there are yummy baked goods in the house, someone who can pretty easily deceive herself by saying, “Just one more tiny slice . . . ”
Now that my metabolism has slowed down and my weight wants to creep up, I have really tried to not have whole baked cakes, pies, a pan of brownies, etc., in the house. I am the guilty party who will eat the entire thing by myself, piece by piece, but telling myself with each bite, “This is the last one, NO MORE!”
Thus, the mug cake has become a way for me to have a small serving of a “baked” dessert without totally ruining my good-eating intentions for the day. Nutritionally, it does have a small amount of sugar in it from the pancake mix, about 4g, and then the naturally occurring sugar in the apple.
But like everything else in eating for diabetes, it is all about balance. I count this as 1 1/2 carb servings, 1 fruit serving, and one fat.
I really love to add a small scoop (1/4 c.) of sugar-free vanilla ice cream on top of the warm mug cake for the total “Cake & Ice Cream” experience!
This recipe has been tested in a 1000-watt microwave oven. Microwave ovens differ in how they cook, so adjustments may need to be made for your microwave.
Put the apple, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp. butter in a microwavable coffee mug. Microwave on high for one minute; stir, and cook on high for one more minute.
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix the pancake mix, flour, Splenda, and milk. After apple mixture is cooked, add the pancake batter mixture to it, stirring until it is not quite all blended in, leaving some pockets of apple mixture.
Microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. Check and reposition the mug if necessary, and cook at 50% power for 1 minute more.
Remove and put remaining 1/2 tsp. butter on the top of the cake, and let sit for 1 minute before eating.
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