Microwave Cake

This is absolutely, 100% the best microwave cake I have eaten in my life.* It takes 5 minutes to throw together and it tastes like sugar cookies and the texture is like REAL CAKE. I was watching Masterchef AU last night and Matt Preston was making a microwave sponge cake that involved passionfruit pulp for the liquid in the recipe. I was instantly excited. It looked great, and I needed it!

But there were problems: how much liquid is one passionfruit? what's the right amount of flour and baking powder if I'm not using self rising flour? how do I convert all the measurements so US readers will find it easy to make?

so I stayed up and experimented and then - PROBLEMS SOLVED

*Full disclosure: I am pretty much an expert in microwave sweets. I swear I've spent about a fourth of my adult life up late and making questionable food decisions.

P.S. Feeling like chocolate cake? Check out my chocolate microwave cake here!

Step 1: Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup melted butter (50 g)
• 1/4 cup sugar (50 g)
• 1/2 cup flour (50 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk

The recipe above will serve two people - double for four cakes. That's what I was making today!

You will also need standard ramekins, cooking spray, plastic wrap and a microwave.

Step 2: Mixing

In a medium bowl, melt your butter. Then add in the sugar and whisk until well combined.

Add in the baking powder, flour, eggs, and milk and whisk like mad. You want the mixture to be smooth and creamy. 

Step 3: Fill and Cover

Spray your ramekins with cooking spray, and then fill them a little over halfway.

Tap the ramekins on the counter to knock out any air bubbles.

Cover them with a piece of saran wrap, leaving a small part of the edge unsealed so steam can escape.

Step 4: Cook!

Cook in the microwave for 50-60 seconds. (At home, it took me 60 seconds in a 600W microwave. In the test kitchen, 55 seconds in a 1000W gave me a good result.) Too little time, and the cake will be wet on the outside. Too much time, and it will become really crumbly. Also, cooking them individually is best.

Once it's cooked, take off the plastic wrap and pop the cake out onto a plate. It should come out fairly easily, but if it needs a little help you can run a butter knife around the edges.

Eat by itself or with jam, whipped cream, ice cream, nutella, sprinkles, fresh fruit... well, anything really. I macerated some strawberries and served it with whipped cream. :D