We’ve all had a bit of extra time on our hands with the closure of Southwestern’s campus. I don’t plan on leaving my house—and I hope you’re with me on that—so I’ve decided to expand my DIY skills. Some of the ideas I found looked way too complicated for someone who doesn’t have wood planks and a pasta maker laying around at home. Instead, I’ll share weekly crafts and recipes that can be made without breaking the bank or risking a trip to the store. If you enjoy the suggestions, post a picture and tag @theswcsun on social media and use #TheSunAtHome. 

This week: Chocolate mug cake!

The hardest part of making this chocolate cake recipe was picking the mug.

I have a collection at home. My go-to in the morning is a double-handled sock-monkey mug that makes the monkey look like it has ears. My favorite is my ABC Disney mug I got the day the park closed, before quarantine started. Another favorite is my Hat Box Ghost mug because it glows in the dark, making it perfect for 2 a.m. tea.

I went with my SWC Cares mug.

 

My choice clearly reflects how much I miss being on campus. My buddies at The Sun gave it to me when I got a concussion last semester.

It was lunchtime at the elementary school I worked at, and I was watching over the students while they ate and played on the blacktop. I heard thunderous footsteps behind me, and I thought a kid was going to run into me.

I turned around to see five students beating up another student that was in a different grade a few feet away from me.

I instantly ran over, moved the kids and stood in front of the student who was being beaten up. One kid from the group wasn’t happy that I stopped the fight, so he threw a football at my head. It took me a second to realize what had happened and then I went back to fixing the situation.

Receiving the kind gift from my buds at The Sun made me feel cared for. I had only known them for three weeks, but I really appreciated the fact that they cared. Never did I think they would become my second family.

This week’s recipe is simple. Inspired by @livewellbakeoften, you just have to mix a few ingredients together, pour the batter into your chosen cup, microwave and enjoy.

My quarantined buds were impressed that the cake was done in ten minutes.

Materials Needed:

Liquid measuring cup
Dry measuring cup
Teaspoons and tablespoons
Bowl
Spoon or rubber spatula
Microwave safe mug

Ingredients: 

¼ cup of all purpose flour
2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon of baking powder
A pinch of salt
¼ cup of milk (almond, whole, 1 percent or 2 percent)
2 tablespoons of oil (canola, coconut, or vegetable)
¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions:

First, wash your hands! Let’s remind ourselves that during quarantine we should be extra careful with germs. Stay home unless you need to leave for necessities, keep your distance from others, and wash your hands often!

Put the dry ingredients in one bowl. Add your ¼ cup of flour, 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon of baking powder, and a pinch of salt. I mixed all my dry ingredients until they came together and looked like the bleak deserts of Tatooine.

Time for the liquid ingredients. Add ¼ cup of milk (I used almond milk), 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stir that all together with your dry ingredients until the mix has a nice smooth texture and slowly falls from your mixing tool.

Line your mug with non-stick cooking spray or melted butter, then fill it halfway with the beautiful concoction you just created. Heat in the microwave for one minute, adding 30 seconds at a time until the center rises. Stick a toothpick in—if it comes out clear, you’re done. Mine took about two minutes.

Remember, the baking process varies depending on mug size and microwave.

Let it cool, then eat it on its own or get creative with some flavorful toppings like frosting, chocolate chips, caramel, peanut butter, or ice cream.

I tried to be fancy and this is where I went wrong!

I let my cake cool down for a few minutes in my mug then decided I would plate it for presentation. After cutting around the edges of my cake, I smacked the bottom of my mug thinking it would gracefully fall onto my plate. I guess I didn’t know my own strength—I hit the mug harder than that football hit my head and the cake split in half.

Filled with regret, I was too embarrassed to take a photo. Thankfully, good ol’ frosting had my back and I added gold sprinkles for that Food Network showmanship feel. The bit of sparkle made me feel a lot better.

So did looking at my SWC Cares mug.