In these video recipes, Dartmouth Cancer Center dietitian Elise B. Cushman, MS, RDN, LD, CSO, demonstrates three easy mug cakes you can make at home. Click thumbnails to watch.
Pumpkin pie mug cake for one
"Oat flour makes it gluten-free and adds more fiber and protein to the pumpkin cake," says Cushman. This is a great way to use up any leftover pumpkin puree you might have from the holiday meal prep.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup pureed pumpkin
- 6 Tbsp oat flour
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 Tbsp milk
- ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
Mix ingredients in mug sprayed with nonstick spray or brushed with oil or butter. Microwave for 60-90 seconds so it’s done on the edges but still soft I the middle. Let cool for 3-5 minutes and enjoy!
Apple pie mug cake for one
Turn this cake into a holiday gift by layering the dry ingredients in a coffee mug or an 8-oz canning jar. Attach a ½ cup “snack pack” of apple sauce, and add a cute label saying, "Just add applesauce, milk and apple cider vinegar."
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 6 Tbsp oat flour
- 1 tsp apple pie spice
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup of apple sauce
Mix ingredients in a mug sprayed with nonstick spray or brushed with oil or butter. “The trick with the mug cakes is you want to mix from the bottom and fold the ingredients in, but don’t over-mix,” says Cushman. Microwave for 60-90 seconds so the outer rim looks set but the inner rim still looks “a little jiggly.” Let cool for 3-5 minutes and top of with a little dollop of vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt and enjoy.
Chocolate mug cake for two
“There’s a secret ingredient…it’s black beans!” reveals Cushman. “Black beans bring protein and fiber to this chocolate cake. And because they are pureed, you don’t even know they’re there.”
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of black beans (canned or pre-cooked)
- 2 Tbsp oat flour
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- A pinch of salt
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp sweetener of choice
- 2 Tbsp chocolate chips
Mix all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a blender. Blend for 8-10 seconds to puree the beans. Fold in chocolate chips. “You can use a hazelnut spread instead of chocolate if you wanted,” says Cushman. Divide the mixture evenly into two mugs sprayed with nonstick spray or brushed with oil or butter. Microwave for 90 seconds and let cool. You can top these cakes off with a dollop of Greek yogurt and berries and you’ve got a delicious dessert for two.
Happy Holidays! For more video recipes and other tips and tricks, visit Dartmouth Cancer Center’s Oncology Nutrition YouTube channel.