The quickest vegan chocolate cake ever, in a pot or mug

Iolo and I have been out all day, cycling around in the cold. On arriving home, all we could think of was hot chocolate and cake to warm us up.

So I remembered someone had told me this week about microwavable vegan mug cakes when we were talking about quick desserts. I must confess I’ve never made one and never cook in a microwave, but I thought we’d give it a go. Iolo is now three and loves helping in the kitchen! So we gave it a go and it was a great, tasty success.

We loosely followed a recipe by Not Quite Nigella and here is my adaptation.

It produces a moist and rich chocolate cake/hot pudding that really was rather nice! You can make it in a cup or ramekin like I did.

Vegan Chocolate Cake in a Pot
Preparation/cooking time 5 mins

3 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp cocoa
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp dark chocolate chips
1/4 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp plant milk (I used soya)
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tsp natural peanut butter (like Meridian)

1. Combine all dry ingredients into a small bowl and mix. Stir in and combine oil and milk.
2. Spoon into a cup or pot. Make a hole in the top and add the peanut butter.
3. Microwave on half power for one minute. Check to see if the cake is cooked, it should fell set on the top. Return to the microwave for another 30 seconds on half power if needed.
4. Wait to cool a bit before enjoying!

Additions: You could add some berries on top or mixed nuts to add more flavour and texture.

Gallery of Vegan Chocolate Cakes

I love chocolate cake. The love affair has been going on for as long as I can remember. I have made and eaten quite a few and here are some of them. Have you got a favourite vegan chocolate cake? Where is the recipe from?

One of the nicest I’ve had recently came from Gluten-, Nut-, Egg- & Dairy-Free Celebration Cakes: 42 Simple and Delicious Recipes for Bakers and Cake Decorators, by Gemma McFarlane. It was rich and very moist, lasted for days and was a heavenly cross between a cake and wildly indulgent dessert.

Today’s cake was a recipe given to me by Andrew Norton, of Naturally Kind vegan bakery. It too was very soft, moist and delicious, smothered with buttercream.

Andrew’s Chocolate Cake

Belgium Chocolate and Fresh Mint Cake

Viva! and Vegetarian Recipe Club’s Chocolate Berry Cake

Chocolate Fairy Cakes

Viva! and Vegetarian Recipe Club’s Chocolate and Brandy Truffle Torte

My Love Affair with Chocolate Cake

Belgium Chocolate and Fresh Mint Cake

Chocolate is one of my favourite things. Every night, my fiancée makes me a hot chocolate to take to bed. I don’t often eat pudding, but instead, relish occasionally tucking into a few squares of dark chocolate of an evening.

If ever there a choice of cake, I’ll always opt for chocolate. My Bristol friends will vouch for the fabulous chocolate cake made by Stokes Croft’s Cafe Kino. A slice joined me at my desk many times with a cup of tea, to see me through the afternoon.

So I thought it was about time I made my own special chocolate cake, using Belgium chocolate and fresh mint.

Finely chopped mint runs through the sponge and decorates the top, along with melted chocolate and a drizzle of soya cream. It’s a big cake for those with a passion for chocolate and a hearty appetite!

Belgium Chocolate and Fresh Mint Cake
Makes 1 large cake
Preparation/cooking time 50 mins

330g/12 oz self-raising flour
5 tbsp cocoa powder
225g/8oz caster sugar
1½  tsp bicarbonate of soda
25g/1oz Belgium chocolate, chopped into small pieces
2 sprigs of fresh mint, finely chopped
290ml/10½  fl oz soya milk
100ml /3½ fl oz sunflower oil
2 tbsp soya yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla essence

Topping
100g/3oz Belgium chocolate
1 sprig of fresh mint, chopped
1 tsp soya cream

1. Pre heat your oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6.
2. Sieve dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Then add in chocolate pieces and mint.
3. Measure out soya milk, oil, yoghurt and essence into a jug and mix.
4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the liquid into the centre. Briskly whisk to form your cake mixture.
5. Grease and line a large cake tin.
6. Spoon in the mixture.
7. Bake for 35-40 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
8. Cool on a wire rack.
9. Melt the chocolate for the topping (in a glass bowl placed in a pan of simmering water) and spoon it over the cake, smoothing over with a spatula. Sprinkle with mint, then drizzle with soya cream. Gently run the end of the skewer through the topping, to give a marble effect. Allow the topping to set.

Two great every day recipe ideas

Carrot, Lentil, Lemon & Coriander Soup

Keeping my kitchen ticking over while looking after a not-so tiny baby is certainly interesting. I’ve realised I need to cook more things that can last a couple of days.

Double batches of soup and bread have proved the most successful – filling, delicious and fairly quick to make.

Double-batch of bread

I’ve taken to filling my shopping trolley with as many different veg as possible and then seeing what I can do with them when the time comes for a pan of soup or a meal. Recent soup varieties have included potato, asparagus & kale, courgette & asparagus and this one, carrot, lentil, lemon & coriander.

It is a good, hearty soup; rich in flavour and consistency and is wonderful served with fresh bread, warm from the oven.

I’ve decided to also try to have something in a tin to eat for a mid morning or afternoon snack… cookies and cake have been the favourite so far. The other day I made a gorgeous soft loaf of banana, apricot and walnut. A small piece has helped give us a nice little energy boost with a cup or tea or coffee.

So here are the recipes. The soup could be spiced up if you like with a pinch of chilli flakes. The apricots in the loaf could be substituted for other soft fruits such as peaches or pears for example.

Carrot, Lentil, Lemon & Coriander Soup
Serves 4
Preparation/cooking time 30-40 mins

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp cumin seeds
500g carrots, sliced
1 cup red lentils
1 large sprig fresh coriander, chopped
1 litre vegetable stock
200ml soya milk plus additional 100ml water if required (adjust to reach desired thickness of soup)

1. Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil in a large saucepan until soft.
2. Add the cumin seeds and stir with a wooden spoon. Fry for a minute or two before adding the carrots, lentils, coriander and stock.
3. Bring to the boil, then turn down to simmer and cover for 30 mins or longer if you want the flavours to develop more. Stir occasionally to ensure the soup doesn’t stick to the bottom.
4. Blend with a hand blender if you like a smooth soup. Stir in the soya milk and additional water until it reaches a thickness you like.
5. Add cracked black pepper to taste and serve. Great for freezing too.

Banana, Apricot & Walnut Loaf

Banana, Apricot and Walnut Loaf
Makes around 8 slices
Preparation/cooking time 1 hour approximately

2 large ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
3 ripe apricots, stones removed and chopped
60g/2oz vegan margarine
100g/3oz soft brown sugar
250g/9oz self-raising flour
1  tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
handful of chopped walnuts
5 tbsp soya milk

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4.
2. In a mixing bowl, mash together the banana and apricot. Add in the marg, creaming it in with a wooden spoon.
3. Add sugar and sieve in flour and baking powder.
4. Mix in vanilla essence, nuts and soya milk, stirring everything together thoroughly with a spoon.
5. Grease a bread tin and pour in loaf mix.
6. Bake for 50-60 mins until loaf is golden and a skewer comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
7. Serve on its own or with a spoon of soya yoghurt and berries.