Chocolate Espresso Cake….from the microwave!

So, I have no gas. And no, this isn't a personal issue. Apparently, my roommates and I haven't paid our gas bill in over four months (how none of us noticed this...well, like I said, we're busy people). So I'm taking showers at my gym, washing my dishes in cold water, and cooking everything in the...you guessed it.

At first I relegated myself to the fact that I wouldn't be able to bake till the gas was turned back on, but then I decided, no, I won't let some suits tell me when I can and can't make a cake. Gosh darnit, if all I can do is nuke, then nuke a cake I shall!

I thought the recipe for a microwavable cake would be drastically different from a normal oven cake, but to be honest, it's really not. Just don't expect a big, poofy masterpiece. I made mine in a ceramic plate that has a lip, so it came out like a thick pancake. However, I had some vanilla icing and chocolate sprinkles, so it turned out to look quite decent. This is a rich, fairly dense chocolate cake, perfect for a few people coming over for a casual dinner party.

Honestly, if I weren't so mad that I still have to shower elsewhere other than my own apartment, I'd almost thank the gas company for helping me stumble upon this easy dessert.

Microwave Chocolate Espresso Cake

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 tsp espresso powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

handful of chocolate chips (optional)

Butter a dinner sized ceramic plate that dips inwards (most aren't completely flat, so this should work with almost any).

Combine the butter and sugar and mix till fairly light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, as well as the vanilla.

Now, since we're making this in a microwave, I figured I could be lazy and not do the normal thing of mixing all the dry ingredients together before adding to the wet. So I first mixed in the coco, then the baking powder and salt, and added the flour last, so as not to over mix it. If you are adding chocolate chips, plop them into the bowl after the flour's been completely incorporated, folding into the batter with a spatula.

Pour the batter onto the plate, and spread out evenly. Pop this into the microwave for about 4 1/2 to 5 minutes. This seems like an unnervingly small amount of time (like salmonella small), but trust me, you don't want to over bake this cake. After 4.5 minutes check the middle with a tooth pick. If it comes out clean, you're done.

And I know the food blog rule. Everyone likes photos. Right now I'm actually heading out, but I promise, my next creation will come with photographic proof.