Mug Cakes: 100 Speedy Microwave Treats to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Paperback – August 6, 2013

I was gifted this book years ago from my boyfriends mother. At first I was a little hesitant to use any of the recipes since I went to a culinary university. Eventually I decided to bring it on vacation with the family along with some ingredients. It was cool to see the family make their own individual cake in a mug. Cakes are microwaved and done in a couple minutes. My boys gravitated to this book as they were growing and would frequently make an easy dessert. Now that they are older, I decided they should each have a copy of their own.

I've made a good number of the cakes from this book now and have to say I've enjoyed every single one. They're easy recipes, very quick to make, and the perfect portion size to satisfy my sweet tooth. There's a lot of variety in the recipes so I can experiment with something new if I feel like it, or I can find a recipe that'll fit the ingredients I have on hand if I just want to bake something without buying anything special. I've been able to make substitutions or remove ingredients as well, if I'm missing something. I've been really enjoying this cookbook.

I bought this as a Christmas present for my brother, who tinkers around with baked goods in small portions. Last time I saw him, I asked him if he'd tried any of the recipes. He commented that it wasn't the best cookbook he'd seen and seemed to be far more focused on making the results photogenic. NOW, I'm just going on his word, as I didn't look through it at all when it was delivered to me. He tends to be a creature of habit with his microwaved "pumpkin pies", which consist of the pumpkin stuffing and no pie crust to speak of. So, it's entirely conceivable that he's just averse to trying something new. Nevertheless, I should have paged through it before wrapping it up to get a better idea of the book's contents.

I bought this on a whim. I have a daughter who can't eat gluten, and I'm always looking for ways to make her little special single servings of gluten free items. Plus, this just sounded too fun to pass up. My kids and I have had a blast with this cookbook. I've been really impressed with the recipes. There are photos for every recipe. Lots of variety. Are they gourmet by any means? No. Don't expect that. You're cooking in a microwave - they aren't going to be exactly like a regular cake. But, they rise, come out moist and fluffy...and really tasty. There is something about holding the warm mug and knowing that its a tiny cake just for you, that is thrilling. I haven't let the cakes cool a long time to know if they would get really hard. We've eaten them right away. I tried the recipes as they are and I have substituted gluten free all purpose flour in the recipes I've tried for my daughter with Celiac. They've all turned out great - with and without gluten. We even have been throwing in Halloween candy into the batter. that's fun! My kids are able to make them for themselves. Great way to introduce them to following a recipe. They they screw up and substitute salt for sugar - at least they haven't wasted a ton of ingredients. Perfect fun afternoon treat/activity. I'm already thinking this book, with a couple of fun mugs, would be a great gift! Give it a try!

It was hard to believe all the different types of cakes that were in this book. I figured I had thought of them all. Not even close. There are several "special diet" variations and substitutions too,, like dairy free, sugar free, gluten free, vegan etc. I did not see a substitution for oil or butter, but I have always used banana, avocado, pumpkin puree, mayo, or my favorite, yogurt. I choose, depending on the cake flavor. (Gotta keep those calories down). The first cake I made was (yogurt) chocolate cherry, with fresh cherries. Outstanding!Just a note: If some of the cakes turn out a bit too rubbery in the microwave for your liking, and you don't mind waiting, use a toaster oven and ramekins. 350 deg. for about 10-15 min. It's worth the wait. (I use the small ramekins, not mugs, in the microwave too. They cook faster)I think that the whole point of this book is to inspire you to think up your own combinations and be creative. Satisfying your sweet tooth with a small gourmet treat is sure better than making a whole cake and ending up eating too much of it. If you use the substitutions, you can really create a nice dessert with very few calories. and.....if you're so inclined, a TB of liquor (say, Grand Marnier?) in that chocolate cake wouldn't hurt either..

As a college student, I found this to be very handy. I have been using these recipes almost two years and I love how easy they are and that I don't have to make excess cake that I might or might not eat. One of my favorite features is the adaptations and tips it gives for gluten free, vegan, nut free, or dairy free recipes. It is great for entertaining! However, before you buy, you must know that these recipes are essentially mini-recipes with all of the same ingredients as a full sized cake, but in smaller quantities. Also, each recipe makes two cakes, since you can't really easily split an egg in half. I found that it was easier for me to keep applesauce around than to keep eggs (dorm life is not conducive to using a lot of eggs), so I substituted 1/4 cup of applesauce for each egg that was needed. I actually liked the mug cakes better with applesauce, as it was more moist. With that being said, I would thoroughly recommend this product! This particular purchase was for friends as graduation gifts along with some measuring spoons/cups and a pretty large mug. Any recent grad would be lucky to get this as a gift.

Good