Keto Strawberry Shortcake in a Mug

Browsing TikTok for keto friendly recipes, I found this mug cake to make a low-carb version of strawberry shortcake. Krystal and I tried it and thought it was pretty good. To keep expectations in check, it was not as good as my favorite pound cake, but yummy just the same. Enjoy!

Keto Strawberry Shortcake in a Mug

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbl butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
•  6 Tbl almond flour
• 2 Tbl stevia
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Strawberries
• whipped cream

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large mug. 
2. Mix in the egg, vanilla, flour, stevia, and baking powder until smooth. 
3. Microwave for 90 seconds. 
4. Remove from mug, slice in half (or three layers) and top with whipped cream and berries between each layer and on top.
5. You can sometimes find low-carb/low-sugar whipped topping to make this extra keto-friendly.

Marsha's Copy-Cat Warm Delight Hack

A few years ago, Betty Crocker introduced a new product; single serving cake mixes called Warm Delights. They were super simple, easy, and addictive. Basically, with a little water and stirring, plus the magic of the microwave, you could have a warm serving of cake in under a minute. My personal favorite were the brownie mixes, just because I love brownies a bit more than cake, but the cake variety were yummy also. I also liked how it was single serving, so I wasn't committing myself to an entire 13x9 cake for dessert for the next two weeks. I could indulge for one single night and feel good about myself, instead of staring at an empty cake pan filled with regret.

Then, like so many wonderful discoveries in food, Warm Delights were discontinued. Such a sad day!!! But, do not despair! I have found a hack that works almost exactly the same (with the exception of brownies, dang it!) and you can do with any combination of cake mix flavors and toppings. You taste buds are only limited by your imagination. Below, I will provide the basic recipe, followed by several combination suggestions and pictures of a few of my creations. (Let me tell you, it was yummy work to put this post together for you.)

The best part? If you forgo the toppings, a single serving of this cake is only around 160 calories! Without the added oil, eggs, milk, butter, or what-have-you that you need to add to make an entire cake, these single servings only require water and thus fewer calories!

Marsha's Betty Crocker Warm Delights Hack

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup cake mix
• 1+ Tbsp. water
• Toppings of your choice 

Directions:

1. In a microwave-safe single serving bowl, combine cake mix and water (plus any additional toppings that you want worked into the cake). 
2. Spread evenly on bottom of the bowl. 
3. Microwave for approximately 30 seconds or until the batter does not appear wet in any areas larger than a dime. If still wet after 30 seconds, microwave for an addition 5-10 seconds at a time. (This cooks fast and can burn, so be cautious until you know how your microwave cooks these.)

Variations:

• yellow cake mix with caramel swirled into the batter
• yellow cake mix with white and milk chocolate chips in batter
• yellow cake mix with caramel drizzled on top after cooking
• red velvet cake mix with white chocolate chips in batter
• German chocolate cake mix with peanut butter stuffed chocolate chips mixed in batter and hot fudge drizzled on top before cooking
• Funfetti cake mix with white chocolate chips mixed in batter
• spice cake mix with cinnamon and white chocolate chips in batter
• spice cake mix with apple pie filling placed on top before cooking, topped with whipped cream
• Funfetti cake mix topped after cooking with fresh strawberries and whipped cream

As you can see, the possibilities are limitless. I did try to make these with brownie mix as well, but the brownie mix just doesn't come together as nicely. You either end up with it burned, or super runny like a molten pudding cake; not entirely inedible but nothing like the original brownie Warm Delights.

What you need: cake mix, water, and toppings. In this case, it was red velvet and white chips.

All mixed together and wet, ready for the microwave. It's a pretty thin layer and I am using wider that typical bowl for a greater surface area. A normal "cereal bowl" might work as well, but could be thicker and harder to get cooked in the middle. You could also try a mug instead of a bowl.

Done! See how it looks dry. It's not always super pretty, but it's dang yummy!

Close-up! See the texture of the cake and the white chips poking out?!

This one is German chocolate with hot fudge sauce swirled in, along with peanut butter stuffed chocolate chips.

Showing my Funfetti mix with a handful of white chips before adding the water.

Water added and ready for the microwave.

Yum!

More Funfetti with strawberries and whipped cream added after it was cooked.

A quick and easy substitute for strawberry shortcake.

Spice cake with cinnamon chips and white chips.

Here is what brownie mix looks like. It's cooked a bit in the middle, but still wet on the edges, even after a whole minute in the microwave.

Close-up to show how it's really runny and gooey like a pudding or lava cake... not exactly brownie texture at all.

Spice cake with apple pie filling and whipped cream.

Cookies in a Cup

To go along with my previous post, here are three "cookie in a cup" recipes that I also tried recently and enjoyed.  My favorite was probably the chocolate chip, which was very similar to a Warm-Delight.  These recipes originally came from http://www.number-2-pencil.com/ .

Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Cup

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Granulated White Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of firmly packed Dark Brown Sugar
• 3 Drops of Vanilla Extract
• Small Pinch of Kosher Salt
• 1 Egg Yolk (discard the egg white)
• Scant 1/4 of All Purpose Flour
• 2 Tablespoons of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Start by melting your butter in the microwave. 
2. Add sugars, vanilla and salt. Stir to combine. 
3. Separate your egg and add the yolk only to your cup. Stir to combine. 
4. Add flour, then stir again. 
5. Add the chocolate chips, and give a final stir. 
6. Cook in microwave 40-60 seconds, start checking for doneness at 40 seconds. Mine takes 50 seconds. 
7. Serve warm.

Peanut Butter Cookie in a Cup

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon of Butter
• 1 HEAPING Tablespoon of Peanut Butter
• 1 Tablespoon of firmly packed Dark Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of Granulated White Sugar
• 2-3 drops of Pure Vanilla Extract {a splash}
• Small pinch of Kosher Salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 level Tablespoons of All-Purpose Flour
• Chocolate chips mixed in or hot fudge for topping
• Crushed Peanuts for topping

Directions:

1. Melt peanut butter and butter together in microwave for about 30 seconds. 
2. Add sugars, salt and vanilla and stir to combine. 
3. Add egg yolk and stir again. 
4. Add flour and give a final stir (with chocolate chips). 
5. Sprinkle peanuts on top and heat in microwave for around 45 seconds. Microwaves vary, so start checking for doneness at 35 seconds. 
6. Serve warm! Top with hot fudge if desired.

Sugar Cookie in a Cup

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon of Butter
• 2 Tablespoon of Granulated White Sugar
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract
• Small pinch of Kosher Salt
• Yolk of one Egg
• 3 Tablespoons of All-Purpose Flour
• Colored Sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Melt butter in microwave, then add sugar, vanilla and salt and stir together. 
2. Add one egg yolk and stir again. 
3. Add flour and stir a final time.  
4. Sprinkle cookie dough with colored sugar, and heat in microwave for about 45 seconds. Start checking for doneness at 40 seconds.
5. Serve warm and enjoy!

2 Minute Coffee Cake in a Mug

I love the "in a mug" treats!  Mostly because you can make yourself a fresh "baked" treat and leave no evidence behind in the form of leftovers.  Sneaky, huh?

So, I just had to try this recipe when I saw it.  It originally comes from Heather Likes Food at http://www.heatherlikesfood.com/2-minute-coffee-cake-in-a-mug/ . I thought it turned out pretty fantastic for a cake that is made in the microwave.  So, while not as good as a truly BAKED cake, it was tasty enough that I have made it multiple times. Enjoy!

2 minute Coffee Cake in a Mug

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp applesauce
• vanilla extract, few drops
• 1/4 C All Purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a mug soften 1 tbsp of butter in microwave, about 5 seconds. You don’t want it melted, just soft. Stir in 2 tbsp of sugar and mix until well incorporated. Stir in applesauce, vanilla (just a tiny bit, we’re talking drops), flour, baking powder, and pinch of salt; stirring until just combined. Use the back of your spoon to smooth it out in the bottom of the mug.
2. Want struesel? Of course you do! In a separate, small bowl, combine 1 tbsp of butter, 2 tbsp of flour, 1 tbsp of brown sugar, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon. Use your fingers to to pinch the butter and mix it in with the other ingredients. When it starts to look like lumpy sand (appetizing, eh?) and all ingredients are combined, pour on top of cake batter in mug.
3. Cook in the microwave for 50-80 seconds depending on your microwave. At 1 minute, my microwave cooks it perfectly. It will look just barely set on top. You don’t want to overcook it and things tend to get ugly fast in the microwave. I suggest cooking it 50 seconds, and then in 10 second intervals checking after each interval until done. Eat white it’s still warm. Once it cools off, it tends to loose some of it’s magic!