MAKES 2 MUG CAKES
Sometimes it’s 11:30 p.m. and I realize there is no dessert in the house. Enter mug cakes! They come together in less than five minutes and are dangerously indulgent. I like to scoop my favorite ice cream atop this gooey masterpiece and drift peacefully to sleep, like you just had a boring old glass of warm milk, but better.
2½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon grapeseed or other neutral oil
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup plus 2 teaspoons cake flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Whisk the melted butter, buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, and egg together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir to combine. If the batter looks lumpy, use a whisk to break up all the lumps. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Find your two best 11-ounce mugs and divide the batter evenly between them. Microwave the mugs for 1 minute. If the cake looks too raw, continue to microwave in 15-second increments up to 2½ minutes, until the sides and top have set, leaving hot gooey cake batter hidden inside. Remove the mugs from the microwave. Let the mugs cool for 1 minute before serving.