EVERY week during lockdown Jen Perry, from  Woolston-based Room Forty, will be showing you how to bake a store cupboard meal.

This week, she will be cooking mug cakes.

Join her on our Warrington Coronavirus News facebook page from 12pm on Friday to cook along.

I have been wracking my brain for ideas for you to make when you don’t want to make (and eat) a full cake, but you want a sweet treat.

These recipes also need very few quantities of ingredients, which is great when some items are scarce! Now these are not the prettiest cakes you’ll ever bake but they are fun and fast to make.

We’ve gone chocolatey with an Easter inspired chocolate cake and a vanilla cake that you could use to treat someone special.

You’ll need to keep an eye on them in the microwave (this is the fun bit - watch them rise high over the mug! They do shrink back down…. usually!).

If you would like to bake along with me I will be live on Warrington Guardian's Coronavirus Facebook page at 12.00 on Friday.

Nutella Mug Cake Serves 2 (or one hungry person)

• 3 tablespoons Nutella

• 1 egg

• 2 tablespoons milk

• 2 tablespoons vegetable or sunflower oil

• 3 tablespoons plain flour (or Self Raising flour)

• ¼ teaspoon baking powder (leave out if you use SR flour)

• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

• Chocolate eggs to decorate and icecream or cream to serve (optional)

Equipment Large mug or jug

Tablespoon measures

Fork, spoon or small whisk to stir

Sieve (not essential but helpful!)

Instructions

1. In a mug, add in an egg, milk, vegetable oil, and Nutella. Stir until well combined.

2. Sift in flour and cocoa powder. Add in sugar and baking powder. And stir until well mixed.

3. Microwave for 1 minute and check, repeat microwaving for 10 seconds until the cake is done and a toothpick or skewer comes out clean.

Birthday cake in a mug

Serves 2 (or one hungry person)

  • 2tbsp butter
  • 1 egg
  • 2.5 tbsp milk
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup or 34g sugar
  • 6 tbsp Self raising flour OR plain flour and ½ tsp baking powder
  • Options, Jam/sprinkles/custard/cream – be adventurous!
  • Options – you could also make this coffee or lemon flavoured.
  • Grate the zest of one lemon into the mix, or dissolve 1tsp of instant coffee in 1 tsp of water and mix in. Add nuts, chocolate chips… experiment with your favourite flavours!

Equipment

Large mug or jug

Tablespoon measures

Fork, spoon or small whisk to stir

Sieve (not essential but helpful!)

Instructions 1. Melt the butter in your mug. Try 10 seconds in your microwave at a time

2. Add egg, stir in vanilla and milk

3. Add the flour and mix well

4. Put in the microwave for 1 min 20 seconds. Check and cook again for 10 seconds or until baked

5. I like to serve this one with some jam on the side, or you could serve with custard. Let your imagination run wild.

Don’t forget to send us your pictures @room_forty on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!