Today’s microwave recipe involves making a mini microwave vanilla cake.

The vanilla cake represents the perfect ideal for the beginner chef. It involves 1) an easy set of ingredients 2) simple measurements 3) no cutting, dicing, slicing, or mashing.

With my level of cooking experience (none), the vanilla cake was a great way to start. Let’s face it; you don’t have to be Emeril Lagasse to make a vanilla cake

GETTING STARTED:

After a trip to the local grocery store I had everything I needed to begin making my cake. Again, a positive to this recipe is that the ingredients are very common.

-Eggs  ($1.19)

-Flour ($1.55)

-Sugar ($1.39)

-Milk ($1.49)

– Baking soda ($1.45)

– Vanilla extract ($3.19)

-White vinegar ($.99)

–Applesauce? ($1.89)

Total Cost:  $13.14

Yes. That’s right: applesauce. I know I’m a beginner cook, but I have never heard of anyone baking anything using applesauce. A quick Google search gave me some information as to the benefits of cooking with applesauce:

  • Many cooks replace vegetable oil with applesauce in their recipes in order to cut out fat and calories. (For college kids looking to not gain the freshman fifteen, this is key!)

PREPARATION:

The cake was very easy to put together. Using two bowls, a teaspoon and a tablespoon, this recipe took 10 minutes to get in the microwave. With busy college schedules, the time factor for this cake is perfect.

The recipe calls for the beating in, or whisking of eggs.  For the cooking-ignorant people like myself check out this handy guide on how to whisk eggs.

FINISHED PRODUCT:

I was pleasantly surprised with how the cake turned out! As a new cook, I expect the worst (spilling flour at the start of the cooking also didn’t exactly boost my confidence). But the finished product tasted great.

First Finished Cake

Some things I noticed at the end:  1) The cake is more moist than one baked in the oven, expect this going in  2) Extra time in the microwave is necessary. Add 1 extra minute.

The second, decorated cake

My Ratings:

Feasibility- A

–       Easy list of ingredients combined with small number of tools needed to prepare.

Preparation- A

–       Perfect amount of steps to keep from getting confused. Takes only a short amount of time to prepare

Taste – B+

– Not quite the same as an oven baked cake.  A little moist when eaten, but pretty good.