When I first started working in food, I thought I had to go full “chef mode” and forswear anything in my kitchen that didn’t feel refined or advanced. Goodbye, boxed mac and cheese. See you never, frozen veggies!

Of course, a lot of the things I turned my nose up at were things that brought me joy or made my life a whole lot easier, and I’ve since seen the light. Home cooking is not haute gastronomie. Shortcuts are good; easy is good. Easy is happy. Ten years into the game and I keep reaching for my garlic press. My electric frother is one of my most-used kitchen tools. And I love my microwave more and more every day. (OK, I also love my tweezer tongs, which are very cheffy, but they’re extremely useful and life is about balance.)

Like many people, the mug cake was introduced to me in college, and I was blown away. What do you mean that in about 10 minutes, I could have my cake and eat it, too? I’d spend hours watching 20-second recipe videos on Facebook, obsessing over different possible concoctions to try out in my “Silly Goose” mug. Cut to me, a few years later, making those very mug cake videos for my actual job. Life, huh.

Consider this week’s newsletter my ode to the mug cake and microwave baking. It’s been a long month of lofty resolutions and cold weather; it’s time to give ourselves a break. As Nigella might say, let the mee-cro-wah-vay do all the work. (I know I’ve made this reference before, but it warrants a reprise.)

Sticky-toffee it to me

It’s little treat o’clock! And this microwave sticky toffee pudding from Ali Slagle is calling my name. I’ll never stop marveling at how good a combo butter and brown sugar is; that pairing is on full display in this quick date-flecked cake drenched in toffee sauce. Add a few toasty pecans and a healthy scoop of vanilla ice cream and we’re in business. It seems irresponsible that something so good can happen in under 10 minutes.

View this recipe: Microwave sticky toffee pudding

A just-right mug cake

She is the moment, but she’s also the blueprint. Chocolate mug cake is the craze that introduced microwave baking to me, and this version from Deanna F. Cook, adapted by Margaux Laskey, is foolproof. So often mug cakes are really dense, or they tend to explode in the microwave, but this is the Goldilocks version. It’s not too sweet, requires about six ingredients and comes together in five minutes. Oh, and it’s gluten-free!

View this recipe: Chocolate mug cake

Three ingredients, five minutes, five stars

This is an even easier, potentially tastier microwave bake than the one above. It’s hard to believe that three ingredients and five minutes can gift you with something so gooey and flavorful. Nutella, an egg and a bit of baking powder are all you need to create this molten chocolate-hazelnut lava cake from Ali Slagle. I think that’ll be my dessert tonight, with a topping of toasted hazelnuts and a one-to-one ratio of ice cream to cake.

View this recipe: Microwave Nutella pudding cake

Thanks for reading (and microwaving)! See y’all next week with … drumroll please … a new Monthly Bake!

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