Pineapple Upside Down Cake in a Mug

I've always liked the idea of cake/muffins/brownies/cookies in a mug in the microwave. Mostly, because if I make a whole pan of brownies or such... I'll eat them all. So it's nice to be able to have a treat without having all of the tempting leftovers. Lately, Lydia's really been interested in helping me cook in the kitchen, so we've been doing a lot of these little recipes because she can help me measure all of the ingredients - she doesn't have to wait for a long time for the end result - and it doesn't make a huge mess in the kitchen. We had some leftover maraschino cherries and some pineapple rings in the pantry and this cake was SO good. We may have made it 3-4 days in a row. I have a big soup-mug that I used because the pineapple ring fit perfectly in the bottom, but if I was using a regular mug, I'd just slice the ring on one side and wrap it to fit. 

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake in a Mug

Source: Crouton Crackerjacks

Ingredients:
1 canned pineapple slice
1 maraschino cherry
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose or plain flour
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp pineapple juice (reserved from the can of pineapple slices)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp beaten egg
1/8 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
In a 12oz glass coffee mug, layer the brown sugar, pineapple slice and place a maraschino cherry in the center of the pineapple ring. In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients and pour on top of pineapple slice. Microwave on 50% power for 2 1/2 minutes. Let sit 30 seconds, run a knife around the outside of the cake and then turn out onto a plate. Scrape all the syrup from the bottom of the mug onto the cake.

Cinnamon Raisin - Muffin in a Mug

Cinnamon Raisin Muffin in a Mug
Source: Adapted from Bigger Bolder Baking

Ingredients:
5 tbsp flour
1 ½ Tbsp packed light-brown sugar
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp baking powder
⅛ tsp salt

1 egg (or 2 Tbsp applesauce or mashed banana)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp milk
¼ tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp raisins

Cream Cheese Icing
1 Tbsp Cream Cheese or Neufchatel Cheese, softened
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp milk

Directions:
Combine first five ingredients (dry ingredients) in a mug. Add wet ingredients then whisk together with a fork until combined and nearly smooth. Fold in raisins.
Microwave mixture on high power for 1.5 minutes then check cake for doneness. If it is not fully cooked microwave for an additional 15 seconds.
Prepare Cream Cheese Icing by mixing all of the ingredients together in a bowl by hand until smooth. (Make sure cream cheese is soft before combining.) 

Serve warm topped with frosting.