Pineapple Upside Down Cake in a Mug

A quick treat, these individual cakes are cooked in the microwave. They end up light and fluffy--which is a surprise considering the microwave method. It is a bit of tropical indulgence for a cold winter night but they would be tasty any time of year, I'm sure.

Individual Microwave Pineapple Cake
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh pineapple
1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
Place in a microwave safe mug and cook for 20 seconds on high. Set aside.
1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg yolk or white
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
3 tablespoons milk
flaked coconut and maraschino cherry for garnish, (optional)
Stir together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add egg, oil, vanilla, lemon juice, ginger (if using) and milk. Whisk until smooth. Pour on top of pineapple and cook for 2 minutes, (see Hints), on high setting of microwave. Check to see if cake is cooked through. Cook an additional 15 to 30 seconds if needed. The cake should be set and hold it's shape but the top of the cake should be sticky, not dry. Flip over onto a serving plate if desired, using a spoon to release the sides a bit so the cake will fall out of the mug. Garnish with coconut and cherry.

Hints: This cake can be doubled--use a whole egg and divide the batter into two mugs. Cook them separately. I suppose that using canned pineapple would work fine. Microwaves are different and you will need to figure out cooking times for yours. Mine cooked the cake perfectly in 2 minutes. You can eat this straight out of the mug but be sure to dig deep with the spoon and get some of the pineapple sauce.

Once in awhile a sweet treat hits the spot. And if you are like me, there are seldom cakes and cookies hanging out around the house. This is a quick way to make just enough for the moment.