Two-Minute Hot Cocoa Cake

Ingredients and supplies: 

Coffee mug 

White cake mix 

Boxed brownie mix 

Half-cup of cocoa 

Non-stick cooking spray 

Water 

Container with lid 

Hot cocoa mix 

Microwave

How much chocolate is too much chocolate? That's a question that leaves many people staring in confusion. Is there such a thing as too much chocolate? Okay, I guess if you sit down and drink a whole bottle of chocolate syrup, or you eat dozens of bite-size candy bars, that might be too much chocolate. But if you sit down to have hot chocolate with hot cocoa cake you won't consider that combination to be too much chocolate. The two go so well together but will not give you the feeling of consuming too much chocolate. And the best part? It only takes a couple of minutes to make the cake! Hot chocolate cake, made in a mug in the microwave, is the perfect partner for hot cocoa.

For breakfast, dessert, or as a snack, hot cocoa cake and hot chocolate are so delicious and very easy. The cake is quickly made when you use your microwave, but it's a good idea to get the cake mix ready in a container, and then to prepare it whenever you want. That way, you can measure an amount for more than one person - great for when others stop by. Mix dry ingredients, and when you're ready to prepare the hot cocoa cake, just stir in the liquid. The mixing of the dry ingredients takes only a couple of minutes and you'll have it ready for whenever you want it.

Make the hot cocoa cake mix by putting your favorite white cake mix, a choice of boxed brownie mix, and a half-cup of cocoa powder, in a container that has a lid. Shake or stir the ingredients to combine well. Store the dry mix and, when you want something sweet, get it out and zap it in the microwave. To do that, spray a ceramic coffee mug with non-stick cooking spray, and then combine an eighth-cup of water with a quarter-cup of the dry mix. Stir well. Although you could mix the stuff right in the coffee mug, you can end up with cake mix all over the cup. Optionally, mix the cake in a bowl or other dish, and then pour it into the oiled cup.

Microwave the hot cocoa mug cake on high for a minute and then let it stand for an additional minute. That's all it takes to finish the cake. As it cools a bit longer, zap a mug of hot chocolate, and enjoy the two of them together.