How to Cook a Cake in a Microwave & in What Kind of Pan

When you get the urge for cake, you might not want to wait the 40 minutes it takes to cook it. Rather than baking the cake in the oven, cook it in the microwave. You can use a microwave-safe dish such as a microwaveable plastic container or a ceramic or glass dish to get the job done. Just watch the time; microwaves cook fast, and you don't want to ruin your treat.

A slice of chocolate cake. (Image: EccentricCanvas/iStock/Getty Images)

Chocolate Cake for One

Step 1

Mix the flour, sugar and cocoa powder in a large coffee mug or creme brulee bowl.

Step 2

Whisk an egg and the milk and almond oil, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Whisk until it is smooth.

Step 3

Place the mug in the microwave and cook on high for about two minutes, watching the cake. When it rises and is puffy, stop the microwave. Every microwave is different; your cake may be done faster than the two minutes or need another minute.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Step 1

Mix one box of yellow cake mix in a bowl with the ingredients required on the box. Some boxes require an egg and vegetable oil, while others only require water.

Step 2

Melt the butter, and coat the bottom of the cooking pan with it. Add a layer of brown sugar, sprinkling it generously over the butter.

Step 3

Layer the bottom of the pan with pineapple rings, placing one maraschino cherry in the center of each ring.

Step 4

Pour the cake mix over the pineapple layers.

Step 5

Place the dish in your microwave, and turn the microwave on high for seven minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, power and cook for another seven minutes.

Step 6

Remove the cake from the microwave and let it sit for 10 minutes before inverting it on a plate to serve.

Things You'll Need

• Coffee mug

• 1/4 cup flour

• 5 tbsp. sugar

• 2 tbsp. cocoa powder

• Egg

• 3 tbsp. milk

• 3 tbsp. almond oi

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• Salt, pinch

• Whisk

• 8-by-8-inch microwave safe pan

• 1 box yellow cake mix

• 1/2 cup butter

• Brown sugar

• 1 can pineapple rings

• 1 bottle maraschino cherries