I’ve been asked a number of times over the years about scaling down recipes to serve one person. I’ve recently uncovered notes on recipes I used when I was single and lived alone, and I’ll post them here from time to time.

I’ve spent my weekend reflecting on the very busy (and long) week that just ended. All of that introspection has left me craving comfort foods. Part of that crazy week involved pulling something in my neck doing yard work, so my normal comfort foods that involve actual cooking are out of the question. Fortunately, I have a recipe that requires very little work, and the only cooking required involves a microwave, which is about my speed right now.

This cake is certainly unconventional, and it doesn’t look entirely edible at first, but it is definitely delicious. The cake itself is not very sweet – you can adjust the overall sweetness to taste by altering the amount of brown sugar.

Microwave Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, divided
• pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 heaping teaspoon powdered milk
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee, cooled
• 5 tablespoons granulated brown sugar
• 1/4 cup hot tap water

In a microwave-safe bowl, stir together flour, white sugar, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, butter, vanilla, powdered milk, and coffee. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over top and follow with remaining cocoa. Gently pour hot water over top. Microwave, uncovered, for 4 minutes on high. Let stand for 1 minute before removing from microwave.

The cake will have puffed up around the sauce that forms from the brown sugar, cocoa, and water glaze. Serve warm – but be careful not to burn your mouth!

Serves 1.