Q&A for How to Make Cake in the Microwave

Not necessary but it gives the cake a nice smell and flavor.

Yes, you can. Glass bowls and cups are the best alternative for microwave safe dishware.

Depending on the watts amount of your microwave, microwave for no longer than 1:30. It may be a good idea to stand and watch your cake and end the microwave when it is fully done. It is always better to cook less as you can always cook more but it's not possible to undo an overdone cake.

You should do that for any baking so that the batter doesn't stick to the bowl. Use your fingers with some butter to coat the inside.

Yes, but some microwaves need different times.

No, you don't have to.

Usually, plastic will melt in a microwave if it gets heated too much. Glass will not melt or explode. Make sure lids are not plastic.

Yes, you could. Just be sure to add all the ingredients listed in the directions on the box.

Yes, you can. Just follow the steps, then sell it like a normal cake in a cake sale.

You can substitute with other flavorings, such as rose water, fruit extracts etc.

It should look about the same, maybe a little thinner. It should be gooey, but not runny. It will probably look something like watery yogurt.

Yes, if you also add a raising agent, e.g. baking powder (which is a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar). Nigella Lawson uses 2 teaspoons of baking powder for each 150g/6oz/1 cup plain flour. Sift the flour and baking powder together to make sure the baking powder is thoroughly distributed before adding other ingredients.

Yes, that should be fine. Just mix in the very end of a teaspoon for a mug cake, or half a teaspoon for a whole big cake, along with your flour. It should not change a thing.

This is a microwave cake, so you won’t need an oven. For cakes that require an oven, the temperature varies.

The chocolate cakes used as examples in this article already contain cocoa powder. The chocolate chips are simply there as an option to make the cake more chocolate-y. If you want a richer, “extra chocolate” flavor without chocolate chips, just stir in an extra tablespoon of cocoa.

See wikiHow's article on how to make chocolate.

You just put half of each flavour of cake batter and swirl it with a knife or kebab stick.

It depends on the microwave you use, but most of the microwaves should use full power to bake the cakes.

You should check on the box, because it depends on the brand/ type of cake, and it also depends on the size of the cake you are baking.

You should cover the cake when it is in the microwave. You can make it faster in the microwave, but in my opinion it tastes better from the oven.

No, microwaves do not require preheating.

No; this recipe is for a chocolate cake, which wouldn't complement the fruit well.

You can make a cake in any oven as long as you have a suitable recipe for that oven type. A convection oven is good for making cakes, and will make cakes fluffy and moist. However, all ovens are different and any good cake maker gets to know their ovens well and adjusts cooking times accordingly.

The metal will burn and/or your microwave will explode. Reference YouTube videos of people using metal in a microwave.

No, baking powder is used so that the cake can rise. It isn't used for flavor. If you don't have or don't want vanilla in your cake, you can safely omit it.

You can, but it’s better to leave it on the counter to cool down, as it may still be hot.

If this is your first time making a cake this way, mistakes are bound to happen. Figure out what went wrong and double-check your ingredients and steps once more. The best part is that you can always try again!

Yes. Roast them, grind them and add it to the batter. Or, you can make half powdered and half ground, as this will distribute the flavor evenly.

No, baking mug cakes in the oven makes them a bit hard whilst baking them in the microwave gives them a soft and spongy texture. They are different types of cake due to the different cooking methods.

Margarine is just a substitute for butter, so just use butter. It will turn out the same.