Made It Mondays! Cocoa Mug Cakes

Welcome to MADE IT MONDAYS!  This is the first installment and I am excited to share a low-carb(ish) craving killer that I L-O-V-E. 

About a year ago, my husband and I switched (very drastically) to a low-carb diet.  We went from bread-eating, sugar-stuffing, pasta-loving,  Dublin Dr. Pepper-addicted Texans to a carb-o-phobic couple.  Yes, it is true that it was due to very pressing health issues that we initially began this journey...But after dropping 30 pounds (although I have admittedly gained some of that back) and feeling better AND having a lot less stomach trouble- we have stuck with it!

It is true that when you have been (an above detailed) carb lover all your life you feel like you are denying yourself every single time you hit a craving....Now, it's different for every person, but if someone tells you that you "won't crave carbs (pastries, breadsticks, macaroni and cheese, and CAKE) if you just cut them out altogether"...They are LYING to you.  LOL. 

Enter this lovely recipe below.  It is PERFECT for when those chocolate cravings hit and all you want to do it cuddle up to a hot fudge sundae topped with chocolate chip cookies.  It is a (healthier) low-carb-ish recipe that is ready in...wait for it....ONE MINUTE in the microwave.  I'm serious- O.N.E.!

I have made lots of different versions of this cake, but here I have given you the "stripped down", original version.

Here is the super-easy recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
*1 Egg
*2 Tbsp. cocoa (I used Hershey's special dark this time around)
*1 Tbsp. Raw Honey
*1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
*1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
*1 or 2 "shakes" of cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:  Are you ready for this??
1.) Mix all of the ingredients altogether.  (I find it easiest with a large whisk)
2.) Spray (or coat with coconut oil) a coffee mug, small glass bowl or 3 larger glass ramekins (as pictured above).  The recipe makes one "personal sized" cake or 3 small cupcakes.
3.) Cook in a microwave for 1 minute.  Watch it bake...seriously...it's fun.  Watch it.

*I often double this recipe for myself and my hubby.  If you bake both at the same time in the microwave, also double the cook time to 2 minutes.

VERSIONS: The most simple version is pictured here with just whipped cream.  I also LOVE to add some sliced strawberries to the top or a spoonful of peanut butter to the batter.  The most "lavish" recipe is AMAZING.  If you want to go for broke, make my "cheesecake" filling/dip and use a cupcake filling tool to make a "cheesecake cocoa cake"!  (Wait for cake to cool, fill or top with cheesecake dip and refrigerate for about half an hour)

For the CHEESECAKE DIP: Blend together 1 8oz. package of softened cream cheese, 1 tsp. vanilla ext., 1 tsp. almond ext., 3/4 c. whipping cream, 1/2 c. swerve or stevia.  It will make quite a bit.  You can (1) Cut the recipe in half OR if you are like me (2) Save the extra and use it to stuff/dip fresh strawberries!  YUM!

Keep in mind that the alterations will make the carb count differ.  (The "regular" un-doubled recipe has about 20 carbs.  If you are diabetic, yes, that sounds like a lot- keep in mind that a 1/2in thick slice of regular cake has about double that- but honey has shown to have properties that LEVEL the bloodsugar, whereas regular sugar does...not... lol. 

ENJOY your treat and let me know if you tried it and what you thought about it!