Simple Vanilla PB Mug Cake

I have been really enjoying my Simple Chocolate Mug Cake quite often lately. I love that I can quickly make up a cake in order to enjoy a bit of sweetness with only a few carbs or fat and lots and lots of protein.

I have also been sharing my precious cakes with The Captain, but when I offered to make him one last night for a snack, he sorta turned up his nose. He said he didn't want that much.  I was quite taken aback.

Okay then, if a whole cake was too much, I suggested we share one and then he told me that he really didn't feel like chocolate... and that the cake is a bit too dry for his liking.   Hmmmm.

Well, I have vanilla whey powder as well as chocolate, so I offered to make him a slightly smaller cake... vanilla with peanut butter, with a moister texture,  and he quickly agreed.

I used vanilla whey, with PB2, almonds milk, and a bit of baking powder.  And, in order to make the outcome a bit moister, I used less than a whole scoop of the vanilla whey protein powder.  That made the batter wetter, and the cooked cake definitely moister.  Clever, right?

Of course you could use any peanut flour you like, and even unflavored whey... just add a bit of vanilla extract when you mix.

I do think it is a nice change from the chocolate... and it really is a better batter!  The PB2 gives it just a hint of peanut butter flavor... very subtle... so it is still good with any kind of fruit or toppings you might like.

Here is the recipe.  Hope you like it.

Simple Vanilla PB Mug Cake
makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 2/3 scoop (about 21g) vanilla whey protein powder
• 2 Tbs PB2
• 1/4 cup nut milk
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Instructions:

1. Coat the inside of a microwave safe cooking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Place the dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir to combine.
3. Add the nut milk and stir.  You want a brownie batter consistency so if it is a bit thick, add more nut milk a couple of drops at a time.
4. Spoon batter into prepared baking dish.
5. Cook in microwave oven for 1 minute on HIGH. Time may vary slightly.
6. Remove cooked cake from microwave and allow to cool about 30 seconds before removing cake to serving dish.
7. Top as desired or eat plain.

Per serving, without toppings.

Weight Watchers Smart Points = 2.

Calories 132;

Fat 3g;

Saturated Fat 1g;

Carbohydrates 7g;

Sugar 2g;

Protein 22g

Printable Recipe

What about you? Chocolate or Vanilla PB?

Simple Chocolate Mug Cake

I admit to having what I like to call a latent sweet tooth.  It sorta lays in wait and does not show itself very often... thankfully... but when it does appear, it demands to be placated and satisfied almost immediately.  I have come up with a Simple Chocolate Mug Cake, using ingredients that I always have in my panty. It tastes somewhat sweet and satisfies that need.  But it is also actually very low in sugar and carbs and fat, overall, and jam-packed with protein... and flavor!  It is gluten-free, and grain-free, too.

I can pretty much whip it up in a couple of minutes and if you have a sweet tooth that needs attention, you know how important immediacy can be!  You have just got to get something sweet into your mouth as quickly as possible so it might just as well be something that is not going to break your macro/calorie/Smart Points bank, right?

The 3 main ingredients in my Simple Chocolate Mug Cake are chocolate based... chocolate whey protein powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, and chocolate PB2... and then I add almond or other unsweetened nut milk and a bit of baking powder.  I mix them together and pop into the mike for a minute. The aroma is wonderful. Gives me something to savor and anticipate while I am waiting a few seconds for it to cool enough to slide out of the baking dish and into a serving bowl.

And it also gives me a bit of time to decide if I want or need toppings... yogurt, nut butter of some kind, berries, cinnamon... you know... the really good stuff.  Sometimes I just want plain chocolate cake and eat it right out of the baking dish!  It is that good.  I am thinking you could also make up an icing with protein powder or even top it with whipped coconut cream.  Mmmm.  Yep. Gotta try that!

Now, I have used a plant-based protein powder instead of whey to make this cake. And it works, but you need to cook it a bit longer for some reason.  Your choice.

I have also used a variety of nut milks, depending on what I have on hand.  I am sharing the nutritional information using unsweetened original Almond Breeze.  And if you don't have chocolate PB2, use the plain one, or failing that, use a second tablespoon of the cocoa powder. You will get an even chocolatier cake!  Is that even a word?

Okay, I did not make it in a mug... but you could!  My baking dish is a small glass bowl... about 4 inches across and about 3 inches deep.

Simple Chocolate Mug Cake
makes 1 cake

Ingredients:

• 1 scoop (about 32g) chocolate whey protein powder
• 1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbs chocolate PB2
• 1/4 cup nut milk
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Instructions:

1. Coat the inside of a microwave safe cooking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Place the dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir to combine.
3. Add the nut milk and stir.  You want a brownie batter consistency so if it is a bit thick, add more nut milk a couple of drops at a time.
4. Spoon batter into prepared baking dish.
5. Cook in microwave oven for 1 minute on HIGH. Time may vary slightly.
6. Remove cooked cake from microwave and allow to cool about 30 seconds before removing cake to serving dish.
7. Top as desired or eat plain.

Per serving, without toppings.

Weight Watchers Smart Points = 3.

Calories 166

Fat 4g

Saturated Fat 1g

Carbohydrates 8g

Sugar 3g

Protein 28g

Printable Recipe

Dry ingredients before mixing together.  See the difference in color of my 3 chocolatey ingredients and then the baking powder?

Thick brownie-like batter after stirring in nut milk.  Not runny at all but very moist.

Cooked cake, cooling a bit before placing in serving dish.

With yogurt and berries.

With yogurt and a drizzle of sugar free chocolate mint syrup.

Whether you dress it up or enjoy it plain, you are sure to love this easy peasy chocolate cake!

Do you have a sweet tooth?  How do you satisfy it quickly?

High Protein Angel Food Cake

I have been working on perfecting this recipe for a few weeks, and I am finally satisfied that it is ready to share. I have decided to simply call it my High Protein Angel Food Cake.

 I am so excited about it… more excited than any of the recipes I have created for a while.

It has pretty much the same ingredients as my High Protein Breakfast Puff, but instead of cooking it on the stovetop in a skillet, I have baked it in the oven.  And it is fabulous… very much like Angel Food Cake, I think.  Not even a bit drier. Actually, The Captain thought I was making an Angel Food Cake when he smelled the aroma coming from the oven the first time I started messing with these ingredients.

The trick is to make sure that the egg whites are at room temperature before you beat them. And yes, I used egg whites from a carton.  And no, I have not tried it without the cream of tartar.  You can leave out the stevia if you wish, and of course you can use flavor of protein powder you like.  I used North Coast Naturals 100% ISO Whey in vanilla for this batch. Or even make it a bit sweeter; I used NuNaturals liquid stevia here.

After it comes out of the oven, it may fall a bit if you have not beaten the egg whites enough, so don’t despair if that happens. It won’t affect the lovely taste. 

And you can enjoy this puff in so many ways.  The first one I made and shared with The Captain, he spread strawberry jam on top of his half.  And I had mine with with a slather of crunchy peanut butter.

This time, I mixed up some  PB2 to drizzle over mine, and he chose to have his with a slurry of peanut butter and jam.  It’s all good. 

Can’t  you just imagine this topped with whipped cream or yogurt and berries?  Mmmmm.  I think this is going to become my birthday cake from now on.... I always had an Angel Food Cake on my birthday when I was a child.

High Protein Angel Food Cake

Makes 1 cake

• 1/2 cup (approximately 4) room egg whites at room temperature
  1 tsp cream of tartar
  10 drops liquid vanilla stevia
  3/4  scoop whey protein powder
  1/2 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly coat a pie plate or round cake pan (about 8 or 9 inches across)  with non-stick spray.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla stevia until stiff peaks are formed.  This may take several minutes and longer if the air is humid.  You cannot hurt them by overbeating. 
4. In a small bowl, mix the protein powder and baking powder together.
5. Add the powder mixture to the stiff egg whites and gently combine. Do not break down the peaks when mixing.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan, gently spread it evenly,  and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let rest 5 or 10 minutes before cutting or serving.

Per whole cake.
WWP+ = 4.
Calories 151; Protein 30g; Carbohydrate 5g; Fat 1g; Fibre 0g.

UPDATE:

Because this is a recipe I use often, I have decided to recalculate the N.I. to determine the Weight Watchers Smart Points Value.  It is as follows:

Per whole cake.
WW SP = 2.
Calories 151
Saturated Fat = .2g
Sugar = 0g
Protein = 32 g

Beat the egg whites still stiff.

Lift the beaters from the egg whites. If mounds form in the egg whites, they are getting stiff.

When you think they are stiff enough, beat them a couple of minutes longer!

Sprinkle the powder mixture over the whites and fold in, gently.

Put the mixture in the baking pan and put in the hot oven.

Right out of the hot oven… allow to rest out of drafts and cool breezes.

Nice crunchy top.

Mmmmmm.

And look at the insides.  Soft and luscious.

Half of the puff makes a very filling snack alone…

here topped with Chocolate PB2…

and here, with PB & J

This time with Cool Whip Light, PB2 and half a banana.

And finally, with Cool Whip Light, and some mixed beries.

Printable Recipe

Are you an Angel Food Cake fan, too?

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