Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Cheesecake In A Mug

I was telling a friend about my 1-2-3 Chocolate Microwave Mug Cake and kept thinking there had to be equally easy and delicious alternatives. I had some cream cheese and sour cream in the refrigerator and played around with a microwave cheesecake. The first time I overcooked it, but the second time was a charm. It was creamy and delicate from the first bite. This cake is great for people at work, in dorms or if you just want cheesecake...fast! My Cheesecake in a Mug, is so good and versatile that you can have a different topping each day...well, maybe each time you make it! One time I added chocolate chips, and then the next I swirled in some cherry jam. Instead of a crust, I added a crumb topping. I found a crust just gets soggy on the bottom, but as a topping it is perfect. The hardest part of this easy cheesecake is standing with your spoon waiting, while it cools in the refrigerator!

Microwave Mug Cheesecake

2 ounces low fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons egg white,
slightly beaten (egg whites in a carton work fine)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch (prevents liquid from forming)

For "mix ins", add 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips, or swirl in (not stir) 1 tablespoon jam of choice.

In a 1 cup or larger microwave proof mug, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy with a small whisk. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, sugar, egg, lemon juice and cornstarch. Whisk about 2 minutes until light. Alternatively, the mixture may be mixed in a small bowl with a hand held electric mixer and then poured into the mug. Add any "mix-ins",
or swirl in jam at this time. Microwave on medium for 2 1/2 minutes* (in a 650 watt microwave). Since microwave powers are different, you may need to experiment. You want the center to just start to bubble, and then stop cooking. If it is allowed to bubble and cook further, the mixture will "break" and you'll need to start over. Make a note of the successful cooking time for your microwave. Take out of the microwave and let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until fully chilled, about 1 1/2-2 hours. If any liquid has formed, carefully pour out. Sprinkle with graham cracker mixture and top with any topping of your choice.

*I also had success with 1 minute 50 seconds on high.

Serves 1.

Graham Cracker Topping

1 tablespoon crushed graham crackers
1/2 teaspoon melted unsalted butter

Mix graham cracker crumbs and melted butter together in a small bowl. Sprinkle on top of mug
cheesecake.


Microwave Mug Cheesecake recipe (pdf)



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37 comments:

Kathy Walker said...

That is awesome. It would be so much fun to do at work...for lunch on one of "those stresser days!"

food with style said...

omg i don't know if i should hate you or bow at your feet! i am already obese, at least baking a cheesecake takes hours before ready so it keeps me at bay, but this... omg i am doomed! and so pretty too, good job!

Baking is my Zen...sweet nibbles for the soul said...

Very creative! Presentation is fabulous!

Katrina said...

Looks de-lish! I have a "cookbook" that is all desserts you can make in a mug. I think they are also set up to give as gifts with some of the ingredients provided and a note that says, "just add...."
I'll have to look and see if cheesecake is in it. (Although, it'd be hard to provide most of those ingredients in a gift.)
I'm gonna have to try this! GREAT job.

Chocolate Shavings said...

What a beautiful presentation!

Sweet Bird said...

This is genius.

Mari @ Once Upon a Plate said...

Diane ~ this is soo beautiful!

You are brilliant! I seldom make even a half-size cheese cake any more, but this could be wickedly delightful. :)

One problem. That first image is so stunning, I would have a very, very difficult time ruining it with a spoon.

All of your photos are mouthwateringly YUMMIE!

It's dangerous to come visit your blog, you know that? :)

xo ~ m

P.S. Don't believe Jain she is NOT obese. I know~ I've seen her in person... such a fun personality though, as I'm SURE you know!

Ju (The Little Teochew) said...

Oh this is just brilliant! The crumb topping is a stroke of genius. The swirls - beautiful.

La Table De Nana said...

I agree with everything that has been said! I spotted this while babysitting and didn't have a minute~to comment..I could just glance here and there.Now I am back to say wow!

I like that everything is small and cute..creamy..and lowfat!

Thank you for perfecting and testing till proven right:)

A Bowl Of Mush said...

What a great idea! Lovely presentation!

Ry @ Sotto Il Monte Vineyards said...

How very clever! Beautifully photographed as always.
Trouble is - now I want one!

Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings... said...

MMMMmmmm...excellent for the eye and the stomach...Beautiful and so clever!...I love your blog and will be back often to keep an eye on you, xoxo~Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings...

Linda@ Lime in the Coconut said...

Just. Stop.


I would like to dive into one of those comfort in a cups right now!


Big sigh....

Beautiful photo. Stellar recipe.

Memória said...

Wow! This is amazing! I'm so glad you posted this recipe. I will be trying this very soon. I love cheesecake, but I don't want a full portion in my house since I live alone. Your photos are lovely.

2 Stews said...

Thanks all for the great words!

Katrina, what a clever idea for a gift! I think I'll use it! Maybe I'll have to come up with more recipes, too!

Cheers....Diane

Shelly said...

Oh my...I'm not much of a recipe collector but this one got bookmarked 1/2 way through reading it!
I posted it over at maybethinking.com

THANKS!
Shelly

Unknown said...

Hi!
I tried this recipe in a 1300W microwave, on the lowest setting available (one out of ten) and it still ended up bubbling quickly - less than a minute of microwave time. Any suggestions?

I like the idea of this recipe a lot!
Thank you,
Kris

2 Stews said...

Kris...I've thought about this and it must be the power wattage of your microwave, and even on a lower setting, it still has a lot of power. Did you take it out just as it started to bubble, and cool it to room temperature and then refrigerate? The texture is what it should be only after being refrigerated. I'll have to experiment with high powered microwave ovens. Mine is a smaller 650 watt oven. I'm glad you like the concept...I do too, and I hope to come up with more recipes, so thanks for your feedback. With so many different microwaves it is difficult to find an exact time for all. Please let me know how things go and thanks again.

Diane

EH said...

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Monica said...

Fantastic recipe! I have the same problem with the high powered oven; My cheesecake cooks around the edges before it cooks in the center. I am working to find a solution, but one question I needed to ask was, Why is vanilla included in the ingredients but not the instructions? I've been mixing it in with the rest of the ingredients before cooking. Is that what I am supposed to do?

2 Stews said...

Monica...sorry about the error! I just corrected it and thanks so much for letting me know!!

Happy baking :-)

Diane

Unknown said...

I love cheesecake and these look so simple! The perfect afternoon treat :)

Anonymous said...

this is delicious!!! i tried it with maple syrup as a mix-in and it worked like a dream :)

Anonymous said...

Wow this looks so delicious and easy! ^^
As a person who has a wicked sweet tooth at times, I think this is a great snack to nomnomnom on. :D

virginia said...

Hello,

first really a good kob with this cake, secondly i´d like to ask: do you think the idea would still work with every kind of cheesecake filling?

Thank you,

Virginia

meredith said...

I just stumbled upon your blog and I HAVE to try this recipe! I am a college student, so this looks completely doable! Thank you!

www.onesheepishgirl.blogspot.com

Manuel said...

Right now I´m sitting in my kitchen in the distant lands of Mexico City, watching the season finale of Mad Men while enjoying this absolutely fascinating dessert I stumbled upon. I just took the first bite and I have to say, your cheesecake is absolutely brilliant. Thanks a lot! You have just earned yourself a new follower several miles away!

Quirky Jessi said...

I've made chocolate cake in the microwave before and seen it across the web many times, but I've never seen cheesecake in a mug microwaved before. I'm going to have to try this.

SkeeterN said...

This looks great. I have been doing low carb for over 6 years and also never ever do low fat. LOL So I will try your recipe with full fat everything and splenda in place of the sugar. Probably won't use the cornstarch either.

Thanks

Young at Heart said...

wow...such things of beauty and delicious too...I don't actually have a microwave but these make me wonder if I should invest!!

KathyC said...

For those with higher wattage microwaves...I've done the one serving cakes, etc, but rather than a mug, I put them in something wider/lower. This creates more exposed surface area, so you should get more even cooking without the bubbling problem. Good luck!

Jeannie said...

Posted your link on my blog and on my Pinterest. This turned out great.

Yaz said...

Wow, a little piece of heaven in a mug! Thank you so much for this recipe.

I've made other mug cakes but never even thought of making cheesecake in one. I love cheesecake but don't want to make a whole cake just for myself so this is perfect.

I don't like sour cream in desserts so I used greek yogurt instead and substituted splenda for the sugar and it turned out amazing! :)

Anonymous said...

Would it be okay to substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream?

Cooking Mumu said...

Hi, loved your cheesecake !!
You can see it on my blog (in frenchà
http://www.cookingmumu.com/mug-cheesecake-light-5mn-degoisme-et-un-micro-onde
Thanks for the share :-)

Anonymous said...

you should mixing oreos YUM

Anonymous said...

I want to try this so bad! But I don't have a microwave unfortunately. Odd, I know but this is really the only thing I've ever *really* needed one for. If I put it in the over in a small Pyrex bowl, how long would I have to cook for?