Now You Have Time To Bake...A 35-Second Lemon Cake

I found this recipe a while back at Eating Well, Living Thin. After swapping some of the ingredients, I mixed everything together in a coffee mug and microwaved it for 35 seconds. Upon removing the single-serving cake, the appearance did not quite convince me that this was a semi-equal substitute to a high-fat lemon cake. The first bite was all it took though- light, fluffy, warm, and the perfect amount of lemon flavor. The best thing about single-serving recipes is the absence of temptation- no leftovers sitting on the counter, begging you to indulge. Also, it helps to prevent mindless munching because you have to put a tiny (very tiny) amount of effort into the preparation. This cake is perfect for a light dessert or a morning treat with coffee. If you are in the mood for an even sweeter snack, try topping the warm cake with a few dollops of cool whip free. Feel free to experiment with other flavors by using different extracts. Strawberry is delicious!

As far as nutrition, this lemon treat, with 80 calories and no fat, is a far better choice than...

Starbucks Iced Lemon Pound Cake: 1 slice, 500 calories and 23g fat

Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake: 1 slice, 610 calories and 35g fat

Panera Bread Lemon Poppyseed Cake: 1 slice, 450 calories and 20g fat

35-Second Lemon Cake

serves 1

Ingredients

2 Tbsp All-Purpose flour

2 tsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp Splenda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk (or skim milk)

1/4 tsp lemon extract

drop of yellow food coloring, optional

1. Spray a microwave-safe coffee cup with cooking spray. 
2. In the cup, with a fork, combine the flour, cornstarch, Splenda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
3. Stir in the milk and lemon extract.
4. Microwave on high for 35 seconds. It should be moist and will continue to set up for a few seconds. If it is still wet, microwave for another 5 seconds. Do not over cook or it will be rubbery.
5. Serve warm. Top with cool whip free, fat-free cream cheese, or a sprinkling of additional Splenda if desired.

Nutrition: 80 calories, 15g carbohydrate, 2g protein, 0g fat