Mini microwave peanut-pumpkin protein cake
I’m on a peanut flour kick this week. Don’t ask me why. I’ve stirred it into my oatmeal, added spoonfuls to smoothies, and invented this little number right here. The first time I made it, I was being purely experimental, but it actually turned out not-too-shabby. I’ve made it two or three more times since, and though it’s certainly not life-changingly delicious, it IS a fast, fun, filling lil snack, with nice doses of fiber and protein to boot. And since I seem to ALSO be on a single serving sweets kick, it fits in well with that accidental theme this week.
MINI MICROWAVE PEANUT-PUMPKIN PROTEIN CAKE
6 Tbsp peanut flour
6 Tbsp soymilk or almond milk (or other nondairy milk)
2 Tbsp canned pumpkin (or unsweetened applesauce)
1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional; don’t worry about it if you have none)
5-10 drops liquid stevia, to taste (or 2-3 tsp sweetener of choice)
1/8 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 tsp maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey
Place all ingredients except that one teaspoon of maple/honey/agave in a greased 6-8 oz. ramekin or large mug. (Do NOT use a 4 oz. ramekin like I did. Do as I say, not as I do! You’ll see why in a minute.) Stir thoroughly to combine.
Microwave on High for about 5 minutes. (By the way, if you’re microwave-phobic, I’m sure you could also just stick this in a toaster oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.) Let it sit in the microwave for a minute before you remove it, and use an oven mitt to take it out—it’ll be HOT!
THIS, my friends, is why it’s imperative you use a bigger ramekin than I did. Mine overflowed!
No matter—it may be a little crusty around the rim there, but it’s still tasty!
Let the cake cool off for another minute or two, then top it with the teaspoon of maple syrup, agave, or honey, and dig in.
It’ll be a bit gooey in the center still, and drier at the edges.
So there you have it—another 5-minute, single-serving treat! As long as you’ve got peanut flour on hand, you could make this right now. What are you waiting for?!
Yield: 1 mini cake.
Per cake: 238 calories, 13.6g fat (2g sat), 18g carbs, 7g fiber, 11.7g protein.
That sounds yummy, but I don’t have any peanut flour. In fact, I’ve never even heard of peanut flour!! Could I use whole wheat flour instead or is it the taste of the peanut flour that makes this yummy???
Honestly, the peanut flour is what gives it flavor, BUT the baking powder + microwave method SHOULD allow you to use other flours. I’m thinking you could try using whole wheat flour and maybe adding a spoonful of PB into the batter. I can’t vouch for it, so I’m not sure, but I think it’d be worth a shot! And if it doesn’t turn out right, at least you’re hardly wasting any ingredients. Please let me know if you try that, and if it works!
Mmmm…this looks delicious!! I’ll have to pick up some peanut flour and pumpkin asap
Thanks!
Thanks, Lauren
I didn’t buy peanut flour for the longest time because I didn’t know what to use it for, but it’s actually quite versatile!
what a great idea! you can do so much in the microwave.
It’s true, you can. It’s not the healthiest method for preparing food, but sometimes, a girl’s just gotta snack!
Amen
Girl, this is such great timing–I just bought peanut flour on Monday! I literally have all the essentials of your recipe in the dorm kitchen except baking powder. (That can be remedied the next time I go to TJ’s.) Wheee I’m so excited to try this!
Hehe, too cool! We must be on the same wavelength.
Feel free to try it without baking powder – it may be a little less fluffy, but it’d still be yummy!
That actually looks delicious – a version of our old “Pumpkin Squares”. This also looks like a healthier version of the store-bought one-serving size Warm Delights) . A dollop of not-so-vegan whipped cream could top it also, right?
Those Warm Delights are exactly what I had in mind when making this!
And yep, whipped cream would taste great on this
Now Dad tells me that, yes, he would actually prefer a teaspoon of agave or honey as you suggested (healthily)…
)
I figured Dad would go for the agave, heh.
Yum! And I thought I had every possible type of flour in my pantry… putting peanut flour on my grocery list. I’m already thinking of the possible variations – applesauce instead of pumpkin, add cinnamon & nutmeg and call it “spice cake” (hubby’s fave)
Mmm, cinnamon would be an awesome addition!
My understanding is that peanuts, with the exception of wild jungle peanuts, contain aflatoxins. Also…..microwave………..really? All your training with food and you use a microwave? Why would you do that?
Hi Silani,
Peanuts do contain aflatoxins, but my system has never had any problem with them, so I actually eat peanuts and peanut butter quite often. I trust my readers to know if they have an intolerance to peanuts.
I had a feeling I’d catch some flack for using the microwave…yes, I’m a chef, but I’m a busy woman too, and I’m also not a raw food zealot. I use my microwave pretty regularly. It’s not ideal, but it’s life. I figured there’d be other folks like me out there who’d appreciate a shortcut snack like this.
Silani,
As with a similar comment left just last week, I have to ask what your intent is with writing my girlfriend in a tone that seems to indicate disgust. Are you “really” interested in knowing why she uses a microwave? Or, were you just wanting to express a level of superiority or perhaps some sense of unprovoked disappointment?
Amber continues to post helpful and honest information with the intent of sharing her knowledge and even her delightful mistakes. I would ask that you and everyone else who writes disparaging comments limit the comments to your opinion about the food or the health properties thereof. Otherwise, all these comments accomplish is making the poster, you in this case, sound like someone unlikeable and negative.
Here’s to hoping negative people changing into value-delivering, positive influences…
Matt
Mmm! I like that it comes in a conveinient “no sharing” size!
Haha, quite right!
LOL….the microwave incident looks like something that would happen to me…sure sounds yummy! One problem for me though…no peanut flour.
Hehe! Glad I’m not alone there.
If you have whole peanuts, you could buzz them in a food processor until they’re finally ground, like flour. Or maybe try with another type of nut – almond flour, perhaps?
woah that looks like franken-cake! I want to try that. I never knew they made peanut flour… do they sell it at whole foods? or is that an “online order only” thing?
Franken-cake? Yikes!
I think they sell peanut flour at WF; I hear they do for sure at TJ’s. I did get mine online, but it’s way cheap.
I have heard recently about PB flour! I have to give it a go! It seems so versatile compared to the actual butter.
I’ll always be loyal to PB, but it is cool to have the option of peanut in flour form!
Thanks for sharing this! I’m a microwave-phobe, but I might try making this for Phil and his daughter in our toaster oven (all the oven we have) nonetheless (or wait, hey–it’s no-sugar/gluten/dairy: I might be able to have some too!) I love the idea of peanut flour and think it tastes pretty good. Since I’m avoiding PUFAs, it’s a great way to get the peanut taste without too much of the omega-6 fat.
Cool theme, the single serving thing. I’m probably going to post a single-serving soup in the next day or so in tribute to you!
love
Ela
You’re right! It IS sugar- and gluten-free! (And my stuff’s always dairy-free
) I was consciously trying to exclude sugar from this, and good call on how it avoids too many PUFAs as well.
How wonderful! Can’t wait to see/ready about your soup.
OK first- love that your mom comments on your blog (I’m going to give my mom grief about that). Second, I love this quick, single serving yet interesting snack idea. Like others, I haven’t tried peanut flour but I’ve been experimenting with chickpea flour and like it a lot. Great blog.
I love chickpea flour too! It’s amazing how there’s a whole world of flours out there besides wheat…and crazy how most people stick to that single type of flour their whole lives.
Wow, I never heard of peanut flour before. Ha, Amber, you should create a 5-minute Single Serving Desserts Cookbook
Hey, maybe I could!
So there’s peanut flour. I know now. Just to imagine what I could do with it… ! If none of the local shops deliver I’ll get it somehow.
It’s true, there are lots of possibilities for using peanut flour! Try NutsOnline.com if you can’t find it in your area.
Hmph. Looks so good, and yet in Australia we don’t have peanut flour or canned pumpkin. HMPH.
I wonder if it would work with coconut flour and banana? Or applesauce? I guess there’s only one way to find out
Surely I can justify buying the coconut flour now…
P.S. I’ve started mixing my sunflower seed butter with nutritional yeast. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. But I like it.
Ok, I know peanut flour isn’t everywhere, but no canned pumpkin?! WHAT?!? How is this possible?!
Well, in any case, you’re already coming up with some excellent-sounding substitutions. Coco flour and banana = YUM!
For some reason, nut/seed butter + nutr. yeast is delicious. I’m not sure why.
I think it’s partly to do with the fact that Australia doesn’t can the same canned! frozen! boxed! premade! wow! instant food! culture as America (though sadly, we’re getting there…) For example, I have never known anyone in my life to use a boxed cake mix, and yet I frequently come across American blogs that use them willy nilly (and this is not an aspersion against all Americans, as of course not all Americans use these products either!)
But I think the other main reason is that we don’t tend to ever use pumpkin in sweet foods here. Pumpkin pie I have *never* seen available, for example. So pumpkin is more a vegetable in stews, or soups, or risottos, etc…
Okay, I’m started to think that your response was probably more a rhetorical question than anything, so I might stop rambling. But suffice to say I once went to USA foods in Melbourne, stocked up on three cans of Libby’s and went to town with pumpkin oatmeal for about a week
Haha, ramble away! It’s a shame you don’t have easy access to canned pumpkin. Honestly, I like it BETTER than the fresh stuff =X Yes, I said it!
Crusty on the edges…gooey in the center? Sound perfect to me. Now I just gotta get my hands on some more peanut flour.
It’s surprisingly versatile stuff! That said, I don’t see why you couldn’t try this with almond flour
No matter what it looks like, it sounds deeelicious. I have seen that canned pumpkin at my commissary here a few times, perhaps I should pick up a can?
You ABSOLUTELY should! Even if you don’t make this, there is so, so, SO much you can do with canned pumpkin. I have about 8 cans in my pantry right now.
After cleaning out my pantry yesterday so I could actually SEE what I have, I found a can of pumpkin! But no peanut flour…
Sadness. This looks great though!
Oh, and I also found some dates! :> So I will try your other blondie soon too.
Nice! You could try grinding up some whole peanuts to use for the peanut flour in this. But between the two treats, if you just make one, I say go with the blondie!
Yum I have peanut flour on hand! Use a large ramekin – noted.
Yay for peanut flour! And you’ll be very glad you used a bigger ramekin
oh yummy! I love how you did exactly what I would have done… and I definitely would have created a mess in my microwave.
Sooooooooo, I have PB flour but it really does not work with my stomach… what else do you think would work in replace of? I’d rather not do a ton of almond butter…. hmmmmmm… Yum recipe though!
I’m thinking you could try almond flour or coconut flour! It’ll take away some of the flavor, but then you could just top it with something extra-flavorful and yummy, like a big squirt of honey or maple
Another great quick single serving cake is Bryanna’s Chocolate mug cake – it’s a standby for me for a chocolate fix. http://hungryvegan.blogspot.com/2010/08/bryannas-5-minute-miracle-chocolate-mug.html
Thanks for the link, Wendy – I’ll check it out!
I’d already been thinking about adding a dollop of peanut butter to the chocolate mug cake, peanut butter and chocolate being one of my favorite themes – now I’m thinking substitute peanut flour for the ww flour…
I love that idea! Choc + PB can’t be beat.
Yesss, thank you so much for this recipe! I’m buying peanut flour at TJ’s tomorrow, and I am sooo stoked. TJ’s is about 11 hours away from me, and I only get to go once or twice a year when we pass it on our way to Utah. I will be making this asap!
Nice! We’re getting our first TJ’s here in KC later this year…I can’t WAIT! Have fun on your stocking-up trip!
haha, I just lol’ed a bit – as I’m infamous for overflowing sh*t in the microwave… And, the stove!
Hehe! I’m glad you understand
That looks super delicious!
Yummmmy. I’ve heard so much about peanut flour lately! I’m thinking it’s time to join the craze and buy some! 
Thanks for the yummy idea! I can’t wait to make it (once I get me some peanut flour!)!
Aly
Peanut flour does seem to be kind of a craze lately! Hope you like the cake; let me know how it turns out.
You DO mean to say SIX Tablespoons of the peanut flour and not teaspoons?
Going to get the peanut flour and try this soon!
Thanks! and Love your Blog!!
Hi Debbie! Where are you seeing tsp in place of Tbsp? I’ll change it ASAP!