Vegan MoFo Mia's birthday Pumpkin Mug Cake

Today is my girl, Mia's 19th birthday! Happy Birthday, Mia- this song is for you!

In honor of Mia's birthday, I wanted to make cake. Since she lives in a dorm, I thought the perfect kind of cake to make would be one she could make on her own. Mug cakes are kind of fun- they're a quick, single serving of cake. Less calories and commitment than a real cake. I'm down for that.

Seeing as how it is September, and that brisk fall weather is just around the corner, I thought a Pumpkin Mug Cake would be perfect.  I modified this recipe from a sweet potato cake recipe, which I find is just a bit more work than this. Pumpkin is in all the stores this time of year- I stock up on canned pumpkin (NOT PUMPKIN PIE MIX, THAT STUFF IS WHACK) and use it all year. Pumpkin is a great egg replacer in baking recipes. Also, the dogs LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Who knew?

Start by mixing 4 tablespoons of flour, 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. I also added 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger, and you can also add ground nutmeg. If you were living in a small space (like a dorm) you could use instead of the assorted spices just 1 teaspoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice. Stir together in your mug.

Now add 3 heaping tablespoonfuls of pumpkin, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon soy or almond milk, 1 teaspoon oil (I used almond milk and flax oil). Stir well. That flour-y stuff at the bottom likes to get stuck in the edges of the bottom of the mug.

Now microwave for two minutes. Mia will tell you that anytime I use the microwave, it's for two minutes. Honestly, I don't know why I have other buttons. I just need one button that says "2 minutes" to push.

While it was in the microwave, I made a topping. I still have some cashew crema in the fridge (soaked cashews blended with water, lemon juice, and just a pinch of salt), so I stirred together a spoonful of the crema with a splash of maple syrup.

When the cake came out of the microwave, it didn't LOOK done, but I went with it anyway. I also noticed that for this recipe, I might want to use a smaller mug for more aesthetic quality...

I topped the cake with the crema, and added a pinch of lavender on top.

Oh.My.Goodness. It was SO good! I was surprised! The cake was dense and moist, not chewy like other mug cakes tend to be. The topping was just a hint of sweetness, and the lavender really brought out the fall flavors. Mia, I'll be happy to make you one next time you're home!!

Enjoy!