5-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

I've received the following e-mail twice in the past few days, so considered it my civic duty to try this and pass the results on to you.

To All my "Chocaholic Friends" and those who just might have an occasional sweet tooth.

Subject: Fwd: 5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

The 5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons cake flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk (I used half and half)
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla (1/4 tsp.)
1 coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.
Add egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk
and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Me, not being alarmed, but can you see how high it got:

Although it shrunk pretty quickly (like a frightened turtle):

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. So...here's my review:

After I removed the cake (which came out very easily) from the mug, I discovered all of the chocolate chips had sunk to the bottom. I cut the cake in half, as it makes a fairly good sized serving, and cooled it in the freezer for a few minutes. I iced the half that didn't have the chocolate chips, with some buttercream I had in the fridge; it's not a terribly sweet cake. The texture is somewhat rubbery, and gets more so as it continues to cool. The half with the chocolate chips was better, and probably would have been tastier if eaten warm.

This would be a fun project for kids, but they may not eat the finished product.

If it was 2 a.m. and I had the chocolate DTs, I'm not sure if this would cure my problems or only make me go out in search of the hard stuff. The last picture from above is what I DIDN'T eat, and you all know that's a rarity for me.

**UPDATE** HA! Look what I found when I was randomly clicking the Next Blog button: http://mrdoc2006.blogspot.com/