This week’s Cook’s Corner feature is a piece of cake — one individual piece of cake created, baked and
served in a coffee mug.
And what better choice of cakes for a coffee mug, but of course, a coffee cake.
Chelsea Bollenbacher, activities director at Heritage Corner Health Care Campus, invited residents at the
facility to join her, and helped them to create their own personal cake.
The process and the cake got rave reviews from the senior residents.
Bollenbacher got the idea for Coffee Cake in a Mug from Pinterest. She said that as a single lady, she
liked the idea of making just one serving and “you don’t have to make a big batch of cake batter.”
From start to finish, she said the cake can be created, baked and eaten in roughly 10-15 minutes.
“The prep time is quick and easy.”
She cautioned that the cake needs to cool down after it comes out of the microwave. It should be cool
enough to eat after a couple of minutes.
“It smells like a cinnamon roll, and coffee cake is one of my favorites,” Bollenbacher said.
Mug cakes are ideal for people who live alone, she said, whether it’s students in a residence hall or an
apartment, or seniors in their own home or other residence where they don’t want to make a full cake in
the oven.
Bollenbacher also suggested small groups may want to do it at home as an activity during a party or a
meeting.
“It was very yummy,” said Rita Euler, at Heritage Corner. “My 4-year-old great-granddaughter would love
this. She is very smart for her age.”
“My grandkids will love this and I like it too,” said Arlene Pugh.
John Alberti said a beverage is optional to go with the cake. “It saves me from dunking; it’s already
well-dunked,” he said.
“I like it, too,” said Tom Kinney. “The magic of it — taking a mug and making a cake out of it, is
fantastic, and it’s very tasty.”
Bollenbacher said they are starting a new project at Heritage Corner, creating a cookbook of popular
recipes of their residents and other family members. The best recipes may also find their way to the
Heritage kitchen and be served to the residents. Once they have enough recipes, they will be published
in a cookbook or possibly a series of small pamphlets.
She also noted that staff member Ann King does a dessert class, which is popular with the clients.
For this recipe, Bollenbacher said she often adds a little cinnamon to the batter and in the topping. The
topping needs to be made in a separate bowl, but everything else is added right into the microwaveable
mug and mixed together there.