Ready in less than 3 minutes, this Bailey's Nutella Mug Cake is a fudgy, yet fluffy chocolate cake for one that is drizzled with a simple Irish cream glaze...
For years, I have been celebrating St. Patrick's Day without giving it very little thought as to why. I mean, I am not Irish. (There may be a teeny fraction of a percent of Irish blood in me somewhere. ;) ) I am not Catholic. I have never even traveled to Ireland. But without fail it is a holiday that I gleefully and willingly take part in year after year.
In my younger years, St. Patrick's Day was a blur of green beer, dancing to bands with Irish sounding names, and seeking out the nearest local "Irish" pub. In more recent times, it has become the perfect excuse to enjoy some of my favorite Irish-inspired foods.
It wasn't until this past week that I actually asked myself why. Why do we- Americans who may be 100% Irish or 100% not Irish- celebrate St. Patrick's Day each and every year? The former history teacher in me got the better of me, and I did a little researching...
St. Patrick's Day started long ago in Ireland as a somber holiday to mark the death of Saint Patrick. He is the saint credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland.
It was a quiet holiday in Ireland, and believe it or not, all the bars and pubs were closed on that day (I know... a far cry from the St. Patrick's Day that we have all come to know and love here in the U.S..).
According to historical records, the first account of March 17th being celebrated in the United States was in Boston in 1737. A small group of elite Irish men came together & celebrated the patron saint with a dinner.
From there, the holiday evolved into something much more in the U.S- especially after the Civil War. Post-war, an influx of Irish immigrants entered the country & were looking for a way to celebrate their pride in their Irish heritage while at the same time expressing their loyalty to their new home, America.
These early St. Patrick's Day celebrations grew in cities with large Irish populations like Boston, Chicago, New York City, & Savannah, to name a few. Before too long, everyone- whether they were of Irish heritage or not- starting joining in the celebrations, and St. Patrick's Day became the highly marketable (and profitable) holiday that we all now know today.
Okay, now that we have today's history lesson out of the way, let's talk about this Bailey's Nutella Mug Cake for a second, shall we?
Since I happen to be mostly Italian, I decided to create a little Italian/Irish fusion sweet treat for one just in time for St. Patrick's Day next week. Why not celebrate my Italian heritage while paying homage to a popular American Irish holiday at the same time? ;)
I know that Nutella (a chocolate hazelnut spread) and Bailey's is kind of an unexpected flavor combination, but you all will not believe how perfectly the two go together. The mug cake itself is fudgy yet fluffy, with just a hint of Irish cream flavor.
But for my real Irish cream lovers, I decided to drizzle a super simple two ingredient Bailey's glaze over top of this mug cake. :) The glaze is totally optional, but I do highly recommend it.
Yield: Serves 1
Bailey's Nutella Mug Cake
Ready in less than 3 minutes, this Bailey's Nutella Mug Cake is a fudgy, yet fluffy chocolate cake for one that is drizzled with a simple Irish cream glaze.
prep time: 1 min cook time: 2 min total time: 3 min
ingredients:
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp Bailey's (Irish cream), divided
- 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
instructions:
How to cook Bailey's Nutella Mug Cake
- In a microwave-safe mug, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Add in the Nutella, 1 tbsp of Bailey's, canola oil, and milk, & mix until well combined. Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tsp Bailey's and the powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle over top of the mug cake.
- Enjoy immediately.
Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day each year?
What is your favorite way to celebrate this Irish American holiday? :)
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