Recipe Thursday - Peanut-Fudge Pudding Cake (microwave cooking)

I have noticed over time, that very few people actually use their microwaves for cooking.  Mostly its  forreheating, in particular, frozen vegetables or an old cup of coffee or tea.   When I got married, my father-in-law and his wife gave us a microwave and a cookbook.  Betty Crocker's Microwave Cookbook saw a lot of use in our house.  Having more time to spend in the kitchen means I don't have as much of a rush to get dinner ready.  There are still several dishes that I rather enjoy making from this book.   Today it's a variation of a favourite dessert. 

Pudding cake is still magic for me.  When I was little, my mother used to buy packaged mix to make this.  I loved the lemon flavour.  It was a small box with two packets inside.  One the cake mix and the other for the sauce.  This is made in exactly the same method. Mix the cake in the bowl, sprinkle the sugary stuff over top and then carefully pour the really hot water over top.  Then cook.  Today we're doing it without the box mix.

Peanut-Fudge Pudding Cake

1 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp cocoa

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1 3/4 cup hot water

Mix flour, sugar, 2 tbsp cocoa, baking powder and salt in a 2 quart casserole.  (note: a 1.8 L container isn't big enough).  Stir in milk, peanut butter, oil and vanilla until smooth.

Mix together brown sugar and  1/4 cup cocoa.  Sprinkle mixture over top of cake batter. 

Pour hot water over batter.  Microwave uncovered on medium (50%) for 9 minutes; rotate casserole 1/4 turn.  Microwave on high (100%) until top is almost dry, 5 to 7 minutes longer.  While warm spoon into dessert dishes and top with ice cream.  Spoon sauce over ice cream.

Butterscotch Sundae Cake:

Omit peanut butter.  Add 1 package butterscotch chips (1 cup).  Decrease brown sugar to 1/2 cup and the 1/4 cup cocoa to 2 tablespoons.

Usually I make the version with the peanut butter, but daughter really likes butterscotch and seeing that we had the chips, thought I would surprise her.  I am assuming that I was supposed to mix the chips into the batter and not sprinkle them along with the sugar mixture.

Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads.  This week's link.  You are invited to visit and checkout the various food related posts, and if you wish, add your own current link.