The Latest Trend: Mug Cakes

It's true that people love eating food out of mugs. The latest recipe craze is the Mug Cake - a delicious, single-serve treat you can make in the microwave in under 3 minutes!

We love the idea of cake-in-a-cup, which is why we designed Mug Bakery. Each of these four cute mugs is printed with its own recipe for making a mug cake.

Because they're made of porcelain, our mugs are microwave and dishwasher safe (but don't put them in the oven!).

Mug cakes are so easy and require little of the cleanup associated with traditional baking. Simply mix your ingredients in the mug, pop in the microwave, and voilà! You have a warm, moist dessert for one.

Here are some of our favorite recipes: 

Strawberry Cheesecake Mug Cake

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. cream cheese

3 tbsp. sour cream

1 egg

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. vanilla sugar*

3 tbsp. sugar

5 strawberries

Oil to grease the mug

Instructions: Mix all ingredients in the mug and microwave for 2 minutes. 

Cream Liqueur Mug Cake

Ingredients:

5 tbsp. flour

4 tbsp. sugar

¼ tsp. baking powder

1 egg

3 tbsp. oil

4 tbsp. cream liqueur

Instructions: Mix all ingredients and microwave for 2 minutes.

Chocolate Coconut Mug Cake

Ingredients:

5 tbsp. grated coconut

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. cocoa powder

2 tsp. vanilla sugar*

3 tbsp. milk

2 tbsp. oil

1 egg

¼ tsp. baking powder

Oil to grease the mug

Instructions: Mix all ingredients in the mug and microwave for 3 minutes.

White Chocolate Raspberry Mug Cake

Ingredients: 

3 tbsp. flour

¼ tsp. baking powder

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. milk

½ tbsp. vegetable oil

½ tbsp. lemon juice

5-7 raspberries

3 tbsp. white chocolate chips

Oil to grease the mug

Instructions: Mix all ingredients in the mug and microwave for 2 minutes. 

*Note: Vanilla sugar is a German product commonly used in baking. You can substitute by using regular white sugar and a bit of vanilla extract. Or, you can purchase it from your local grocery store, Walmart, or World Market. Our favorite brand is Dr. Oetker.

History of the Coffee Mug

It's said that Waechtersbach is the inventor of the can-shaped mug - the traditional coffee mug with cylindrical body and curved handle. During World War II, Waechtersbach designed and manufactured this style of ceramic drinking vessel for soldiers stationed in Germany.

However, archaeologists have discovered mugs dating back as far as 10,000 BCE! These mugs, hand carved from bone, were made by people of the Neolithic Stone Age in China and Japan. They were extremely durable but lacked handles.

Bone Mug from the Stone Ages

Stone mugs gave way to decorated clay mugs (this time with handles!), like those found in Greece from 4,000 BCE. The clay mugs had extremely thick walls and were clunky and difficult to drink from.

By 2,000 BCE, artisans were experimenting with mugs made of bronze, silver and gold. The problem with these mugs was that they were extremely hot to touch and painful to hold.

In 600 CE, the Chinese invented porcelain, which brought a new era of mugs, the kind of which we still enjoy today. Porcelain mugs are well suited to both hot and cold drinks.

These mugs were created long before the arrival of coffee, which originated in Africa in the 13th century. The first coffee shop, opened in Constantinople in 1475, featured wooden mugs.

 Something to ponder next time you're drinking a mug of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate!

An Interview with the Waechtersbach Team

Where do you find inspiration when designing new products? 

Since Waechtersbach is best known for its vibrant color and contemporary patterns, our philosophy is to create products in a combination of solids and decorative prints. In designing our dinnerware, we aim to produce the boldest, brightest designs, drawing inspiration from art, pop culture, and nature. We also take suggestions from our customers into account.

Are there any specific designers, places or eras that influence you?

Because we are a German company, European trends will always influence our dinnerware. In the 175+ years since Waechtersbach was established, our products have been influenced by artistic movements such as Art Nouveau and Bauhaus. We strive to stay true to our German heritage by creating modern pieces with clean lines and innovative glazing techniques.  

Is there an approach or look that joins the functionality, form or emotional appeal of your products?

For us, color is key. We believe the colors you use to decorate your kitchen or dining table can enhance your mood or influence your well-being.  With color, you can choose what sort of atmosphere you’d like to create. For example, orange is energizing, blue is calming, red evokes emotion, and green promotes relaxation.

Do you have a specific philosophy surrounding Könitz Mugs?

At Könitz Porzellan, we strive to be the #1 mug resource. We produce high-quality porcelain mugs and are inspired by the way people use them and give them as gifts. We believe each mug can stand alone as its own unique piece.

There is an interesting piece of research conducted by a German professor that shows how a favorite mug can become an important statement about who you are. With this in mind, we make special mugs for special people as well as a variety of mugs to suit all types.

Setting The Table - A Guide to Proper Place Setting

While it may feel intimidating, setting the table is not as difficult as it seems! If you’re hosting a dinner party, with a few simple rules your dining room will be guest-ready in no time. Arrangement and creativity are key to a pretty place setting.

Informal Place Setting with Waechtersbach Fun Factory Dinnerware

Flatware may be the trickiest part. If you’re confused about where to place your utensils, just remember to arrange around the plate in order of use. You start with the outermost pieces, then work your way in as the meal proceeds.

Basic Place Setting – a simple, informal setting appropriate for everyday use.

Here’s how we set this casual table: 

• Place your dinner plate one inch from the table’s edge. It can be centered on a place mat and should sit squarely in front of the chair. 
• Dinner fork belongs on the left side of the plate.
• Knife is placed on the right, closest to the plate, with blade facing in. 
• Spoon goes to the right of the knife. 
• Put a water glass or mug above the knife.
• Place a napkin under the fork/on the plate.

Formal Dinner – add to your basic place setting for a three-course dinner. Menu typically includes soup, salad and bread, entrée, coffee and dessert.

• Start by placing your dinner plate in the middle. If you like, place a charger or service plate underneath for decorative purposes.  
  
• Place your forks to the left of the dinner plate (1/2 inch from the plate). The larger fork, used for the main course, is closest to the plate. If you’re serving a salad, place your salad fork to the left of the dinner fork. 
• Dinner knife sits immediately to the right of the plate, cutting side in. 
• Spoons go to the right of the knife. If soup is being served, place the soup spoon on the outside and the dessert spoon in the middle. 
• Dessert spoons or forks can also be placed horizontally above the dinner plate, European-style (the spoon on top with the handle facing right and the fork below with handle facing left). You may also bring them out to the table with the dessert plates.
• If soup is served, set the soup bowl on the dinner plate. 
• The salad plate sits above the fork, and the bread plate sits above the salad plate. If soup is not being served, the salad plate can sit on top of the dinner plate. Lay butter spreaders horizontally across the bread plate. 
• Cup and saucers go next to the spoons with the handle facing right. 
• Drinking glasses – water, wine – are positioned above the spoons. The wine glasses sit to the right of the water glass (first red, then white). A champagne flute can sit behind the two wine glasses if necessary.
• A napkin may be folded underneath the forks or put in a napkin ring. 
• Feel free to add namecards or place cards and/or a centerpiece!