“Microwave cakes will never replace an oven-baked cake, in my opinion, because good things take time to create,” says former Great British Bake Off contestant, Hermine Dossou.

“That said, when you don’t have an oven, when you’re not in your own kitchen with your own equipment, when you’re limited by time, or even have just a few bits of ingredients here and there, microwave mug cakes make a great substitute. And they’ll help you get rid of that sugar craving!”

Speculoos mug cake

Ingredients:(Serves 1)

30g salted butter1tsp speculoos spread40g sugar25g whole milk1 small egg40g self-raising flour1tsp vanilla extract

For the topping:1tbsp speculoos spread1 scoop vanilla ice cream1 speculoos or other biscuit, for crumbling

Method:

1. Put the butter and speculoos spread in a large mug and microwave on medium–high power (600 watts) for 10–20 seconds. Stir until smooth.

2. Add the sugar and milk and stir until combined. Then add the egg and mix vigorously with a whisk or small spatula to avoid streaks of egg white in your cake.

3. Finally, add the flour and vanilla, mixing thoroughly to ensure there are no lumps.

4. Microwave on medium–high (600 watts) for one minute. Keep an eye on the cake as each microwave cooks differently. You want the batter to be only just cooked; when you lightly touch the top, it should feel slightly sticky. If it feels completely dry, you have overcooked your cake. Remove from the microwave and allow to cool.

5. To serve, melt the one tablespoon of speculoos spread in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Top the cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle with the melted speculoos spread and sprinkle with the crumbled biscuit. Enjoy.

The Thrifty Baker by Hermine Dossou is published by White Lion, priced £18.99. Photography by Patricia Niven. Available now.