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Here's a really fun and easy treat to celebrate the upcoming Valentine's Day!  Easy Red Velvet Pudding Cups make a great ending to your holiday meal or a fun after-school treat for the kids.  What makes them easy is the red velvet cake layer that is made from a microwave mug cake recipe that comes together in minutes.  (This cake is so good, you won't believe it came from your microwave!)  Toss it in some super creamy Snack Pack pudding cups and top it with whipped topping, a chocolate heart and some sprinkles (if you like) and you've got yourself a fun treat everyone will love! 

I professed my love for all things red velvet last week.  Add this easy recipe to that list of loves!  Not only do I love the taste and the ease of preparation, but I also love that fact that I am squeaking in as much calcium as an 8 oz. glass of milk with one serving of creamy, great tasting, Snack Pack pudding.  Now that is really something to love!

Since this recipe uses a microwave mug cake recipe...let's talk microwave mug cakes. I've had some bad ones in my days.  Ones so bad that they have ended up in the trash. Let me tell you, not all mug cake recipes are created equal.  That's why I was super excited to find the recipe I used from Leslie Bilderback, author of Mug Cakes.  Leslie has some great tips for creating perfect mug cakes in the microwave.   She outlines all the steps in her book, but a few I will share with you is her preference for using self-rising flour (you can make you own, I did and I tell you how below!) and that a mug cake recipe calling for one egg really needs to be split between two mugs and microwaved separately.  Following these guidelines really produced an outstanding mug cake.  Don't shy away from what looks like a long list of ingredients for the cakes, they really do come together quickly and make a cake that is hard to believe came out of your microwave!

The great thing about making mug cakes for the cake portion of this dessert is minimal waste.  An entire cake would obviously be way too much cake for this purpose, so mug cakes work perfectly!

To get started on creating this dessert, I made my way to Walmart to purchase the ingredients I needed.  The Snack Pack Pudding Cups were easy to find (as you can see below).  I purchased both the chocolate and vanilla varieties.

I gathered up all the ingredients I needed.  As I mentioned, I made my own self-rising flour. To make your own, simply combine 2 cups all purpose flour with 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt. I store mine in a small air-tight canning jar.  For the red velvet mug cake, you will only need a 1/4 cup of self -rising flour, so purchasing a 5 pound bag seems silly if you have no other uses for it.

Here is a step-by-step tutorial, but you can find the entire recipe if you scroll down:

Spray two mugs well with Pam cooking spray to prevent the cakes from sticking.

Combine the egg and oil with a whisk in a small bowel or 4 cup glass measure.  Whisk in the buttermilk, vanilla, red food coloring, granulated sugar and vinegar.

Add in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.

Whisk well to combine into a smooth batter.

Pour evenly into the two prepared mugs.

Microwave on HIGH starting with a minute and a half.  Adding 15 second bursts, if needed.  Cook only until cake is firm.  (cooking too long will make the cake hard)  Allow cakes to cool in mugs.

While the cakes are cooling, melt the chocolate discs in the microwave and put into a plastic bag snipped at one end.  On a waxed paper lined cookie sheet, pipe hearts.  Place in refrigerator to harden.

Now you are ready to make the pudding desserts!  Take 4-8 Snack Pack pudding cups (chocolate, vanilla or a combination of the two) and open.  Opening is a snap since they now have Easy Open lids!   Spoon out a couple of TBS pudding from each cup and set aside.

Place a few chunks of red velvet mug cake into the pudding cups...

 then cover with the reserved pudding and topping with some more red velvet mug cake chunks.

Finish with some Reddi-wip, a chocolate heart and add some pink and red sprinkles if you like!

Easy Red Velvet Pudding Cups

By Renee's Kitchen Adventures

Red Velvet Cake adapted from Mug Cakes 

Creamy Snack Pack Pudding Cups get all decked out with red velvet cake pieces, whipped topping and chocolate hearts just in time for Valentine's Day!

Ingredients

• 4 - 8 Snack Pack Pudding Cups (chocolate, vanilla or a combination of both)
• Pam cooking spray
• For the mug cakes:
• 1 large egg
• 3 TBS canola oil
• 1 tsp. red food coloring
• 3 TBS. low-fat buttermilk
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup self-rising flour*
• 2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
• pinch of salt
• To garnish:
• 1 cup chocolate flavored melting discs
• Reddi-wip topping
• sprinkles (if desired)

Instructions

1. To make the mug cakes: Spray two mugs with Pam. Set aside. In small bowl or 4 cup glass measure, combine the egg and oil with a whisk. Add in food coloring, buttermilk, vanilla, cider vinegar, and granulated sugar. Whisk until well combined. Add in self-rising flour*, cocoa powder, and pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth. Pour into prepared mugs, making sure to only fill each half way. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Check to see if top is firm, if it is it's done, if not, microwave in 15 second bursts until it's done. Take out and set aside to cool.
2. While cakes are cooling, melt the chocolate discs in microwave according to package directions. Transfer melted chocolate to a small plastic bag and snip the corner. Pipe heart shapes onto waxed paper. Place in refrigerator to set.
3. When cakes are cool and chocolate hearts are set, open up 4 - 8 pudding cups. (there is enough cake to do 8-ish pudding cups, so if you only make 4, there will be extra cake) Scoop out a couple of TBS of pudding in each cup and set aside. Place some cake chunks into each pudding cup. Replace the pudding you took out and top with more cake chunks. Before serving, garnish with Reddi-wip, chocolate hearts and sprinkles. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4-8 pudding cups

Prep Time: 00 hrs. 15 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 02 mins.
Total time: 17 mins.
Tags: Snack Pack, pudding, red velvet, cake, mug cake, dessert

*To make self-rising flour:  Mix 2 cups of all purpose flour with 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt.  Store in air-tight container.

Printable Recipe 

What will you be making for your sweeties this Valentine's Day? 

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