VEGAN CHOCOLATE MUG CAKES

[brimstoneSalad]

I always use brown sugar because white sugar is filtered with cow bone marrow

Bone char. And only sometimes, and because it's cheap. It's a waste product from animal agriculture. It's not really something you should worry about.

But brown sugar isn't any different. It's just white sugar that has had molasses added to it.

Really, don't worry about bone char being used for sugar. There's stuff like that in the very roads we ride on (or should we not travel in any vehicles or step on roads or sidewalks?), and it's also used in agriculture. It's just a waste product that they'll find places to put. If people didn't kill animals for food, they wouldn't kill them for bone char.

Also, how would one "pre-mix" sugar and water, or is that some packaged thing?

You put the sugar and water together, and you stir it until it dissolves completely. If it won't dissolve, microwave it so it's hot, and then it will dissolve. Wait for it to cool before mixing in the rest of the ingredients, or it will congeal you flour.

[EquALLity]

I think I have made the worst mug cake of all time.

The texture... It's bouncy, and slimy, but also bready and thick. It's kind of similar to the texture some pancakes have, when they're moist in the middle, but much more strong.

And the flavor... I don't know what kind of mutant shit I cooked up, but... it's not good.
It's way too sweet, but on top of that, there's this crazy flavor in there that I just can't figure out.

I improvised a bit, so maybe that's why.
http://happyherbivore.com/recipe/chocolate-mug-cake/

Instead of 1/4 tsp baking powder, I used 1/8 baking soda. Or... about 1/8 tsp baking soda. I couldn't find the tool that has a 1/8 tsp option, so I just used what looked to be about half of 1/4 a tsp. Instead of brown sugar, I used white sugar, and added some molasses to compensate. I used whole wheat flour instead of white, and left out the chocolate chips. Finally, instead of vanilla extract, I used what looked to be 1/8 tsp of maple syrup.

Still though, could that stuff really make that big a difference? >.<
Websites recommended those ingredients as substitutes.

[brimstoneSalad]

That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

You probably added too much liquid to it (molasses and maple syrup), and baking soda can't always replace baking powder like that; it's more bitter, and has less leavening power.

Whole wheat is different. When making pastries requiring white flour, you may sometimes need to use whole wheat confectionery flour. Whole wheat is often too coarse, and needs to be more finely ground for desserts. Although you can make whole wheat work, it can take some tinkering.

[EquALLity]

That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

You probably added too much liquid to it (molasses and maple syrup), and baking soda can't always replace baking powder like that; it's more bitter, and has less leavening power.

Whole wheat is different. When making pastries requiring white flour, you may sometimes need to use whole wheat confectionery flour. Whole wheat is often too coarse, and needs to be more finely ground for desserts. Although you can make whole wheat work, it can take some tinkering.

Ah, I see.

I should get baking powder; I see it in a lot of recipes.
Maybe that's why my pancakes are mushy on the inside, when the reviews compliment how fluffy those pancakes are...