Single Serve 3-2-1 Cake is bound to become one of those instant Cook’s Corner classics.

What you get is a mix that in minutes produces four dozen single servings of a sweet something resembling a cupcake. All they need to “bake” a single serving is a mug or bowl, a microwave and water.

The trade-off for a dessert made in a minute is that you wind up with an airier texture and a little less tenderness than a standard cake.

It is easy to remember how to make the cake if you remember it is called 3-2-1: You use 3 tablespoons of the mix stirred with 2 tablespoons water and microwave 1 minute.

You can use any flavor cake mix — chocolate, spice, carrot, red velvet, pineapple, lemon, orange — but for those with dehydrated ingredients, such as carrot cake, let the batter stand for a couple of minutes to soften before baking. And remember that one of the cake mixes must be angel food.

On the subject of angel food, keep in mind that the cake mix — at least the one I used — has a distinct almond extract flavor. It was complementary to the chocolate devil’s food cake mix I paired it with, but you might not like that overtone with some other flavors of cake mix.

Also, be ready to experiment with cooking containers to come up with one that works best. My first attempt, with a 5-inch dessert bowl, yielded a cake that was less than 1/2 inch tall. When I tried a smaller souffle dish, it ran over the sides and made a mess in the microwave. I did best with a coffee mug and a 4-ounce juice glass. Both give you a cylinder-shaped cake. I also had good results with a plastic muffin tin made for microwave use.

Copied from the Belleville News Democrat on Feb. 21, 2012

Ingredients:

1 box angel food cake mix

1 box any flavor cake mix

Cake:

2 tablespoons water

Mix: In a gallon-size, self-sealing food-storage bag, mix the dry ingredients from the two cake mixes. Seal bag (or transfer to other airtight container) and store in pantry up to 3 months, using as needed. Makes about 6 cups mix, which will make 48 small cakes.

Directions:

Cake: For each individual cake serving, measure 3 tablespoons of the mix into a small microwave-safe container, such as a mug or bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons water. Microwave on high 1 minute. If desired, top each cake with whipped topping or a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar.

Nutrition:

Per cake: 80 calories (15 percent from fat), 1 gram fat, 0 cholesterol, 1 gram protein, 16 grams carbohydrates, 114 mg sodium.