Ree Drummond's Five-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake Is the Simple, Soothing Recipe We All Need

When in doubt, we turn to chocolate. When we're really in doubt, we turn to chocolate + Ree Drummond's sage wisdom. Amidst the coronavirus pandemic with anxiety sky-high, a quick, easy-to-make chocolate mug cake is exactly what our souls need.

Heed The Pioneer Woman's call to make chocolate mug cake we will: "For your most sudden and profound chocolate cravings during this...interesting time? ❤️ This chocolate mug cake is 💯 and takes five minutes, start to finish," Drummond captioned a recent Instagram post this weekend, adding that the chocolate mug cake also has her daughter Paige's seal of approval.

The simple recipe comes together with kitchen staples like flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, chocolate chips, and salt. The whole cake bakes up in about 90 seconds in the microwave. For Drummond's version, the Food Network star tops the cake with some softly whipped cream and sprinkles, but feel free to get inventive and try toppings like fresh fruit, peanut butter, crumbled pecans, or whatever your heart desires. Some fresh mint, if you have it, may even be a nice touch to balance the rich taste of chocolate. Watch the step-by-step tutorial here.

Beyond Drummond, many celebrity chefs from Joanna Gaines to Ina Garten, have used Instagram as a platform for sharing their recipes and cooking tips as we all stay at home during the days and weeks ahead. Interested in a full-fledged cooking lesson? New Orleans' NOCHI (New Orleans Hospitality and Culinary Institute) is offering "Cooking in Quarantine" lessons on Zoom.

Dear readers, do share with us: What have you been enjoying baking to calm your mind and delight your taste buds during this exceedingly difficult time? We'd love to hear your go-to comfort food recipes.