Holiday Baking: Mug Cake vs. Petit Four

Holiday Baking: Mug Cake vs. Petit Four

How is an essay like a pastry? Neither should be made in the microwave.

This year, I discovered there is such thing as a Mug Brownie. You can even buy one-step “mug brownie mix” packets, but even from scratch, they aren’t difficult. A bit of flour, sugar, cocoa powder, water, butter, vanilla, and a dash of salt … and a minute later, you have a hot brownie. Or at least, a semblance of one.

For an emergency chocolate boost, it can’t be beat. But it doesn’t look particularly pretty, and the texture lacks consistency. The top is underdone, molten and bubbly, while the bottom is too cakey to be a true brownie, and there’s always the odd chewy bite that feels like gristle—I have yet to figure out where that’s coming from. Let’s just say, I wouldn’t serve them for a party.

If you write your essay with the 650-word limit in mind, starting at the beginning and stopping when you’ve “filled the mug,” so to speak—you’re going to get a mug brownie. At best, it will be a semblance of the essay it should be.

Thoughtful brainstorming, smart organizing, and purposeful editing will bring you instead to a petit four—a tiny piece of perfection, worthy of your most important audience.

Begin your prewriting without an eye on the word count, mixing copious amounts of quality ingredients, like stories with vivid details and challenging ideas. Stir in a large mixing bowl with room to properly blend the ingredients—so there’s no gristle. Stirring your ideas on the page means bringing like ideas together to let them work together to tell the same story. Choose the perfect cake form and pour just enough batter, so the complete story fits in the space allotted. Then give it time in the oven to develop a strong conclusion.

Finally, of course, the quintessential petit four is perfect in looks, with an eye to detail. So take the time to frost—that is, edit—slowly and carefully. It won’t be fast, but it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming—it’s still just bite-sized.

Still stressing about your applications? Don’t let them ruin the holidays. Schedule a 15-minute consultation to learn how I can help.

(Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash)