It only takes six pantry ingredients, and less than five minutes to make this easy peasy chocolate cake for one. What are you waiting for?

When I was a little girl, we lived at the top of a hill on a cul-de-sac. The location was removed from the busy streets nearby, and felt so insulated, like our own private world beyond the realm of the greater town we lived in.

The kids in the neighborhood — there were only a few of us — ran freely between houses and yards, explored the woods that surrounded us and climbed trees for fun. We were the kind of neighborhood where everyone knew each other, and looked out for each other. Blowing bubbles, riding bikes, doing silly things … those were the things that occupied us.

We were also the kind of neighborhood where a few of the pets were free to wander between houses. Among them was Smoky, a beautiful, good-natured black lab that I considered my own, though she really belonged to neighbors down the street. In photos from back then, Smoky’s omnipresence matches my memory. There she is at the bus stop on the first day of school. There she is at my birthday party. If I think hard enough, I can feel her smooth black fur beneath my hand, as if I am petting her again.

Smoky, who often appeared at our backdoor and sometimes was even allowed in our house, held a special place in my life and heart — even after my family got a dog of our own.

She was as much a part of my childhood landscape as Hershey’s Syrup, which was always on hand for swirling into milk or squeezing onto dishes of ice cream.

New Hershey’s Simply 5 Syrup is like the classic that we grew up with, but better. With just five simple ingredients, Hershey’s has simplified the recipe, making it more favorable to moms like me, who love the nostalgia of the things we grew up with but are conscious of the ingredients we feed our kids. I was excited to find that this new version has no high fructose corn syrup or artificial colors and flavors, and is made from non-GMO ingredients.

Hershey’s Simply 5 Syrup is available in 21.8oz bottles at mass and grocery retailers and 48oz bottles at Costco starting this spring. Visit www.Hersheys.com for more information. You can also find Hershey’s on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

I don’t know that I will ever have another Smoky, though whenever I see black labs I miss her. And I’m not sure I will ever live in a place where neighborhood pets wander. Times have changed, and neighborhood dogs seem to be frowned upon these days, but at least I can share a little bit of my childhood with my kids via the syrup that flavored those carefree days.

How to enjoy Hershey’s Simply 5 Syrup

1. Make chocolate milk. It’s the classic, after all. Hint: For a special treat, rim the glass with sprinkles. Rub the rim of your milk glass with a touch of Hershey’s Simply 5 Syrup. Press the rim into a plate of sprinkles. Fill glass with chocolate milk. Enjoy!
2. Dip fruit in it. From orange slices to bananas, a little Hershey’s Simply 5 Syrup makes a special treat.
3. Drizzle it on ice cream. Again, a classic.
4. Use it on your waffles. Mmm … chocolate.
5. Make a super easy cake for one. How about a chocolate cake so easy that in less than five minutes you can be digging into it? With a few ingredients — including Hershey’s Simply 5 Syrup — it can be yours.

Making this single serving cake

Microwave cakes became super popular a few years ago, and it’s no wonder why. The perfectly portioned recipes allow you to indulge without tempting you to overindulge. Plus, since they can be made in just a few minutes, they are perfect for pretty much anytime.

For this Easy Peasy Chocolate Cake for One, you only need a few ingredients. When making this, you want to first mix the dry ingredients until they are incorporated. This will allow for easier mixing later on. Then you add the wet ingredients. You can use a fork to stir together, but a mini wire whisk really gets the batter smooth — and you want it smooth.

Then you just microwave, and then let it sit a few minutes before enjoying.

This cake is lightly sweetened, and relies only on the Hershey’s Simply 5 Syrup for both its chocolatey flavor and sweetness. And it’s moist, which is always good when it comes to cake.

As for the vessel, any microwave safe container will do. A ramekin or small teacup like this one is ideal for a pretty presentation since it shows off the cake nicely. However, if the presentation doesn’t matter, grab the nearest microwave safe coffee cup and get to work!

Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by Hershey’s via MomTrends.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Hershey’s or Momtrends.