Craving chocolate cake? This easy chocolate mug cake is a fudgy single-serving dessert that you can make with ingredients you already have in the kitchen. It’s ready in the microwave in under 5 minutes!
One of the first times I made this chocolate mug cake was for my daughter’s 2nd birthday, which was 12 years ago. 😳 They grow up SO fast.
Recently, the 5-minute chocolate mug cake has reemerged as a viral trend on TikTok, so I thought I’d share! This easy chocolate mug cake is the perfect single-serving indulgence. It’s soft and gooey, and it hits the mark whenever I’m craving something sweet but don’t feel like baking a whole cake.
On Ana’s birthday all those years ago, I remember mixing the ingredients, popping the mug into the microwave, the excitement growing… only to be passed up. For OREOS. The toddler’s heart wants what it wants. So, while Ana munched her birthday Oreos, I devoured this mug cake. It’s been the best little pick-me-up ever since!
Why This Mug Cake Recipe Works
- Make it in the microwave. Am I the only one who wishes I’d known about chocolate mug cakes back in college? A microwave mug cake is a great dessert if you’re living in a dorm, or any other situation where there’s no oven.
- Ready in minutes. Chocolate cake in 5 minutes or less? Yes, it’s possible, and no, there isn’t witchcraft involved. Mug cakes are an easy dessert that you can mix and cook all in the same mug.
- Single-serving. Whether you’re satisfying a sudden craving for fudgy chocolate cake, or making a sweet treat for two on date night, mug cakes are the ultimate single-serving dessert.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This mug cake takes your typical chocolate cake ingredients and downsizes them to fit into your favorite coffee mug. I’ve included some notes here. You’ll find a printable ingredients list in the recipe card further on.
- Dry Ingredients – Just like a regular cake, this mug cake calls for staples like all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. You can use granulated sugar or light brown sugar.
- Cocoa Powder – Use any kind of cocoa powder you’d like. Dutch-processed cocoa powder will give the cake a more intense, fudgy flavor.
- Milk – This can be whole milk, 2% milk, or your choice of dairy-free or plant-based milk.
- Oil – I like to use vegetable oil in place of butter since it keeps the cake moist. Canola oil, sunflower oil, and avocado oil all work well here. Try olive oil for a mug cake version of a chocolate olive oil cake.
- Vanilla – For the best flavor, always stick with real vanilla extract.
- Powdered Sugar – For dusting over top. You can also frost your mug cake, top it with whipped cream, garnish it with fresh fruit, and more. I include some easy variations later on.
Why Don’t Mug Cakes Use Eggs?
If you’re familiar with baking cakes, you might be thinking, “But where are the eggs?” And there’s a pretty simple reason for it: because it’s difficult to divide an egg! Full-sized cake recipes that call for 2-3 eggs are made to serve upwards of 10 people. Mug cakes, on the other hand, are single serving and use such a small amount of batter that a whole egg would overpower it.
How to Make a Chocolate Mug Cake
Making a mug cake is ridiculously easy. Choosing a microwave-safe mug large enough to fit your ingredients is the most important thing. We don’t want any cake explosions! Then, make your chocolate cake in 3 easy steps:
- Mix your ingredients. Take out your mug and add your dry ingredients. Give those a whisk, and then stir in the wet ingredients.
- Cook. Now, you’ll “bake” your mug cake in the microwave for about 1 minute 45 seconds.
- Enjoy! Dust the finished mug cake with powdered sugar, and dig in.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Why did my mug cake explode? A mug that’s too small, or too much baking soda is a recipe for a batter explosion. I recommend a mug that’s at least 10oz. Make sure that keep an eye on the ingredients when measuring.
- Avoid a rubbery mug cake. If your mug cake turns out dry or rubbery, it’s likely because it’s overcooked, or, again, the ingredients weren’t measured properly. Just like a classic cake recipe, be careful not to overmeasure!
- How to tell when a mug cake is done: Not all microwaves heat the same, and not all mugs are the same size, so it can be a bit tricky to tell when a microwaveable mug cake is done cooking. The cake should be soft and moist, but not wet on top, and it should feel spongey when you press on it.
- Use a toothpick. Another way to check that your mug cake is done is to stick a toothpick into the middle, and see if it comes out clean. If there aren’t any streaks of batter, it’s a sign that your cake is cooked.
- Add chocolate chips. Whenever I’m feeling extra indulgent, I’ll stir a fistful or two of chocolate chips into the mug cake batter. The chocolate melts and gets all gooey in the heat. Yum! I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m thinking that peanut butter chips would also taste amazing.
Serving Suggestions
The beautiful thing about a chocolate mug cake, besides the fact that I can make one in minutes, is that I’m always finding fun garnishes! Powdered sugar is a classic. Sometimes, I’ll dollop over cherry pie filling (like I do for my chocolate cherry cake). Other times, I’ll top my mug cake with ice cream and fudge sauce, brownie-sundae style.
This strawberry sauce is another favorite. You can top this cake with fresh berries, whipped cream, or chocolate shavings. If you have a favorite combo, please let me know in the comments!
How to Store a Mug Cake
- Fridge. Mug cakes are pretty much designed to be eaten in one sitting, but if the indulgence is too much, you can store leftovers in the fridge. Wrap the mug tightly in plastic wrap and enjoy the cake within 2-3 days.
- Freeze. If you’re planning to freeze your mug cake, make sure to prepare it in a microwave-safe AND freezer-safe mug. Double-wrap the cake in plastic wrap or foil and freeze it for up to 2 months. Defrost the cake in the fridge or at room temperature before serving.
More Easy Cake Recipes
Pin this now to find it later
-
In a microwave safe mug, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
-
Stir in milk, oil, water, and vanilla extract.
-
Cook in the microwave for 1 minute 45 seconds, or until the cake is cooked in the middle. Pull out the mug and let it rest for a couple of minutes. (see notes)
-
Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Since microwaves and mug sizes can vary, it might take a few tries to get the baking time just right. The cake should be soft and moist but not wet on top, and it should feel spongy when you press on it.
Serving: 1mug cake | Calories: 589kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 450mg | Potassium: 211mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2.8mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
