By UBCO Food Services Staff
Have you ever had a craving for cake, but weren't up for the hassle of baking an entire cake in the oven, or venturing to the store? Enter the wonderful world of mug cakes! All you need is a mug, a few basic baking ingredients, a microwave, and about two minutes! Mug cakes allow you to indulge in your sweet tooth with minimal effort and time, and enjoy a perfect single serving customized to your palate and dietary preferences.
For 10 amazing (and quick and easy!) mug cake recipes, read on!
Quick Note: All the recipes below can be made to be plant-based! Simply switch out dairy milk and eggs for one of the alternatives listed below!
Best Practices
- Mugs: Make sure you use a microwave-safe mug! A tall cylindrical mug - ideally 14 ounces - with straight sides will ensure an evenly-baked cake with lots of room to rise.
- Mixing: Before microwaving, make sure all dry ingredients are well mixed by scraping the bottom of the mug with a spatula or spoon.
- Microwave: The strength of microwaves can vary, so be prepared to experiment a bit with baking time.
- Serving: Enjoy your cake straight out of the mug, or spray the mug with non-stick cooking spray before adding the batter, then overturn the cake onto a plate once baked.
You'll Likely Need
- Milk: (cow or dairy-free) In general, milk moistens dry ingredients, dissolves sugar, and hydrates proteins, starches and leavening agents, improving the texture of your cake.
- Baking Powder: This is the key to getting your mug cake to rise, providing volume and lightness!
- Flour: (all-purpose, almond or coconut) The flour in your batter provides structure.
- Sugar: (or natural sweetener) This will ensure your cake is sweet!
- Oil: While not imperative, many cake recipes call for vegetable or olive oil, which helps make your cake moist and fluffy.
- Other useful ingredients to have on hand: Vanilla extract. Cocoa powder. Eggs. Butter.
Baking Substitutes
- Milk: You can substitute cow's milk for equal amounts of nut, seed, rice, oat, soy or coconut milk, or use plain yogurt.
- Eggs: When using eggs as a binder, replace 1 egg with either ½ banana, 1 tbsp of flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp warm water, or ¼ cup apple sauce. When using eggs as a leavening agent, mix 1 ½ tbsp of vegetable oil with 1 tsp baking powder and 1 ½ tbsp water. More ideas here.
- Butter: For every 1 cup of butter, you can replace it with either ½ cup applesauce, 3/4 cup vegetable or olive oil, 1 avocado, 1 cup of coconut oil, or ½ cup Greek yogurt.
- Granulated Sugar: There are lots of options for subbing white sugar out of baking recipes, including honey, maple syrup, molasses and Stevia. Because most don't allow for a 1:1 substitution, consult this useful post for guidance!
Looking specifically for vegan ideas? Check out this Vegan Funfetti Mug Cake recipe from Kelowna-based registered dietitian Caroline Doucet, and stick around to explore her blog - Nourished by Caroline - for tons of other great plant-based recipes!
1. Hazelnut Mug Cake
Suggested Ingredients
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- â…› teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup + 1 tbsp milk of choice
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, apple sauce or pureed bananas
- 1 tbsp hazelnut chocolate spread, nut butter or WOW! Butter
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe mug, whisk together dry ingredients.
- Whisk in the milk and oil/fruit puree until all ingredients are combined and batter has no clumps. Then add hazelnut chocolate spread or nut butter in the middle of the batter.
- Microwave mug cake for 70 - 90 seconds (each microwave will differ slightly). Let cool slightly, and enjoy!
Fun idea: Top your cake with Creamy Chocolate Avocado Pudding. Follow the easy step-by-step recipe on @That Black RD's Instagram here.
2. Pumpkin Spice Mug Cake
Suggested Ingredients
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 4 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice (click here for ingredients to make your own)
- 1 tsp pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 tbsp milk of choice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tsp vegetable oil, apple sauce or banana puree
- ½ tbsp water
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe mug, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Whisk everything together until combined and no lumps remain.
- Microwave mug cake for 1 minute and 10 seconds (each microwave will differ slightly). Let cool slightly, and enjoy!
- Optional topping: Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, yogurt, whipped cream, cream cheese, or coconut whip!
3. Coffee Mug Cake
Suggested Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 ½ tbsp a flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil, apple sauce or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp milk of choice
- Dash of vanilla
- ½ tbsp brown sugar (for topping)
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon (for topping)
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe mug, mix sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, oil, milk, and vanilla and stir until combined.
- Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Microwave for 45 seconds (each microwave will differ slightly). Let cool slightly, and enjoy with coffee or tea!
4. Three-Ingredient Chocolate Cake
Made Without Gluten
Suggested Ingredients
- 1 medium overripe banana
- 2 tbsp almond butter, or any nut or seed butter of choice
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- Optional: 2-3 tbsp chocolate chips of choice
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe mug, add all ingredients except for chocolate chips, and blend/mix until a smooth batter remains. Stir through chocolate chips, reserving a few for the top.
- Cook in the microwave for around one minute (each microwave will differ slightly). Let cool slightly, and enjoy!.
5. Banana Mug Cake
Suggested Ingredients
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp baking powder
- Dash of salt
- 1 tbsp melted butter (see butter alternatives above)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten (see egg alternatives above)
- 1 tbsp milk of choice
- 1 banana mashed
- ¼ tsp vanilla
Glaze (optional)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp butter (see butter alternatives above)
- ¼ tsp vanilla
- Small splash of milk of choice
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe mug, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Stir in butter, milk, banana, egg and vanilla until combined.
- Microwave for 3 minutes, checking halfway through (each microwave will differ slightly). Let cool slightly, and enjoy!
Glaze (optional)
- Combine all ingredients in small bowl and microwave until bubbly. You may need to stop a few times as this likes to bubble very quickly. Keep microwaving for about 30 seconds to 1 minutes.
- Stir to combine completely and drizzle over the top of the cake. Top with sliced bananas!
6. Strawberries & Cream
Made Without Gluten
Suggested Ingredients
- 3 tbsp almond flour
- 1 tbsp coconut flour
- ½ tsp baking powderÂ
- 1 large egg (see egg alternatives above)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut cream
- 2 fresh strawberries
Whipped coconut cream
- 1 (13-oz) can chilled coconut cream (refrigerate can overnight for best results)
- 1 tsp sweetener of your choice
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe mug, add all ingredients except strawberries. For the coconut cream, when you open the can, the top should be solid coconut cream and the bottom should be a clear liquid. You want to add 1 tbsp of each to your batter. Whisk you batter with a small whisk until smooth. Then gently stir in strawberries.
- Cook cake for about 2 minutes or until cake is done (each microwave will differ slightly). Allow cake to cool a few minutes before adding the whipped coconut cream.
- To make whipped coconut cream, remove only the solid cream portion from can (you can save the clear portion for a smoothie or other recipe) and add into a bowl of a stand mixer. Add about 1 tsp of liquid sweetener of your choice. Whisk on high speed until peaks form. Pipe some onto cake.
7. Apple Pie Mug Cake
Suggested Ingredients
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup milk of choice (room temperature)
- 2 tbsp butter, melted & cooled (see butter alternatives above)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup apple pie filling
Instructions
- In a bowl mug, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add in milk, butter, and vanilla, whisking well.
- Scoop spoonful of batter into microwave-safe mug, then sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar, add a scoop of apple pie filling, and alternate layers, ending with cinnamon sugar.
- Microwave on high 1.5 - 2 minutes (each microwave will differ slightly). Allow cake to cool a few minutes, then top with whipping cream, ice cream or whipped coconut cream.
8. Oatmeal Nutella Mug Cake
Suggested Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons milk of choice
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp Nutella, or any chocolate-nut spread, plus more to garnish
- 1 ½ tbsp quick-cook rolled oats
- 1 tbsp finely chopped nuts (optional)
- ¼ tsp cinnamon (optional)
- Pinch nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe mug, whisk together milk, oil and sugar. Whisk in the flour until smooth, then whisk in the baking powder, salt, and oats, as well as the cinnamon/nutmeg/nuts (if using).
- Dollop the Nutella on top and push in gently so it is partially submerged in the cake batter.
- Microwave for 30 seconds, and then in 15-second bursts until the top looks dry and cooked and springs back when pressed with a finger.
- Let stand at least 5 minutes before eating, as the cake and Nutella center will be quite hot. Top with additional Nutella!
9. Blueberry Streusel Muffin
Suggested Ingredients
Muffin
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 1/16 tsp baking soda
- 3 tbsp milk of choice
- 1 tbsp oil
- 7 fresh blueberries
Streusel topping
- 1 tbsp cold unsalted butter chopped into tiny pieces (see butter alternatives above)
- 1 ½ tbsp flour
- 2 1½ tbsp brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe mug, mix everything listed in muffin ingredients except blueberries. Drop blueberries in, spreading them out.
- In a small bowl mix streusel ingredients until butter pieces are completely coated in the flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle small crumbles of streusel on top of muffin batter, spreading out evenly across the surface.
- Cook in the microwave for about 1 minute (each microwave will differ slightly). Let cool slightly, and enjoy!
10. Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake
Ingredients
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup milk of choice (room temperature)
- 2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled (see butter alternatives above)
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp peanut butter or Wow! Butter
- 1 tbsp mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe mug, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and baking powder until thoroughly combined. Blend in milk, butter, and vanilla until batter is smooth.
- Combine peanut butter and chocolate chips and dollop into the center of the mug, gently pressing down until even with the top of the batter. Microwave on high for 1 minute (each microwave will differ slightly). Let cool slightly, and enjoy!
