Chocolate mug cake and ice cream for one – Need I say more? This mug cake recipe is a five-minute-microwave hero when a chocolate craving hits.
Chocolate Mug Cake with Chocolate Chips
I don’t often have a reason to bake a cake and even if I think, “well, I don’t need a reason!” baking a big cake for myself is just a bad idea. It means I will either eat the entire thing or end up throwing most of it away. Depending on the outcome, it’s either an exercise in excessiveness or wastefulness and so there hasn’t been a lot of homemade cakes in my life.
And then I talked to my best friend who told me people use their microwaves to cook things. Not just to reheat leftovers, or nuke a frozen meal, but real cooking where you combine raw ingredients, toss them in the microwave, and, voila, dinner or dessert (or both!) is served. It was a revelation.
Turns out, my microwave could deliver what I thought was out of reach: a single-serve chocolate mug cake that’s fast and easy. Plus, there’s no risk of a chocolate overdose followed by the day-after self-hate that goes with a regular-sized cake. The moderation is built right in.
A Mug and a Microwave
It really is as simple as combining a few ingredients in a mug and popping it in the microwave, but if you need a visual reference you must watch this Lucky Peach video. Not so much for the detailed steps, but more for the quirkiness of it that might make you smile. I adapted this same recipe here – I switched a few things up like cream for milk, butter for oil, and a nice dollop of ice cream to finish it off.
Decadence, it seems, is the order of the day.
Ingredients and Recipe Tips
- A 10 t0 12-ounce microwave-safe mug
- Melted butter
- An egg
- Heavy cream
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar and unsweetened baking cocoa (using dark cocoa powder makes it extra rich!)
- Vanilla
- Chocolate chips
Combine all of the wet ingredients in the mug. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until the batter is combined.
Technically this is a molten chocolate mug cake but it’s not like a lava cake which has a very liquid center. Instead, you pile the chocolate chips on top of the batter – when the cake is cooking it will puff up and cover the chocolate chips which will melt into the cake. When you dig in there will be small pockets of melted chocolate just under the top of the cake.
You can also just stir the cakes into the batter but you won’t get as many pockets of melted chocolate.
Tips for Cooking the Mug Cake
- Don’t overmix the batter. Just stir until it comes together and be sure to scrape the sides of the mug so all of the flour and cocoa powder are mixed in.
- I’ve made this mug cake in a few different microwaves and it usually takes 2 minutes. Every microwave is different so I recommend that you start at one minute and then cook it in 30-second increments checking it each time.
- The cake is done when the top is fully cooked and springs back when you lightly press it.
- The cake will be very hot so let it stand for several minutes before digging in.
- This recipe makes one large chocolate mug cake that’s perfect for sharing – or keep it all to yourself!
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Chocolate Mug Cake
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 large mug cake 1x
Description
As the name of this recipe suggests, this single-serve cake is “baked” in a mug in the microwave meaning there are just five minutes between you and a big spoonful of this chocolaty rich dessert. This recipe makes one large mug cake that can easily serve two people.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
- 3 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup vanilla bean ice cream (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the butter, cream, egg, vanilla, and salt together in a 12-ounce microwave-safe mug until well combined. Add the flour, sugar and cocoa and stir until just combined. Be sure to scrape the sides of the mug so all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Once you’ve mixed the batter, pile the chocolate chips on top of the batter. As the cake cooks, it will puff up and cover the chocolate chips and they will melt into the top of the cake. You can also stir the chocolate chips into the batter if you prefer.
- This cake usually takes two minutes to cook in the microwave, but I recommend starting at one minute and checking it every 30 seconds until it’s fully cooked. The cake is done when the top is cooked and springs back when you lightly press it.
- Remove the mug from the microwave and let it sit for a few minutes to cool. Top the cake with the ice cream, grab a spoon, and dig in.
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Microwave
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mug cake
- Calories: 961
- Sugar: 75.6g
- Sodium: 2412.8mg
- Fat: 57.3g
- Saturated Fat: 33.8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15.2g
- Trans Fat: 0.6g
- Carbohydrates: 102.6g
- Fiber: 5.6g
- Protein: 15.2g
- Cholesterol: 297.9mg
Keywords: chocolate mug cake, mug cake recipe
The nutrition information in this recipe is an estimate only and was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
Jyoti Mehrotra says
I just wanted to ask if you could use a oven instead of a microwave
And what can can you use for a substitute for eggs?
April Anderson says
I haven’t tested this one in the oven but I have a chocolate pudding cake that makes two servings you might like plus it doesn’t have eggs. https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/mocha-pudding-cake/
Callista says
Could we use vanilla extract instead of vanilla?
April Anderson says
Yes you can 🙂
The Blogpreneur says
Made this tonight and did quite a bit of tweaks. I did not have heavy cream so I did a 2 tbs butter and 1 tbs milk combo to substitute it which made my cake a bit too salty (my bad). I think I should’ve done 2 tbs milk and 1 tbs butter instead. Overall, it was okay. Could’ve been better (maybe) if I had the heavy cream.
Taylor says
I’m not sure what I did wrong but this did not turn out good for me. The butter was in chunks and I think I microwaved it too long. But I will try again! I am determined to get this right!
★★★
April Anderson says
Hi Taylor – did you melt the butter first?
Taylor says
Yes I did
Olivia says
SOOOOOO GOOOOOOODDDDD!!!!! I really loved this recipe. But I think I microwaved it too long because it was spongey, not gooey.
★★★★
April Anderson says
Hi Olivia – the cake isn’t really gooey, it’s definitely more of a cake texture. If it was too spongey maybe try cooking it a little less.
Rose says
I just made this again for me and my daughter. It’s our favourite mug cake recipe. Turns out perfect every time! Great recipe, thanks so much!
★★★★★
Mia says
Turned out just awful. Threw it away.
★
April Anderson says
Oh, I’m sorry it didn’t work – was there something specific? Would love to help you figure it out!
John Shea says
Terrific recipe. Am anxious to try other flavors. Guests, grandkids loved making and eating.
Thxs
★★★★★
April Anderson says
Oh, that’s great! So, glad you liked it!
Kayley says
It tastes good but the texture turned out weird? I might have done it wrong. You advertised it as a “molten” chocolate mug cake. I thought it was going to be like a lava cake but mine turned out completely cooked through. The texture is also a little spongey. Did I do something wrong?
★★★
April says
It could be a difference with the microwave power – if it was too spongy it might have been cooked too long. You might want to try cooking it a little less next time!
Sarah says
Is it really true that the cake has 933 calories?? Seems like a lot for a little cake?
April says
Hi Sarah – it’s actually a pretty big serving, almost enough to serve two people and it’s pretty decadent with all the butter, sugar, and cream.
Paige says
I did not enjoy this cake. I followed the recipe exactly and it was still not good. It had a strange texture and was not very chocolatey. It was also not cooked all the way through even though I cooked it for two minutes. I would not do this again, very disappointed:( 👎👎👎👎👎
★
April says
Hi Paige, I’m really sorry you didn’t enjoy it.
Michelle says
It’s late on a Saturday night and the hubby and I were wanting a fancy dessert. It popped into my head to search for a microwave coffee mug cake. I made yours and it is unbelievably delicious! Light and chocolatey. It’s was so easy to put together and just magic that I can cook this in 2 minutes. We love it!!adj
★★★★★
April says
That’s great! It really is the perfect easy sweet treat 🙂 So glad you guys liked it!
Jenny Milchman says
Your blog is seriously after my own heart–sub cream for milk–genius! I look for ways to add butter too 🙂 The extra fat makes recipes taste better, and I am pretty well convinced it’s healthier too. Will try these mini cakes, and am about to make your peanut butter chocolate muffins later this afternoon. Thanks–I just subscribed!
April says
Hope you enjoy them!
Lucy says
I had a major chocolate craving and found this on pinterest – LOVED IT!!
★★★★★
M says
This was so yummy! The first time I made it, I thought it was slightly too sweet, so I decided to add just a little less sugar. I have made it several times since and now it is my go-to recipe when I’m in an I-want-dessert-now mood. What a great idea!
April says
So glad you liked it! 🙂
Amy says
Found this on Pinterest and love it!
Hilary says
About what size mug does this fill? A standard size? Or should I use a larger mug?
April says
Hi Hillary – a 10-12 ounce mug should work great.
N says
I added a bit of coconut oil to enhance the chocolate and it turned out quick, easy, and delicious! Definitely doing this again! Thanks!
Mimk says
Can we use milk instead of heavy cream?
April says
Yes, it will work fine 🙂
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
You know I don’t think I’ve ever actually cooked something in my microwave! It’s time to remedy that…this mug cake looks like a delicious way to start!
suzi says
This looked so yummy I decided it would become breakfast and lunch today! It was super easy and a great way to satisfy a sweet tooth craving in one small serving. Thanks, this was delicious