Chocolate Cake in a Mug
My wife’s sister Judy sent us four gorgeous mugs with zip-lock bags filled with what looked like instant cocoa powder. There were also little packets of chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, crushed candy cane, and cinnamon chips.
Hmm, I thought, this looks interesting, but what is it?
Caught up in the Christmas frenzy, I didn’t spend too much time checking out the mugs with the powder concoction inside but knowing what a great cook my sister-in-law is, I should have stopped immediately and taken a closer look.
But I didn’t. Then we were off to St. Croix for a week’s vacation and didn’t give the pretty mugs another thought.
When we were back from vacation for a couple of days, my oldest daughter decided to give the Cake in a Cup a try and was I surprised when she gave me a taste. I was blown away!
Our Mug Cake
The cake was delicious and only took 2 1/2 minutes to make in the microwave. Moist, rich, and chocolaty, this was a delicious cake.
I couldn’t believe it came from that zip-locked bag of powder. Granted, Nell added a few fresh ingredients, but 2 1/2 minutes in the microwave!
Cake in a Cup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 egg
- splash vanilla extract or other flavoring like cinnamon or peppermint
Instructions
- In a medium sized mug (be sure it is microwave safe), add the vegetable oil, egg, milk and whatever flavoring you are using. Mix up these ingredients until well combined.
- Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Again mix until well combined. If you are using any of the suggested add ins, now's the time to add them.
- Cook in the microwave on high for about 2 1/2 minutes depending on your brand of microwave. The end result should look like the photo at the top.
Notes
Cake in a Cup
A cake in a cup, also known as a mug cake, is a single-serving cake that’s cooked in a mug or a microwave-safe cup. It’s a quick and easy way to satisfy a craving for cake without having to bake a whole cake.
Mug cakes typically consist of basic cake ingredients like flour, sugar, egg, milk, and oil or butter, mixed in the mug and then microwaved for a short time until it’s cooked through. You can customize mug cakes with various flavors and add-ins like chocolate chips, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, or fruit.
It’s a popular option for a fast dessert or snack, especially for those who want a homemade treat without the hassle of baking a full-sized cake.
More Cake in a Mug Ideas For You
Type of Cake in a Cup | Key Ingredients | Description |
| Classic Chocolate | All-purpose flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, milk, oil, vanilla extract | Rich and fudgy with deep chocolate flavor, perfect for chocolate lovers. Often ready in 1 minute in the microwave. |
| Vanilla Bean | Flour, sugar, baking powder, milk, butter or oil, vanilla bean paste or extract | Light, fluffy, and fragrant with a true vanilla flavor—great base for mix-ins like berries or sprinkles. |
| Red Velvet | Flour, sugar, cocoa powder, buttermilk, red food coloring, vinegar, oil | A single-serve take on the Southern classic, with a tangy and lightly chocolatey bite. |
| Lemon Poppy Seed | Flour, sugar, lemon zest/juice, milk, oil or butter, poppy seeds | Bright and citrusy with a bit of crunch from poppy seeds—refreshing and slightly tart. |
| Peanut Butter | Flour, sugar, baking powder, peanut butter, milk, vanilla | Dense, nutty, and satisfying—can be topped with chocolate chips for a Reese’s-style treat. |
| Funfetti Birthday Cake | Flour, sugar, milk, oil, vanilla extract, rainbow sprinkles | Cheerful and festive with bursts of color and vanilla sweetness—great for celebrations. |
| Carrot Cake | Flour, brown sugar, grated carrot, cinnamon, oil, walnuts/raisins | A spiced classic in miniature form—moist and hearty, often paired with cream cheese topping. |
| Molten Lava Cake | Flour, cocoa powder, sugar, egg, butter, chocolate chunks | A decadent dessert with a gooey, melted chocolate center—best served warm. |
| Banana Bread Cake | Mashed ripe banana, flour, sugar, milk, oil, cinnamon | Moist and naturally sweet from banana, this is a cozy and wholesome cake-in-a-cup. |
| Pumpkin Spice | Pumpkin purée, flour, brown sugar, pumpkin spice, milk, oil | Autumn in a mug—soft, aromatic, and great with whipped cream or a dusting of cinnamon. |
| Coffee Cake | Flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, milk, butter, brown sugar crumble | A warm, spiced cake with a crumbly streusel topping—pairs perfectly with your morning coffee. |
Who Came Up With This Idea
The exact origin of the mug cake is unclear, as it’s the type of recipe that likely evolved as people sought quick and easy ways to make single-serving desserts. However, mug cakes became particularly popular in the early 2000s with the rise of the internet and food blogs.
One of the earliest known mentions of a mug cake recipe can be traced back to the website “Recipezaar” (now known as Food.com) in 2006. Since then, countless variations and recipes for mug cakes have circulated online, with each person adding their own twist to the concept.
So, while it’s difficult to attribute the invention of the mug cake to a single person, it’s safe to say that its creation is a result of the collective creativity and innovation of home cooks and food bloggers over the years.
Some of my other chocolate cake recipes:
21 Responses
super easy great when dieting so I can make just 1 and not be tempted. Thankyou
How many points on weight watchers ?
I tried this recipe and it was horrible, the texture was nothing like cake
I loved this!! So quick and yummy!! It is a diff texture than regular cake but it’s not regular cake! We turned ours into sundaes with choc syrup, nuts, and Ice cream. Fabulous
Yum! I used Special dark cocoa and stevia added shredded coconut and dark choc chips than after it was done I added greek yogurt as a topping! Next time I will add a bit more stevia but oh so good thanks!
I’ve finally found the perfect cake in a cup recipe!!!! SO yummy! It has a spongy texture, but super good.
Best cake ever
I actually used cake mix. I used about 6 to 8 tablespoons of store bought cake batter, added the egg, the milk and the oil. About three minutes in the microwave.
this was actually not very nice but perhaps i didn’t do it properly
Oh so delicious! I made this for a little pre-baking-the-actual-cake treat for my husbands birthday the night before it was the actual day. It’s thick, spongy, moist, and wonderfully decadent. I highly recommend this recipe, but certainly don’t be afraid to play with it! Add what you want! So much fun and so good!!
We don’t use a microwave in our home. Is there a way to make this without the use of a microwave?
Donna, I’ve only seen this recipe be made in a microwave so I can’t help you with this one.
Donna, we don’t microwave either so I’m sticking it in the oven, when I can smell it, I’ll check it out. Wish me luck:)
I recommend mixing it in a separate bowl and then pouring it in because then you won’t have clumps of ingredients in your cake. But this cake was delish!!
Great suggestion Anza. thanks
It had the taste and texture of a chocolate flavored scrambled egg. I guess I should have figured that from the proportions — one egg to four tablespoons flour? You have to be pretty desperate for cake to eat this.
Interesting analogy. It’s meant to be fast and fun and the kids enjoy making them for their friends.
This was a really great recipe, it was spongey and tasted like an actually cake. I cooked mine for 2 minutes as we have a quite high powered microwave. It turned out perfect. Thanks for the recipe.
It was fantastic. Only thing is that the bottom was soggy. Thank you for the recipe!
I substituted the egg with vinegar (1/2 t.) and soda (1/4 t.). Used water. Added an extra 1/2 T of oil. Used 1/2 t. vanilla rather than a splash (which could be nearly nothing to a couple tablespoons!), and 1/8 t. salt instead of a dash which wasn’t enough the first time. The idea came from an old recipe book entitled, The “I Hate to Cook” Cookbook by Peg Bracken. It was called a Cockeyed Cake, or what we called Crazy Cake. I also sifted the dry ingredients so there wouldn’t be any lumps, then added the liquid ingredients except for the vinegar, got it all mixed, then added the vinegar last, poured into the mug and cooked for 2-2.25 minutes. Not as ‘fluffy’ without the egg, but a good substitute with great flavor.
Sift in small mixing bowl 1/4 c. flour (same at 4 T.), 1/4 c. sugar, 2 T. powdered cocoa, 1/8 t. salt, 1/4 t. baking soda.
Pour on top 2-1/2 T. veggie oil, 3 T. water, 1/2 t. vanilla, mix well. Add 1/2+ t. white vinegar and mix well again, pour into mug and cook 2.25 minutes.
Appreciate your tips and feedback. Thanks.