This rich and decadent microwave chocolate mug cake recipe makes a moist, flavorful mug of cake in just 5 minutes to satisfy any sweet tooth!
I’m not much of a snacker (although I’m usually happy to make a snack – like a cheese plate – into a full meal), or a baked goods girl (except if I’m in Paris and pastries are involved).
But I am a chocolate girl through and through. And sometimes this chocolate girl is in the mood for a piece of cake!
However, just like you, on any given weeknight I don’t have time to bake a cake. And also, I don’t need a whole cake in the house to eat my way through.
What’s a girl to do?!
Based on the title of this blog post, I’m sure you can guess, lol.
That’s the beauty of mug cakes! There was a time when I thought mug cakes just weren’t worth the effort or the calories. I had tried a few and they were bland or rubbery or dense…or all of the above.
Enter this chocolate mug cake, which is rich and moist with deep chocolate flavor and the perfect level of sweetness. Cocoa powder is the trick to rich, complex chocolate flavor. Brown sugar not only adds sweetness, but also helps keep this mug cake moist. Vanilla adds depth and helps pull out the flavors in the chocolate. And I like to use oil (instead of butter) for fluffy texture.
The fact that this sweet treat whips up in 5 minutes flat is just icing on the cake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Lightening Fast: It literally takes 5 minutes to make from start-to-finish, including microwave time!
- Minimal Dishes: There isn’t even a bowl to wash – just the mug and fork!
- Absolutely Delicious: Surprisingly (because it’s made the microwave), this cake is moist, flavorful, and incredibly decadent.
The Best Chocolate Mug Cake Recipe
This chocolate mug cake recipe is easy to make entirely from scratch. I wanted to keep the ingredient list as short and sweet as possible!
Ingredients for a Microwave Chocolate Mug Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Granulated white sugar
- Brown sugar
- Milk
- Avocado oil or vegetable oil
- Pure vanilla extract
- Chocolate chips, ice cream, or whipped cream for topping (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Add the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt) to a 10 to 12-ounce microwave-safe mug, and mix them up.
And then stir in the white sugar and brown sugar.
Finally, mix in the liquid ingredients (milk, oil, and vanilla) to make the batter.
Microwave it, and enjoy!
Tips
- Don’t over-mix the batter! Like any cake, over-mixing will make it tough and rubbery instead of moist and fluffy.
- Amp up the flavor. If you have instant espresso powder on hand, add 1/4 teaspoon of it to this recipe. It will help pull out the flavor notes in the chocolate.
- Serve it how you like it. This cake is moist and delicious on its own, but you can serve it any way you like your chocolate cake! A few topping ideas are: chocolate chips, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or fresh sliced strawberries.
Microwave Chocolate Mug Cake FAQs
What Makes a Cake Moist?
Three things help ensure a moist, tender cake:
- Using oil as the fat
- Adding enough sugar
- Being careful not to over-mix
Is Butter or Oil Better for Cakes?
Unless you’re making a sponge cake, most cake recipes call for some type of fat, such as butter or oil. But which fat source is better for yielding a moist cake with a tender crumb?
Oil is usually thought of as the better choice when you want a tender and moist cake. However, butter adds great flavor and richness.
Depending on what’s more important to you in the final result (texture or flavor), you can use oil or butter. Or if keeping the recipe simple isn’t a concern, you can have the best of both worlds and use half oil and half butter.
What Happens When You Over-Mix Cake Batter?
If you over-mix cake batter you can over-work the gluten in the flour. This can result in cakes that are rubbery, gummy, or overly chewy.
Pro Tip: When making cake batter, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just enough to combine.
Is it Possible to Over-Cook a Microwave Mug Cake?
Yes! Just like other cooking methods, it is possible to over-cook a cake that’s made in the microwave.
An overcooked mug cake can be rubbery and dense, losing the moist, tender, fluffy texture that this Chocolate Mug Cake Recipe should have.
Pro Tip: To help prevent overcooking your mug cake, microwave it in short bursts after it finishes the recommended microwave cook time if it still isn’t fully cooked.
More Mug Cake Recipes to Try
- Chocolate Keto Mug Cake Recipe
- Pumpkin Spice Mug Cake
- Healthy Chocolate Mug Cake Recipe (Paleo)
- Vanilla Mug Cake
Let’s Connect
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xoxo, Faith
Chocolate Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar lightly packed
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon chocolate chips for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Use a fork to stir together all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a 10 to 12 ounce microwave-safe mug.
- Microwave on high until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 minute 45 seconds. Pause cooking once halfway through and open the microwave door to prevent the cake from overflowing.
- If desired, sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Serve the mug cake while it's still warm.
Faith’s Tips
- Don’t over-mix the batter! Like any cake, over-mixing will make it tough and rubbery instead of moist and fluffy.
- Amp up the flavor. If you have instant espresso powder on hand, add 1/4 teaspoon of it to this recipe. It will help pull out the flavor notes in the chocolate.
- Serve it how you like it. This cake is moist and delicious on its own, but you can serve it any way you like your chocolate cake! A few topping ideas are: chocolate chips, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or fresh sliced strawberries.
Nutrition
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on February 8, 2021. I updated it with more information on May 5, 2022.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
I have found my new chocolate craving go to!
Quick, easy and delicious.
I just want to first say thank you… I have finally found a recipe for mug cake that actually came out perfect. Ive tried and tried to make a chocolate mug cake and they all came out gumny or not done and I followed the recipes perfectly. I could go on and on but i wont cause im busy eating my AWESOME chocolate mug cake. Your someone to follow for recipes. I normally just hit jump to recipe but not yours. Its very inviting and I read the whole article. I will share your recipes for sure. Now back to my mug cake.
Happy Holidays!!