Microwave mug cake
A mug cake is a single-serving chocolate cake that you mix and cook right in a ceramic mug in the microwave, taking about five minutes from craving to spoon. It's soft, moist and full of cocoa flavor, with a slightly gooey center if you drop in a few chocolate chips, just right for an evening when you need a little something sweet.
- Difficulty
- Very easy
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 2 min
- Rising or chilling
- 2 min
- Total time
- 9 min
- Method
- No cooking
Ingredients
Instructions
Step 1
Choose a microwave-safe ceramic mug that holds at least 350 milliliters, add 30 g all-purpose flour, 25 g granulated sugar, 10 g cocoa powder, 1.5 g baking powder and a pinch of salt, and whisk together with a fork. A big enough mug gives the cake room to puff up without spilling over. The mixture is ready when it's an even brown with no streaks of white flour.
Step 2
Pour 45 g whole milk, 20 g vegetable oil and 2 g vanilla extract into the mug, stir well from the bottom up, then drop 10 g chocolate chips on top. Cocoa powder tends to settle at the bottom of the mug, so scrape thoroughly for an evenly cooked cake. The batter is ready when it's smooth and thick like chocolate sauce, with no dry lumps of flour in the corners.
Step 3
Set the mug in the center of the turntable and microwave on high for about a minute and a half in an 800 W microwave, then check and add ten-second bursts if needed. A microwave cooks from the inside out very quickly, so even a few seconds too long can make the cake dry and rubbery. It's done when it has puffed up slightly above the rim, the top is dry but the center still looks a little moist and glossy.
Step 4
Lift the mug out with a towel, since it will be very hot, let it stand for about two minutes, then enjoy it right away, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top if you like. The heat left in the mug finishes cooking the center without drying it out. It's ready when it has sunk down a little and your spoon reveals a soft, fluffy, moist crumb.
Equipment
- Microwave
- Whisk
- Kitchen scale
Tips
- Microwave power varies quite a bit; the first time, microwave for one minute and check, so you learn how long your microwave needs.
- You can swap the milk for soy milk and the vegetable oil for melted butter for a richer cake.
- For a molten center, press a small spoonful of peanut butter or a piece of chocolate into the middle of the batter before microwaving.
Storage
A mug cake is best eaten right away, within ten minutes. If you want to prepare ahead, you can mix the dry ingredients in an airtight jar, where they'll keep for a few weeks somewhere dry; when you're ready, just add the wet ingredients.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The cake is dry and rubbery.
- It was microwaved too long or your microwave is very powerful. Cut the time by about fifteen seconds and take the cake out while the center is still slightly moist.
- The batter overflows the mug while cooking.
- The mug is too small for the amount of batter. Use a larger mug or divide the batter between two small mugs.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
