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Chocolate Mug Cake in 90 Seconds
This chocolate mug cake is a warm, fudgy single serve chocolate cake made in your microwave in about 90 seconds, mixed right in the mug with a fork. It’s made without egg, which is the secret to a soft, cakey texture instead of a rubbery one, and you probably have everything in your pantry already: flour, cocoa, sugar, milk and oil. Top it with ice cream for the quickest dessert you’ll ever make.
Below you’ll find the ingredients with weights, step-by-step instructions, microwave timing by wattage, tips for a moist mug cake, variations and FAQs. The printable recipe card is at the bottom.
Why This Microwave Mug Cake Works
- No egg. A whole egg is too much for one small cake and makes it spongy and rubbery. Baking powder gives all the lift it needs.
- Oil, not butter. Oil keeps the cake moist and tender, even as it cools.
- Measured for one mug. The batter fills the mug about halfway, so it rises without spilling over.
Ingredients for Chocolate Mug Cake
- All-purpose flour, 4 tablespoons (30 g), spooned and leveled.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons (10 g).
- Granulated or brown sugar, 2½ tablespoons (30 g).
- Baking powder, ¼ teaspoon, and a small pinch of salt.
- Milk, 3 tablespoons (45 ml), any kind, including oat or almond.
- Neutral oil, 1½ tablespoons (22 ml), or melted butter.
- Vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon.
- Chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon, plus a few for the top (optional, but they make it gooey).
How to Make a Chocolate Mug Cake (Step by Step)
1. Choose the right mug
Use a microwave-safe mug that holds at least 12 oz (350 ml). Wider mugs cook more evenly than tall, narrow ones. Don’t use mugs with metal trim.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
Add the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt to the mug and stir with a fork until no cocoa lumps remain.
3. Add the wet ingredients
Add the milk, oil and vanilla and mix with the fork, scraping the bottom and corners, until smooth and glossy. Stir in the chocolate chips and scatter a few on top.
4. Microwave
Microwave on high for 70 to 90 seconds (in a 1,000-watt microwave), until the cake has risen and the top looks set but slightly moist. Start with 70 seconds and add 10-second bursts if needed. Overcooking is what makes mug cakes dry.
5. Cool and serve
Let it stand for 1 to 2 minutes; it keeps cooking from the heat and the mug will be very hot. Top with ice cream, whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar, and eat it warm.
Microwave Timing by Wattage
| Microwave power | Cooking time |
|---|---|
| 700 watts | 1 minute 50 seconds to 2 minutes 10 seconds |
| 900 watts | 80 to 100 seconds |
| 1,000 watts | 70 to 90 seconds |
| 1,200 watts | 60 to 75 seconds |
The wattage is usually printed inside the microwave door or on the back. If you don’t know it, start at 60 seconds and add 10-second bursts.
Chef Emma’s Tips for a Moist Mug Cake
- Measure carefully. With such small amounts, an extra spoon of flour makes a big difference. A kitchen scale helps.
- Mix well but quickly. Scrape the bottom of the mug, where flour hides, then stop.
- Underdone beats overdone. A slightly fudgy center is perfect; a dry cake can’t be fixed.
- Eat it warm. Mug cakes are best within 10 minutes and firm up as they cool.
- Don’t taste the raw batter. Raw flour isn’t safe to eat until it’s cooked. See the FDA’s advice on handling flour safely.
Easy Variations
- Molten center: push 1 square of chocolate or 1 teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut spread into the middle of the batter before cooking.
- Peanut butter: drop 1 teaspoon of peanut butter into the center.
- Mocha: dissolve ½ teaspoon instant coffee in the milk.
- Mint chocolate: replace the vanilla with ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract.
- Dairy-free: use plant milk and dairy-free chocolate chips.
- Oven-baked: pour the batter into an oven-safe ramekin and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12 to 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Want a bigger chocolate dessert? Try our easy chocolate cake, the chocolate dump cake or our chocolate pound cake. For fall, see our pumpkin bars, or browse all our cake recipes.
Storage
A mug cake is meant to be eaten right away. If you must save it, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day and rewarm for 10 to 15 seconds. You can also mix the dry ingredients in a jar ahead of time (a handy gift), then add the wet ingredients when you’re ready.
Chocolate Mug Cake FAQs
Why is my mug cake rubbery?
It was overcooked, had too much flour, or contained a whole egg. Cook it just until the top is set and measure the flour carefully.
Can I make it with an egg?
You can use 1 tablespoon of beaten egg in place of 1 tablespoon of the milk for a slightly richer, more cake-like crumb, but a whole egg makes it spongy.
Can I make it without a microwave?
Yes. Bake it in an oven-safe ramekin at 350°F (175°C) for 12 to 15 minutes.
Can I double it?
Make two separate mugs instead. A double batch in one mug cooks unevenly.
Can I use self-rising flour?
Yes. Use the same amount and leave out the baking powder and salt.
Chocolate Mug Cake Recipe Card
Calories are an estimate for the whole mug cake (1 serving, with chocolate chips, without toppings) based on USDA FoodData Central values.
Chocolate Mug Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Stir the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a 12 oz or larger microwave-safe mug.
- Add the milk, oil and vanilla and mix with a fork until smooth, scraping the bottom. Stir in the chocolate chips and add a few on top.
- Microwave on high 70 to 90 seconds (1,000 W), until risen and just set on top. Add 10-second bursts if needed.
- Let stand 1 to 2 minutes, top with ice cream or whipped cream, and eat warm.
