Chocolate Mug Cake Recipe

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 6

Servings: person

Calories: 559kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

This microwave chocolate mug cake is chock-full of chocolate chips and takes just 6 minutes to make--perfect for whenever a craving hits!

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
12-16 ounce coffee mug

Ingredients

¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder *
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup whole milk **
2 tablespoons salted butter melted
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ tablespoon mini semisweet chocolate chips ***

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and baking powder.
¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Add the milk, butter, and vanilla. Stir to combine.
¼ cup whole milk, 2 tablespoons salted butter, ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Lightly spray a mug with cooking spray.
Transfer mixture to prepared mug.
Top with chocolate chips.
½ tablespoon mini semisweet chocolate chips
Microwave for 90 seconds.

Video

Notes

*While you can use any unsweetened cocoa powder you prefer, I like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder here because there isn’t any baking soda to neutralize the acidity of natural cocoa powder.

**Mug cakes require a special kind of science, and I've found that whole milk works the best for this recipe! Skim milk should also work well in the mug cake batter. However, if you're looking for a dairy-free alternative, opt for almond or oat milk, as they are fairly similar to whole milk in flavor and consistency. Just note that changing your milk choice might affect the flavor and texture of the mug cake!

***Feel free to add more flavorful chips in there like peanut butter or butterscotch chips! While I like to keep mine exclusively chocolate, you can tailor your mug cake however you'd like.

Tips:

Don't forget to spray your mug with cooking spray! I've found that butter flavor works the best, as it compliments the flavor of the cake. If you forget to spray, you'll probably be scrubbing cake residue from your mug for quite some time.
When measuring out your flour, don’t pack it into the measuring cup. Spoon then level the flour or you will have a dense mug cake.
Microwave in 30-second increments or your mug might overflow. Still delicious, but a little messy.
Just like ovens, all microwaves can be a little bit different from one another. If at the 90-second mark, your cake is still undercooked, continue microwaving in 10-second increments until it's fully baked.
If you place your fingertips on the top of the mug cake and a small amount of cake residue sticks to you, that means it's perfectly baked and ready to eat. If you microwave your mug cake for too long, it will harden and not have the desired consistency. Be careful to not go over 90 seconds unless it's truly undercooked!
If at first your mug cake doesn't turn out to be picture-perfect, that's okay! Sometimes, even easy recipes like this need a little practice to get perfect. Plus, even if it's not too pretty, it'll still be delicious.

Storage: Store chocolate mug cake tightly covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 1 day. Enjoy at room temperature, or gently reheat in the microwave.

Nutrition