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–+ servings
red velvet mug cake

Red Velvet Mug Cake Recipe

Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute
Total Time: 6 minutes
Servings: 1 mug cake
Calories: 671kcal
Author: Becky Hardin
Soft, tender, and rich with cocoa flavor, this single-serving red velvet mug cake is ready in 6 minutes thanks to my microwave!
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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

  • 12-ounce Mug

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder *
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ cup milk **
  • 2½ tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 drop red gel food coloring
  • 2 tablespoons white chocolate chips ***

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder together.
    ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon baking powder
    ingredients for red velvet mug cake in individual bowls
  • In a separate small bowl, stir the milk, sugar and vegetable oil together.
    ¼ cup milk, 2½ tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Spray a large mug (at least 12 ounces) with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the mug.
    dry ingredients in a bowl next to bowls of oil, food coloring, and white chocolate chips.
  • Stir the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients in the mug. Do not overmix.
  • Add the food coloring and stir just until mixed.
    1 drop red gel food coloring
    red velvet cake batter in a mug next to a bowl of white chocolate chips
  • Fold in the white chocolate chips. Don’t overmix.
    2 tablespoons white chocolate chips
    cake batter in a mug
  • Place the mug in the microwave on high heat for 60-80 seconds, or until the top looks set.
  • Remove the mug from the microwave carefully – the mug will be extremely hot! Let cool a few minutes before eating.
    overhead view of red velvet mug cake on a pink table

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.
**I recommend using whole milk in this recipe, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
***Try swapping out the white chocolate chips for cream cheese chips or a variety of dark, milk, and semisweet chocolate chips.
Tips:
  • Be sure not to overmix the batter. Too much stirring of the flour mixture could lead to a spongy cake.
  • Mug cakes most often explode or overflow due to being overfilled. Be sure not to overfill your mug, and opt for a low, wide mug rather than a tall, narrow one.
  • Mug cakes most often turn out rubbery from being overcooked. All microwaves are different, so it may take some experimentation to find the perfect cook time for your mug cake!
  • Every microwave is different, so baking times can vary. Start testing the cake for doneness at 60 seconds, then continue to check at 5-10 second intervals until the top looks slightly wet but set. 
Storage: This mug cake is best enjoyed immediately after making. It will begin to dry out the longer it sits.

Nutrition

Serving: 1mug cake | Calories: 671kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 108IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 200mg | Iron: 2mg