People say this fudgy chocolate mug cake recipe is the best mug cake they’ve ever tried. And you can make it in the microwave or oven!
The best chocolate cake in a mug
This is the chocolate mug cake recipe for chocolate lovers.
Rich, decadent, and delicious, the recipe has over two thousand positive reviews from readers who’ve made the chocolate cake and absolutely love it.
So if you’ve been disappointed with other chocolate mug cake recipes in the past, definitely be sure to give this one a try, because it will not disappoint!
Readers also love this Brownie in a Mug
Microwave chocolate mug cake recipe
I could tell you that I labored in front of a hot oven all day baking this cake.
But the reality is that the chocolate mug cake took only one minute.
Yes, really.
And it is made with pantry staple ingredients you can always keep on hand, with no eggs required.
Any time you are craving chocolate, now all you have to do is head to the kitchen and whip up this easy chocolate dessert in the microwave.
You can even portion out the dry ingredients ahead of time and store the chocolate cake mix in small Ziploc bags so the recipe will be even quicker to make when you’re ready to eat.
It’s like chocolate cake meal prep!
For a larger version, try this Vegan Chocolate Cake
Chocolate mug cake flavors
Chocolate Peanut Butter: Omit the oil in the recipe below, and stir in one or two tablespoons of peanut butter (or almond butter) in its place.
Nutella Mug Cake: Instead of oil, add a tablespoon of your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread. I like this Homemade Nutella Recipe. Top with more Nutella!
Chocolate Peppermint: Stir a fourth teaspoon of pure peppermint extract into the liquid ingredients before stirring everything together to form a batter.
Dark Chocolate Coconut: Use coconut oil, and top the finished mug cake with dark chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and a scoop of Coconut Ice Cream.
Mocha Mug Cake: Stir half a teaspoon of instant coffee granules, regular or decaf, in with the cake’s dry ingredients.
Chocolate Orange: Add one teaspoon of orange zest to the mug before stirring.
What is your dream single serving mug cake flavor? If there are any other ideas you’d like to see that I do not have listed above, definitely let me know!
Frosting options
Feel free to decorate your single serving chocolate cake with shredded coconut, chopped walnuts or pecans, mini chocolate chips, hot fudge sauce or caramel sauce.
I used this homemade Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.
Or you can frost the cake however you wish, such as with store bought or homemade vanilla or chocolate frosting, powdered sugar or melted chocolate, sliced bananas, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, or raspberry jam.
It’s also wonderful topped with Coconut Whipped Cream or Almond Milk Ice Cream.
Chocolate mug cake recipe video
Above, watch the step-by-step video
How to make a chocolate mug cake
Step One: Start by combining all of the dry ingredients in a cereal bowl or small dish. Stir very well, to ensure the salt and baking powder are evenly distributed.
Step Two: Add liquid, stir to form a chocolate cake batter, and pour the batter into a microwave or oven safe dish, ramekin, or coffee mug.
Especially if you are not planning to eat the cake straight out of the mug, be sure to grease the dish well before adding the batter.
Step Three: Microwave for thirty to forty seconds. Mine is always fluffy and cooked through after this time, but you may need to cook longer depending on your microwave’s wattage.
Or bake the mug cake in the oven for fourteen minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean.
Step Four: Frost the top of the chocolatey dessert and enjoy. To store leftovers… Wait, what leftovers?
Mug cake recipe ingredients
Here’s what you need to make the single serving recipe: cocoa, flour, sweetener, salt, baking powder, milk of choice, pure vanilla extract, and oil or banana.
Cocoa powder – Use regular unsweetened cocoa powder for the first tablespoon of cocoa. Dutch cocoa powder, hot chocolate mix, or additional regular unsweetened cocoa can be used for the two teaspoons.
Flour – The recipe works well with white flour, oat flour, all purpose gluten free flour, or spelt flour (my personal preference). I have not tried it with any other options such as whole wheat flour or pastry flour.
A keto mug cake version with almond flour is also included in the recipe box below.
Sweetener – This can be granulated sugar or unrefined coconut sugar or a liquid option like pure maple syrup or honey.
For a sugar free mug cake, use xylitol or granulated erythritol. Stevia technically works, but the flavor and texture are better if you go with one of the other options listed here.
Fat source – I think the cake tastes best made with coconut oil. My second favorite choice is peanut butter or almond butter. Vegetable oil is also fine to use.
If you want a low fat or fat free mug cake, many readers have written in to say it works to substitute applesauce, Greek yogurt, sweet potato, pumpkin, or mashed banana. I much prefer the taste with some fat added, but that is a personal taste preference.
Vegan chocolate mug cake
The mug cake is already naturally eggless, which means it is super easy to create a dairy free and vegan version.
Just use a plant based milk, such as coconut milk, soy milk, or almond milk. If topping with chocolate chips, ice cream, or frosting, choose vegan options for those as well.
For a gluten free chocolate mug cake, use either oat flour or gluten free all purpose flour. If you experiment with any other gluten free flours, let me know how it goes.
You may also like these Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tsp Dutch cocoa powder or additional regular
- 3 tbsp flour spelt, white, oat, or all purpose gluten free (or try this Keto Mug Cake Recipe)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sweetener of choice
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 2 1/2 tsp oil or nut butter (While I much prefer the version with fat, many commenters say they love substituting applesauce or mashed banana here)
- 3 tbsp milk of choice
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- How to make a chocolate mug cake recipe: Combine dry ingredients and mix very, very well. Add liquid, stir, then transfer to a little dish, ramekin, or even a coffee mug. Either microwave 30-60 seconds (time will depend on your microwave's wattage) OR cook in a preheated 350 F oven for about 14 minutes. If you don’t want to eat it straight out of the dish, be sure to spray your dish first and then wait for the mug cake to cool before trying to remove it. Frosting ideas are listed above in the post!View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
Easy Chocolate Dessert Recipes
I just made it, adding less sugar, more coconut oil, a little butter, more vanilla, and cream instead of milk.
Amazing what can happen in a microwave.
This will be a standby for me.
Thanks, Katie.
It looks delicious but I will never try it as I would never microwave my food. There are many studies that show the dangers of microwaving. Have you ever tried to just bake these little cakes in the oven. How long would you expect it might take to bake?
I love your recipes. However, every time I want to print one I am subjected to having to include
all of the ridiculous comments folliwing. It is a waste of my paper and ink.
Now I know why I stopped reading your site.
If you don’t want to read the site, that is your choice of course. But there’s really no need to leave a mean comment. I run this site by myself and am doing the best job I can do, putting my heart and soul into it. 🙁
(Also, if you want to print just the recipe all you need to do is highlight it and paste into a word document.)
You should always choose print preview and find the exact page # u want to print then exit ans select print and put just that page number.
Yes Ma’am that’s how i found out how to stop wasting my ink and paper on different recipes from other sites!!
Again Thanks Katie You are a Life Saver and a Healthy Eating Individual, Sincerely Your Friend and Co-Recipe Writer Joy Barker …….
Thank you so much. I have food allergies and this is the 1st real tasting cake I have had in a long time. Today was my husband’s birthday and I had a cake for me too.
Hi, I tried making this yesterday. Cake came out well. I kept for 60Sec.
But it was dry. It was not moist at all as shown in ur picture.
I used exactly same quantity of all ingredients as mentioned in source.
Please let me know if you have done any variations in ingredients? or what should I change this time. I want to make it for my kid.
Check out CCK’s recipe FAQ page at the top of the blog. Many readers (see comments above yours) have made this recipe successfully, meaning the quantities listed in the recipe are correct if followed to a T.
Try olive oil as the oil of choice. I switch out to olive oil whenever I have a recipe for a chocolate dessert that calls for oil. It’s delicious!
This is the first time I visited your site (from Pinterest). And, we are not special dieting needs people. But…WOW! This is a working woman’s dream dessert to make the family happy. And, it has nutritional benefits. So easy it can be made for drop-in guests, too. Thank you! Also just saw your post for Vegetable Miso Soup. We’ll be warming up with that this week, as snow is due here in Chicago-area. Best wishes. Anticipating exploring your past posts and anxiously awaiting the new ones that are yet to come.
Congrats !!! your all friends and relatives are very happy that you won.. its glad you!!! chocolate cake looks very delicious to eat but make sure that there should be with less sugar or with natural sweetener for diabetic diet.
Please make
I tried it using cake mix…it’s easier, faster to prepare and there are endless possiblities in the flavor. I also combined angel food cake with spice cake mix, mixed it all together (added 1/2 pkf sweet & low or stevia and it’s ready to use on the spur of the moment…already mixed. I also topped it with cream cheese icing once in awhile.
i will try this/ sounds so easy
If you substitute Xylitol would it still be the same measurement? 2 tsp?
This is my favourite chocolate mug cake. I can’t count how many times I made it (or variations of it) while living in China where it’s hard to get some baking supplies (I used a strange Chinese rice flour to make this while I was there). I still enjoy making it now I’ve returned from China. Recent favourite new way of cooking it is with blueberries! And I also enjoy it with olive oil. Thanks, Katie, for your blog 🙂
I NEVER use oil in my cake, always use applesauce, saves on calories and makes the cakes more moist!!
Hello, Thank you so much for including the WW Point Plus values. It is greatly appreciated. I can’t wait to try it, without the oil :^) Norma
Please mention how much the temperature of the oven should be maintained….