Chocolate Mug Cake
This chocolate mug cake is rich, fudgy, and made in just minutes right in the microwave. It’s the perfect quick dessert when those chocolate cravings hit but you don’t want to bake an entire cake. With a soft and gooey center, deep chocolate flavor, and a texture somewhere between cake and molten lava cake, this easy single-serve dessert tastes way better than any mug cake should.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Mug Cake
There are a lot of mug cake recipes out there, but many turn out dry, rubbery, or bland. Here’s why this recipe works:
- Rich chocolate flavor from dutch-process cocoa powder and chocolate chips
- Soft, moist texture on top with chocolate lava at the bottom
- Ready in about 5 minutes from start to finish
- Made in one mug for easy cleanup
- Perfectly portioned for one
- Delicious with ice cream, whipped cream, or extra candy in the center
It’s the ultimate late-night dessert.
Tips for the BEST Mug Cake
- Don’t alter the ingredient amounts – It may be tempting since it’s such a small amount of batter, but stick to the recipe as it contains just the right balance of ingredients. Also avoid all other flours besides all-purpose flour or a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking flour.
- Microwave times can vary – Every microwave is different, so start with 45 seconds at first and then keep a close eye for the last 45 seconds. It should look evenly puffed with no wet center. It may need less time or more time, depending on the strength of your microwave.
- Avoid small mugs – Choose a microwave-safe mug that holds at least 10–12 ounces to prevent overflow while the cake rises. This is the standard size of most mugs.
Easy Mug Cake Variations
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Mug Cake – Add a spoonful of peanut butter to the center before microwaving.
- Mocha Mug Cake – Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of instant espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor.
- Cookies and Cream Mug Cake – Fold crushed chocolate sandwich cookies into the batter before cooking.
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Mug Cake – Add a caramel candy or spoonful of caramel sauce to the center and finish with flaky sea salt.
Chocolate Mug Cake FAQs:
Yes! It works with a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking flour.
You can, but maple syrup or brown sugar provides the best flavor. For white sugar, use 1/4 cup.
It was likely overcooked. Mug cakes cook very quickly, and even an extra 10–15 seconds can change the texture completely. Keep a close eye those last 45 seconds to prevent this from happening!
This recipe is designed specifically for the microwave, so baking may change the texture and timing quite a bit.
Mug cakes are best eaten fresh while still warm and gooey.
The mugs I use are these dimensions: 5″ Width x 5″ Depth x 2.5″ Height. Specifically, they are these mugs from Arhaus.
Anything that is rich and chocolatey! I like a Hershey’s nugget or a Ghirardelli salted caramel square.
For more chocolate dessert recipes, check out my:
- Moist Chocolate Cake
- Easy Fudge Brownies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Mousse Cake
- Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Chocolate Mousse for Two
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram and leave a review below if you make this chocolate mug cake. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
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Chocolate Mug Cake
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 1 or 2 servings
Description
This chocolate mug cake is rich, soft, and incredibly fudgy with deep chocolate flavor in every bite. Made in one mug with simple pantry ingredients, it’s the perfect quick dessert for when you need chocolate fast. Fluffy chocolate cake on the top, chocolate lava and the bottom, and served up with vanilla ice cream. What more could you want?
Ingredients
Chocolate Mug Cake
- 1/3 cup (80g) milk of choice
- 3 tbsp (60g) pure maple syrup, or 1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola, olive, or melted coconut)
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- Small pinch of kosher salt
- 2 tbsp (15g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder (natural unsweetened also works)
- 1/4 cup (32g) all-purpose flour (or 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour)
- Snack-sized chocolate bar or chocolate square of choice, optional
Instructions
Chocolate Mug Cake
- In a 2 cup measuring glass, use a fork to stir together the milk, maple syrup, and oil. Once combined, thoroughly stir in the baking powder, salt, cocoa powder and flour until fluid and well blended.
- Pour into your mug and microwave for 45 seconds. Then quickly drop your candy bar in the center and continue to heat for another 45 seconds or until well puffed and appears “baked” on the surface. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then eat as is or scoop some ice cream on top. Enjoy!
Notes
This recipe works with any standard-sized mug whether it’s a regular shape or wide-mouthed.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cooling Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 minute 30 seconds
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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Meet Jenna
I’m the creator, baker, and photographer behind Butternut Bakery. Here I share desserts for every diet because I believe everyone should have a chance to indulge!
