If you’re craving a sweet treat, but don't want to get out all of your kit for baking cupcakes or a traybake, these mug cake recipes can be made in minutes and are certain to satisfy a need for a mid-afternoon sugar boost.
Plus, the only baking equipment you need is a mug and a microwave! Mix a simple batter in a mug with a fork, using whatever ingredients you have in your cupboard, microwave for a few minutes, and zap! You have a heavenly cake to indulge in all by yourself.
We've compiled a list of our favourite and most popular mug cake recipes for you to have a go at. From chocolate chip mug cakes to coffee, red velvet and carrot, there are plenty of ideas to suit all tastes.
The best mug cake recipes
Vanilla Mug Cake
One of the more simple mug cake recipes, this is colourful and fun and would make a perfect impromptu birthday cake! After all, you can't go wrong with vanilla.
Ingredients:
•Butter
**•**Egg
•Brown sugar
•Vanilla extract
•Single cream
•Plain flour
•Baking powder
Icing and decoration:
•Icing sugar
•Water
•Sprinkles/ Hundreds and thousands
Measurements and method at Mug Cakes: Ready in Five Minutes in the Microwave: Ready in 5 Minutes in the Microwave
Chocolate Mug Cake
This chocolate mug cake by The Craft Patch is so simple, and it's simply addictive. Pair it with a chocolate sauce or ice cream for an extra sweet treat.
Ingredients:
•Butter
•Water
•Vanilla
•White sugar
•Salt
•Flour
•Cocoa powder
Jam Doughnut Mug Cake
Prep: 20 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
•100g/4oz self-raising flour
•100g/4oz plain flour
•150g/7oz caster sugar
•120g/4½oz unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
•1tsp vanilla extract
•4tsp raspberry jam
•Sprinkles, to decorate
For the icing:
•150g/7oz icing sugar, sifted
•25g/1oz unsalted butter, softened
•1tbsp milk
•Few drops of food colouring
Method:
1 Grease 4 x 200ml/7fl oz microwave-proof mugs. Sift the flours into a bowl. Add the caster sugar and mix together. Whisk the butter and vanilla extract together in a jug. Add to the bowl with the flours and whisk together until lump-free.
2 Divide the mixture between the mugs. Put two mugs onto a microwave-proof plate and microwave on high for 3mins until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Repeat with the remaining two mugs. Set aside for 15mins to cool.
3 To make the glaze icing, put the icing sugar, butter and milk in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water. Stir using a wooden spoon until smooth and glossy. Remove from the heat and add a few drops of pink food colouring (or colour of your choice) and stir well.
4 Using a 2cm/¾in round cutter, cut a 5cm/2in deep hole from the middle of each cake. Fill each hole with 1tsp of the raspberry jam. Pour the icing over the top of each mug cake to form a doughnut shape. Don’t worry if the icing drips down the side of the mugs. Scatter over the sprinkles and set aside for 5mins until set.
Microwave Coffee and Walnut Cake
If you're a fan of a classic coffee and walnut cake, this recipe by The Happy Foodie is sure to tempt you.
Ingredients:
•Butter
•Coffee essence
•Self-raising flour
•Brown sugar
•Chopped walnuts
•Egg
For the icing:
•Mascarpone cheese
•Icing sugar
•Coffee essence
To decorate:
•Walnut halves
Lemon Mug Cake
For a cake that's fluffy and light, with a citrus twist, you can't go wrong with this Tasting Table lemon mug cake.
Ingredients:
•Butter, melted
•Sugar
•Milk
•Fresh squeezed lemon juice
•Flour
•Baking soda
•Salt
•Lemon zest
•Icing sugar
Melt-in-the-middle chocolate mug cake
For those fondant lovers, this mug cake creates a deliciously chocolatey melt-in-the-middle cake in just 5 minutes.
Ingredients:
•Butter
•Egg
•Caster Sugar
•Vanilla sugar
•Single cream
•Cocoa powder
•Plain flour
•Baking powder
•Milk chocolate
For the full recipe, see Mug Cakes: Ready in Five Minutes in the Microwave
Biscoff Mug Cake
We love Fitwaffle's Biscoff mug cake and it only needs four ingredients; it's such an easy mug cake recipe.
Ingredients:
•Biscoff spread
•Milk
•Plain Flour
•Baking powder
Blueberry pudding mug cake
Prep: 10 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
•100g/4oz self-raising flour
•100g/4oz plain flour
•150g/7oz caster sugar
•250ml/¼pt milk
•120g/5oz unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
•1tsp vanilla extract
•50g/2oz blueberries, plus extra to serve
Method:
1 Lightly grease 4 350ml/12fl oz microwave-proof mugs or bowls. Sift the flours into a bowl. Add the caster sugar and mix in to the flour. Whisk the milk, butter and vanilla extract together in a jug. Pour into the flour mixture and whisk well until lump-free. Fold in the blueberries.
2 Spoon the mixture into the mugs and place two onto a microwave-proof plate . Cook in the microwave on high for 3½min until the cakes are cooked and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the microwave and set aside.
3 Repeat with the other two mugs or bowls. Serve with extra blueberries, and double cream, if liked.
Banana mug cake
Baking is a great way to use up over-ripe bananas, but if you've only got one then you can always make this tasty banana mug cake!
Ingredients:
•Butter
•Egg
•Caster sugar
•Vanilla sugar
•Single cream
•Very ripe banana
•Plain flour
•Baking powder
•Chocolate chips (optional)
•Decoration – icing sugar
Carrot cake mug cake
Make this carrot mug cake even more of a treat by topping with whipped cream and pecans - the recipe by I Wash You Dry recommend using the small side of the grater, so that the carrot has time to cook in the microwave.
Ingredients:
•Flour
•Brown sugar
•White sugar
•Baking powder
•Cinnamon
•Nutmeg
•Salt
•Pecans
•Carrots
•Vanilla extract
•Milk
Cookie Mug Cake
All the comfort and tastiness of a cookie in a mug cake!
Ingredients:
•Butter
•White sugar
•Brown sugar
•Vanilla extract
•Salt
•Egg yolk
•Flour
•Chocolate chips
Marshmallow Mug Cake
You can make this marshmallow mug cake however you like, either add one full sized marshmallow for a gorgeously gooey centre, or dot mini marshmallows for a chewy hit of sweetness!
Ingredients:
•Butter
•Egg
•Caster sugar
•Single cream
•Smooth peanut butter
•Plain flour
•Baking powder
•Marshmallows
•Decoration – icing sugar
•Optional, top with mini marshmallows
Salted Caramel Mug Cake
The brown sugar in this mug cake gives it a rich and caramelised flavour and you are treated to a delicious surprise of salted caramel in the middle. Find the full recipe at Love Swah.
Ingredients:
•Butter
•Egg
•Milk
•Plain flour
•Brown sugar
•Baking powder
•Sea salt
•Salted caramel/dulce de leche
Microwave Mug Blondie
Try out a blondie mug cake with this recipe by Bigger Bolder Baking - for even more indulgence, why bot add ice cream and caramel sauce.
Ingredients:
•Butter
•Brown Sugar
•Milk
•Vanilla
•Flour
•Salt
•Baking powder
•White chocolate chips
•Caramel candies
Chocolate orange mug cake
Believe it or not, this is a Weight Watchers mug cake recipe!
Ingredients:
•Low fat spread
•Plain white flour
•Baking powder
•Cocoa powder
•Semi-skimmed milk
•Agave syrup
•Vanilla extract
•Orange
•Dark chocolate
•Calorie controlled cooking spray
•0% fat natural Greek yogurt
Red Velvet Mug Cake
Ready in 6 minutes, this impressive red velvet mug cake by The Happy Foodie is so easy to create.
Ingredients:
•Self-raising flour
•Golden caster sugar
•Cocoa powder
•Sunflower oil
•Semi-skimmed milk
•Egg
•Red food colouring
For the icing:
•Icing sugar
•Cream cheese
Rocky Road Jars
Prep: 10 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
•100g/4oz self-raising flour
•50g/2oz plain flour
•50g/2oz cocoa powder
•150g/5oz caster sugar
•250ml/8fl oz milk
•120g/4½oz unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
•1tsp vanilla extract
•100g/4oz dark chocolate, roughly chopped, plus extra
to serve
•50g/2oz frozen raspberries, defrosted slightly and crushed
•75g/3oz mini marshmallows
Method:
1 Lightly grease 4 350ml/12fl oz heatproof mugs or glass jars. Sift the flours and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add the caster sugar and stir through. Whisk the milk, butter and the vanilla extract together in a jug. Pour into the flour mixture and whisk in well until lump-free. Add the dark chocolate and raspberries and fold in to the mixture.
2 Divide the mixture between the mugs or glass jars. Put two of the mugs or jars onto a microwave-proof plate and cook on high for 2½min. Top each mug or jar with a few of the marshmallows and microwave for another 15sec until the marshmallows are beginning to soften and melt. Remove from the microwave and set aside.
3 Repeat for the other two mugs or jars. Serve with extra chopped chocolate and roughly crumbled.
Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake
Another Fitwaffle creation, we love this cinnamon roll mug cake!
For the cake:
• 6 tbsp plain flour, heat-treated
•3 tbsp granulated sugar
•1/2 tsp baking powder
•60ml water
•40ml oil (or melted butter)
•1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon swirl:
•1/2 tbsp (7g) melted butter
•1 tbsp light brown sugar
•1/4 tsp cinnamon
Cinnamon sugar:
•1 tsp granulated sugar
•1/8 tsp cinnamon
Gluten Free White Chocolate and Raspberry Mug Cake
The Gluten Free Blogger has three great recipes for gluten free mug cakes, including a Victoria sponge and a milk chocolate mug cake, but this recipe is our favourite. Top with fresh raspberries or add some pink frosting for an extra touch.
Ingredients:
•Egg
•Sunflower oil
•Caster sugar
•Gluten free self-raising flour
•White chocolate chips
•Freeze-dried raspberries
Vegan Chocolate Mug Cake
And if you're on the lookout for a vegan, dairy-free option, you certainly won't be missing out with this chocolate chip mug cake by Nora Cooks.
Ingredients:
•Flour
•Cocoa powder
•Sugar
•Salt
•Baking powder
•Coconut oil
•Non-dairy milk
•Vanilla extract
•Dairy free chocolate chips
How to make a mug cake
When mug cakes initially rose in popularity, they were generally designed to be made in the microwave, but nowadays, there are plenty of mug cake recipes which can be baked in the oven or the air fryer. Some microwave mug cake recipes may include temperature adaptations you can use if you're cooking them in a different device.
Stephanie Anthony is the Deputy Digital Editor of Yours.co.uk. Having worked across a variety of topics, from travel and food to pharmaceuticals, she also has a particular interest in mental health and wellness. She has a house full of pets with two dogs and two cats.