Chocolate Mug Cake
This isn’t a stand-in for a proper oven-baked cake — it’s a quick single-serve treat for when you need chocolate right now. In the microwave the batter rises in about a minute and turns moist and slightly spongy, with pools of melted chocolate inside. We leave out the egg: in such a small portion it makes the cake rubbery.
- Prep
- 3 min
- Cook
- 2 min
- Rest
- 1 min
- Total
- 6 min
- Servings
- 1
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 470 kcal
Ingredients
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What to use instead
Swap the milk for any plant-based milk and the chocolate for a handful of chopped nuts.
Makes: 1 mug, 1 serving
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Choose the mug
Use a microwave-safe ceramic mug of at least 300–350 ml, with no metallic rim or decoration. The batter nearly doubles as it rises, so a small cup won’t do.
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Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients
Put the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt into the mug and mix thoroughly with a fork, breaking up any lumps of cocoa.
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Step 3: Add the liquids
Pour in the milk and oil and stir with the fork to a smooth, thick batter, scraping the bottom and corners of the mug where dry flour likes to hide. Stir in half the chocolate and press the rest into the top.
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Step 4: Microwave
Cook on full power: 60–75 seconds at 800 W, 50–60 seconds at 1000 W, 80–90 seconds at 700 W. Start with the shorter time. It’s done when risen and the top looks dry; a slightly damp spot right in the centre is fine.
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Step 5: Let it stand
Leave for 1 minute — the residual heat finishes the job. The mug will be hot, so hold it with a tea towel. Eat straight away: microwave cakes go stale quickly once they cool.
Tips & variations
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Tip
Overcooking is far worse than undercooking here: an extra 20 seconds turns the cake dry and rubbery. When in doubt, add time in 10-second bursts.
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Variation
Press a teaspoon of nut butter or chocolate spread into the centre of the batter for a warm, molten middle.
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Swap
Swap the milk for any plant-based milk and the chocolate for a handful of chopped nuts.
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Tip
It’s at its best with a scoop of vanilla ice cream: warm and cold together is the whole point of making one.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 1 serving | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 470 kcal | 470 kcal |
| Protein | 7 g | 7 g |
| Fat | 23 g | 23 g |
| Carbohydrates | 58 g | 58 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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