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This 5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake will finally convince you that a mug cake can actually be good! Unlike most mug cakes that turn out dry, rubbery or muddy, this one is as good as the real thing. It is so soft, moist, gooey and chocolatey that it is hard to believe it’s made in the microwave in just 5 minutes start to finish. All you need is 7 basic ingredients (no eggs), a mug, a fork, and some measuring spoons. It is truly the perfect quick sweet treat for your late night cravings – and with 20M+ views and 1000s of remakes, I know many of you agree!
This was THE best mug cake I’ve ever had! Legit tastes like a fresh chocolate cake! The texture was perfect – not rubbery and didn’t taste off at all. Highly recommend.
– Ushna, ★★★★★
Moist and soft, NOT rubbery!
Developing a good mug cake recipe is surprisingly tricky. We have a very few ingredients and little room for error – so everything needs to be just right. After a ton of testing, here are 3 things I learned and why this recipe works:
- Eggs are the enemy of mug cakes. Yup, you heard me right! Not only is it annoying to have to use a quarter of an egg or half of an egg yolk, eggs cook fast in the microwave and are usually the culprit behind rubbery, spongey mug cakes. Not to mention, eggs provide structural integrity to baked cakes, but we don’t really need that in a small mug cake. So no eggs in this one!
- Butter is not worth the trouble. Some mug cakes use butter, which adds an additional melting step and is just not worth it. Just like my Easy Chocolate Cake, I opt for oil only in this mug cake to achieve the moistest texture that stays moist
- A little baking powder goes a long way. Microwave cakes rise a lot from the quick heat burst they get, so we don’t need to add too much raising agent. This recipe uses just 1/4 tsp. Any more, and the cake will explode and overflow
The result? A moist, soft, chocolatey cake that feels like a baked cake. If you want to make it even more indulgent, try covering it with hot chocolate like I do in my Hot Chocolate Mug Cake!
This was the only mug cake recipe I’ve found that isn’t leathery and oily. It’s SO moist and spongy and delicious!
– Dhaya, ★★★★★
Step by step photos
Here are some quick photos for you to visualize this recipe:
Start by whisking the milk, oil and sugar in a mug.
Sift in the dry ingredients (sifting is NOT optional!).
Stir or whisk until the ingredients are combined and no lumps remain. Clean the edges of the mug.
Microwave for 60-90 seconds until the cake is just cooked!
How to tell when it’s cooked
It is hard to give a precise amount of time for microwaving a mug cake, since different microwaves have different power settings, and the time also depends on how large or wide your mug is. This cake can take anywhere between 60-90s – and the best way to tell whether it’s done is by looking at it! A microwave cake cooks in 3 stages:
- Heat up: This is the longest stage that takes ~50-60 seconds. During this time, the batter is heating up and slowly rising, but the rise is not very quick
- Quick rise: Once the batter has heated up, you will notice the cake starts rising very rapidly. This is where the majority of the cooking happens. This stage takes only 10-20 seconds
- Slow sink: After the quick rise phase, the cake starts sinking again. At this point, it should be fully cooked. Stop cooking and remove from the microwave
The mug cake will have a wet looking patch on top but it should actually be cooked and spongy when you press on it. You can also check with a toothpick to ensure it’s done. If there’s any wet batter, give it another ~10 seconds.
A few more tips to get it right
Before I get into the quick recipe, let me share my best tips to get this mug cake right:
- Choose the right kind of mug. It should be microwave safe, and have at least 12oz of capacity. The cake won’t take up the full mug, but can rise quite a bit in the microwave, and using a big enough mug will help ensure the batter does not spill over
- Measure accurately. Instead of using random spoons, use proper measuring spoons to get the quantities right. For flour, make sure to first fluff it up and then add to the spoon, swiping off any excess. My recipe has also been updated with grams, so I highly recommend a scale for the most accurate results!
- Sift the dry ingredients. Since we are pretty much dumping everything into the mug, I recommend sifting the dry ingredients to minimize any lumps. This is especially important for the cocoa powder
- Ensure there are no lumps. When mixing the dry ingredients into the wet, they can form lumps. Use a spoon/fork or mini whisk to gently mix and break these lumps. Stop mixing as soon as a homogenous batter forms – overmixing can cause it to become rubbery
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Ingredients
- 4 tbsp whole milk (60g)
- 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil (20g)
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar (37g)
- 4 tbsp all purpose flour (32g)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder (12g)
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- Optional: 2-3 tbsp chocolate chips to mix in, and a chocolate spread like Nutella to serve
Instructions
- To a 12oz microwave safe mug, add the milk, oil and sugar. Use a fork or mini whisk to mix well until combined
- Sift in the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt), and gently stir with the same fork or mini-whisk. Scrape the fork along the edges to ensure everything is well combined. The dry ingredients can float on top of the wet, so take your time to properly mix them in and ensure there are no lumps. Stop mixing as soon as everything is combined (over-mixing can result in a rubbery texture)
- If using, add in the chocolate chips and stir until just combined
- Clean the edges of the mug with a paper towel, and microwave on high for 60-90s. The cake will heat up, then rise rapidly and start to sink again – at this point it’s usually cooked! I usually check with a toothpick around the 70s mark and give it another 10-20 seconds if there’s still wet batter inside. If in doubt, lean towards undercooking rather than overcooking, as overcooking in the microwave can result in a tough, rubbery texture
- Optionally, spread on some Nutella or chocolate ganache. Serve and enjoy!
Video Tutorial
Notes
- Optional add-ins: I like to add chocolate chips to my mug cake, but you can add any kind of chocolate candy you like, as long as it’s chopped into chunks! Serve the cake as it is, or spread some Nutella or chocolate ganache on top. You can also serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Storage: This is a single serve cake meant to be eaten in one sitting. If you have leftovers, cover the mug with a coaster or cling wrap, and keep at room temperature for up to 1 day
More mug cake recipes
After the warm response to this mug cake, I have turned midnight mug cakes into a series! Check out the rest of them, and let me know what I should turn into a mug cake next:
Comments
June before may
How many calories in one mug ?
Zoha
No calorie counting here haha
Ayesha
oh i wish i had all the skills Zoha has, Mashallah you’re so talented. May Allah SWT provide you all the blessings you deserve. Keep soaring high and thanks so much for all these yum recipes. As an O’level student dreaming to get an A* in Biology, it would mean the world to me if you could give me a few tips.(Oh, look, Zoha baji always has something i need) Still, thanks a lot. May you get all the success in the entire world! Ameen! XO:)
Zoha
Thank you so so much for your kind words! You are a sweetheart. And the main tip is to focus on understanding! Don’t just memorize 🙂
Bibi
Bless you Zoha.
My son and I were both craving something sweet and instead of going out to the store to get a cake like he suggested, I thought we could try this recipe together and it was so easy to make! We just topped it up with some vanilla ice cream. It really hit the spot (and saved me some $$) Thank you!!
Kathy
I made with almond flour, coconut sugar, and chocolate chips with Stevia instead of sugar. It was delicious but the texture was not very cake like. Any advice on how proper ratios when substituting almond flour for regular flour?
Zoha
YAY thank you so much!!! Really glad it hit the spot for you and your son 🙂
Isra Akhter
I was in the mood for a super quick chocolate cake and this did not disappoint!
Zoha
wuhu!!
Mahnoor H Sheikh
Loved this recipe! I tried out a slightly healthier (sugar-free) version of this with stevia and 70% dark chocolate and it turned out just as good!
Love your recipes, Zoha! Highly recommended 🩷🩷
Zoha
Thank you so much for sharing, Mahnoor!!
Griffin
Really good, just my dog got into it and ate it all, so he died. NOT DOG SAFE
Samantha
woah, that got dark fast
Sehrish
Zoha you are a gem! I had always wanted to try an easy mug cake and this was jusssttt perfect! Not too many ingredients, no difficult procedure, and end result – absolutely soft and melting in mouth cake!! Thank you loadsss!!!
Nida
Thank you for this recipe Zoha! This was absolutely delicious and so simple to make. This is my first time ever making a mug cake and let me tell you this was so moist and soft and amazing!
Zoha
Aw, so happy to read that – thank you!
Carrie
Can I ask what flour you use?
Zoha Malik
Regular all purpose flour!
Zoha
YAYYY! Thank you!
Najila Khan
Amazing!
azella
i made this for an easy recipe and it’s delicious. so moist and the flavor is amazing. great job
Zoha
Thank you so much!
Maren
Most mug cakes just don’t taste or feel like real cake. This one does! Excellent flavor and texture.
Shanaya
this recipe is nice and very simple to make it anywhere and also in office and college 😜
Sana
absolutely delicious! had it with some vanilla ice cream and added walnuts to the cake too. Just perfect 🙂
Zoha
WUHU!!! Glad you like it!
Rohma
Thank you Zoha for another recipe in which you have poured your heart and soul!
I was in the mood for a quick dessert all for myself and I knew Zoha will have the recipe. I’ve made a number of your recipes by now so I feel a sense of comfort going to your website.
This mug cake recipe was quite good. Easy to put together and with impeccable instructions.
Thank you Zoha! You are truly nourishing your brand. Mashallah. May you continue to excel. Ameen.
Ambre
So, so good.
Me and my 2 toddlers, we had it second time in a week for a quick after lunch dessert, with vanilla ice-cream.
Zoha Malik
Love to you and your babies!
Zoha
You are so wonderful, Rohma. Thank you so very much! <3
Nav
Can we store this for a day or two? does it remain moist after 24hrs. i want to make 10 of these for office colleagues so wondered if they will remain moist!!!
Sonam
This hit the spot on a Saturday night when we were craving cake!
Zoha Malik
Always hits the spot!
Semra
So good!