Sometimes you just need some cake… stat… and when that happens, this dense, moist, chocolatey cake in a mug will come to your rescue. It only takes about 3 minutes to make (1 minute of assembly + 2 minutes in the micro) and it is really good.
I have made cake in mugs before and had mixed thoughts on them. The ones that I had tried were either oddly dense or obnoxiously sweet and none of them really felt like actual cake, until this one…
I was flipping through the channels and happened upon the ending of an episode of The Pioneer Woman (I love Ree) and she had just whipped up this cake in a mug and when the camera zoomed in on the texture, it looked like actual cake. Plus, Ree promised that it was delicious and thats good enough for me, so long story short, I made it, I love it and you will too.
Let’s get it started…
Although, I think Ree Drummond’s ingredient balance is perfect, every time I make it, I end up wishing I had just a few more bites, so I am ever so slightly scaling it up a bit. I use my favorite Le Creuset 14 ounce bistro mug for this recipe and it is the perfect size. The cake has plenty of room to lift as it “bakes” and there is still a little room left for ice cream or whipped cream, should you have some on hand.
Start by adding 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt into your mug and whisk to combine.
Now whisk in 1/4 cup of a neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola oil), 1/4 cup of milk (anything from whole milk to almond milk) and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Once the batter is smooth and fully combined, add a big heaping tablespoon of chocolate chips (or more… no judgements here) and mix them in just a bit.
Thats it.
Now pop your mug into the microwave and set the timer for 2 minutes.
The first few times I made this, when I first pulled it out of the microwave, I though it needed to be in there longer. It looked super moist and I wasn’t sure that it was done, but 2 minutes is the perfect amount of cook time for this recipe. I remember hearing Ree warn against leaving it in there too long and I am glad I listened. After 2 minutes, let it sit for another 2 minutes at room temperature (this is when you grab the ice cream) and it will be perfect.
Now, I feel it necessary to say that this cake doesn’t need ice cream, but I had some in the freezer and love the combination of ice cold vanilla bean ice cream with the hot chocolatey cake. Hot and cold. Chocolate and vanilla. Dense and creamy.
Look at the texture of this cake. It is not just a good “mug cake”, it is actually really good chocolate cake and if you popped it out of the mug and placed it on a plate, you would impress every single person you were kind enough to serve it to.
I hope you enjoy this fun dessert as much as I do… every time I make it. Thanks Ree <3
Cake in a Mug
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup milk (whole, almond, oat... etc.)
- 1/4 cup neutral oil (vegetable, canola... etc.)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon chocolate chips (optional, but highly recommended)
Instructions
- Place into 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt a large microwave safe mug and mix until combined
- Add 1/4 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of oil and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract into the mug and mix until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated
- Add 1 tablespoon (or more) of chocolate chips into the mug and stir just enough to work them into the cake batter
- Microwave for 2 minutes
- Enjoy!
