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Home - Cake

Published: Sep 19, 2019 · Modified: Dec 19, 2024 by Amanda Powell · This post may contain affiliate links.

Vanilla Mug Cake

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vanilla mug cake

A delicious vanilla mug cake that is finished and ready to eat in minutes. This easy mug cake recipe is the perfect solution to those late night cake cravings. Perfect for when you want a single serving vanilla cake in your life! 

finished vanilla mug cake with vanilla frosting and sprinkles

Why You'll Love It

Vanilla mug cakes are the answer to those cravings for a freshly baked slice of cake without the commitment of having a whole cake around to tempt you. And it is ready in five minutes so you can satisfy your sweet tooth immediately. The reasons you will fall in love with this single-serving cake:

  • A solid, easy vanilla mug cake recipe with simple ingredients and has tons of flavor
  • All the ingredients are things you probably already have in the kitchen. Bonus: no eggs required!
  • You can multiply the recipe easily for a bigger mug, or to make for a friend 
  • It's the perfect recipe to customize to fit your mood

Pro tip: keep some vanilla frosting around. We always have some in the fridge and in the freezer for emergencies like this. 

What is it?

Believe it or not, but you can make a single serving of cake in a regular microwave-safe coffee or tea mug. The ingredients get mixed in the mug, then microwaved until cooked through. It means you can have cake done in minutes.

The best part is that since you aren't frosting it like a layer cake you can eat the vanilla mug cake while it is still warm. I love adding frosting, whipped cream, or ice cream on my warm vanilla cake in a mug so it melts and covers all the cake. 

vanilla mug cake prep ingredients mixed and cooked in microwave

​What you'll need

You only need a few ingredients, a mug, and a microwave.

The ingredients are pantry staples like butter, milk, sugar, flour, and vanilla. We also use some baking powder for fluffiness, plus if you want, you can add some cornstarch to give the cake an even better texture. 

Almost any microwave-safe mug that is at least 10 ounces will work. Anything smaller might leave you with cake all over your microwave. I use a large mug from the Hearth and Hand Magnolia collection at Target. It can hold double the recipe without spilling over, making it perfect for bigger appetites! If you are looking for something really cute, I adore these mugs. 

Ingredients

Since this recipe uses only simple ingredients, the ingredient list is short. You can find the full list and measurements in the recipe card below. 

  • Butter - Since this is a small recipe and each ingredient plays an important part in the flavor, I recommend using the best quality unsalted butter you have. 
  • Vanilla - You can either use pure vanilla extract for the classic vanilla flavor, or the clear artificial extract if you want a more nostalgic boxed cake mix flavor. 
  • Sugar - Granulated sugar works best to let the butter and vanilla shine, but if you want to add more depth, you can use brown sugar. 

How to Make

You only need a few steps to make the best vanilla mug cake recipe ever

  1. Melt your butter in the microwave. 
  2. Stir the milk, vanilla, and sugar into the melted butter. vanilla mug cake prep wet ingredients in mug
  3. Mix in the flour, cornstarch (if using), baking powder, and salt to the wet ingredientsvanilla mug cake prep dry ingredients in mug
  4. Cook in the microwave for 60 - 90 seconds, or until the sides are set at the top looks slightly moist. 
  5. Remove and allow to rest for a minute. Add a swirl of vanilla buttercream frosting and sprinkles to the top of the cake or use any of your favorite toppings. 

Tip: Check the cake after 45 seconds. You know the cake is done when the sides start to pull away from the sides. The top will look slightly underdone and this is normal. It will continue to cook and set using the residual heat from the mug.  

vanilla mug cake on a spoon with frosting

Amanda's expert tips

  • Do not overmix the cake batter. I recommend stirring with a fork. It will be tempting and easy to keep stirring until the batter is completely smooth, but with a single-serving cake like this, it is easy to overmix and end up with a tough cake. 
  • Do not overcook. This can be easy to do, especially if you are new to making microwave mug cakes. If you overcook, you can end up with a rubbery and tough cake. This is why you should check the cake sooner and then add additional time as needed. 
  • Double and triple check that your coffee mug is microwave-safe. If it does not say it is safe for the microwave, err on the side of caution and opt for a different mug. 
  • Skip worrying about making a small serving of frosting or keeping some around by opting for a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top instead. 

Substitutions

  • Butter: You can substitute the butter in this easy mug cake recipe with a neutral oil (canola oil or vegetable oil), butter-flavored Crisco, or margarine. If you use margarine, and it is on the saltier side, omit the salt in the recipe. 
  • Baking Powder: You can replace the baking powder with baking soda using a 1:1 ratio. You can also omit the baking powder completely, but the cake will be more dense. 
  • Eggs: You're in luck! This recipe does not need eggs!
  • Milk: You can use a lactose-free or non-dairy milk like cashew milk or almond milk. You can also get creative and use heavy cream, coffee creamer, or thinning out a bit of yogurt or sour cream with a touch of water. 
  • Flour: You can use a gluten-free baking mix if you want to make a gluten-free mug cake. If substitute all of the dry ingredients except for the sugar, you can try a complete pancake mix (the kind that only needs you to add water). Please note, I've never tried it using the pancake mix method personally, but I know people who have. 

Variations

This is the perfect dessert to customize. 

  • Stir in crushed Oreos to the batter and frosting to make the best Oreo mug cake
  • Add cinnamon and substitute half the sugar with maple syrup for a French toast-inspired cake
  • Top or fold in fresh fruit to the cake batter
  • Add in a handful of chocolate chips
  • Include a small pinch of cream of tartar and cinnamon for a snickerdoodle mug cake
close up vanilla mug cake with frosting and cake on spoon

Want more mug cakes?

  • looking down into mug with lemon cake and frosting
    Lemon Mug Cake
  • overhead chocolate cake with chocolate chips
    Chocolate Mug Cake
  • mug filled with peanut butter cake with spoonful of cake
    Peanut Butter Mug Cake
  • black forest mug cake
    Black Forest Mug Brownie

Recipe Card

close up vanilla mug cake with frosting and cake on spoon

Vanilla Mug Cake

Amanda Powell
An incredibly easy and delicious vanilla mug cake
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 minute min
Total Time 6 minutes mins
Course Cake
Cuisine American
Servings 1 cake
Calories 460 kcal
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon cornstarch optional
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch salt
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Heat the butter until it is mostly, but not completely melted - about 15 seconds. Stir until melted fully.
  • Stir in the milk, vanilla, and sugar. Mix well.
  • Mix in the remaining ingredients until there are almost no lumps, but do not over mix.
  • Cook in the microwave for 50 - 90 seconds, or until the sides of the cake pull away from the mug a bit, but the top still looks a little moist.
  • Leave the cake to cool for a couple of minutes before eating, the mug will be very hot, so be careful.
  • Top with frosting, whipped cream, ice cream, or whatever you love with your vanilla cake!

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 460kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 6gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 183mgFiber: 1gSugar: 32g
Keyword dessert, easy, mug cake, vanilla
Tried this recipe?Tag me on Instagram! @acookienameddesire #acookienameddesire

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About Amanda Powell

Baker, photographer, and sometimes world traveler behind A Cookie Named Desire. Obsessed with helping people live life sweetly with delicious food to share with the special people in your life and creating lasting memories.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Julie H says

    March 14, 2023 at 8:33 am

    Wow! This is seriously tasty and so simple. This is a recipe I will revisit frequently.5 stars

    Reply
  2. Toinette Meiring says

    October 23, 2020 at 11:31 am

    Most delicious mug cake EVER!

    Reply
    • Amanda Powell says

      October 23, 2020 at 11:54 am

      I’m do glad you liked it!!!

      Reply
4.56 from 36 votes (35 ratings without comment)

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Hey, I'm Amanda!

I am the baker and photographer behind A Cookie Named Desire. I'm a cookbook author, food science nerd, world traveler (sometimes) with a major weakness for cookies and cheese.

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