This mugcake is for those times when you just have to have chocolate. And cake. Or brownies.
And you need it all within 5 minutes.
The mugcake is part rich chocolate cake, part fudgy brownie, and it’s so fast and easy. It’s a very dangerous little trick to have up your sleeve.
The batter is whisked together in a minute, and the cake cooks in under 3 minutes.
I’ve made mugcakes in the past on my blog and in my cookbook, and have experimented with my fair share of microwave cakes over the years.
Many cakes and goodies made in the microwave tend to be dry with a weird texture. And the surface is pock-marked with crater-like holes, which don’t exactly persuade me to dive right in.
This, however, is the best microwave cake I’ve ever made because it’s not dry in the least.
There’s butter and Greek yogurt in the batter, which helps it stay moist.
And the easy vanilla glaze that’s poured over it seeps into the open, tender crumb, boosting the moisture level even more.
There’s only a small amount of flour, which also keeps the mugcake on the fudgier and denser side. Just the way I like my cakes.
Light and airy is overrated.
There’s both melted chocolate chips and cocoa powder, making it very chocolaty.
I like to add a pinch of instant espresso granules to my chocolate cakes and brownies because it really brings out the chocolate flavor, and it doesn’t make them taste like coffee.
It gave this little cake extra chocolate oomph.
Because microwaves and mugs vary, you may have to play around with things to find the sweet spot for your setup.
I used a 14 ounce mug which is bigger than most, and cooked for 3 minutes. If your mugs are smaller, divide the batter between two mugs and cook separately for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
Do not fill your mug more than halfway full with batter because it’ll overflow. It’s amazing how much puff these things get, and you need to leave major room for expansion.
All that stands between you and brownie-cake is 5 minutes..
There’s no catch. It’s dangerously fast, easy, and is sure to satisfy your chocolate cravings.
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Fudgy Chocolate Brownie Microwave Mugcake with Vanilla Glaze
Ingredients
Mugcake
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons vanilla or plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup buttermilk may be substituted and if using buttermilk, omit the 1 tablespoon of water
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso granules, optional (but recommended to boost chocolate intensity; make sure they’re instant so they dissolve. Instant coffee granules may be substituted)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- scant 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, a little less than 1/4 teaspoon
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
Vanilla Glaze
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- about 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- splash of cream or milk, only if necessary for consistency
Instructions
- For the Mugcake – Prepare a large mug (at least 14 to 16 ounces) or two smaller mugs by spraying the inside with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir with a fork or whisk until melted and mixture is smooth. If necessary, heat for about 10 seconds if your chips are resisting melting.
- Add the egg, yogurt and water (or buttermilk, and omit the water if using buttermilk), sugar, cocoa powder, brown sugar, vanilla, optional espresso granules, and whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, optional salt, and stir until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared mug(s). Do not fill your mug over halfway full with batter because it will overflow in the microwave. Use two mugs rather than one if you’re on the fence because mugcakes need ample room for expansion because they puff dramatically during cooking.
- For 1 large mug, cook on high power for about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, or until firm yet springy to the touch. For 2 smaller mugs, cook separately for about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes, each. For my 1 large mugcake as shown, I cooked for 3 minutes. At the 1 1/2 minute mark, the cake puffed up over the top of the mug by about 1 inch, where it stayed and ‘hoovered’ above the mug for the duration of microwaving. Immediately upon powering off the microwave, the cake fell, by about 2 inches below the top edge of the mug. Your mugcake will deflate considerably while it cools. While it cools, make the glaze.
- For the Vanilla Glaze – In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
- Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and stir with a fork or whisk until smooth and combined. If necessary to achieve desired glaze consistency, add a splash of cream or milk.
- Pour glaze over the cake(s). It’s amazing how much glaze the cake will soak up so don’t be alarmed if it looks like you have a lot. If you do have extra glaze, it will keep airtight for many weeks in the refrigerator. Mugcakes are best eaten fresh, but will keep airtight for up to 2 days at room temperature.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Have you ever made a mugcake?
It’s also good for those times when you just have to eat out of a mug. You just have to. XOGREG
And if I didnt have a food blog to cook for or a family, I’d be SUPER content to eat most of my meals out of mug. Lol
Wow this looks AMAZING!!! I would love to make this with my boyfriend but he has an egg allergy; he can eat baked goods with eggs in it like cakes and brownies but he cant eat scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs, etc. Does the egg cook all the way like an egg in a cake (is it safe for him to eat it)?
The egg cooks through completely in this, yes. It’s not raw!
On other matters, normally if someone is allergic to eggs, whether the egg is cooked, raw, in a baked good, scrambled or fried, or baked into a casserole, it wouldn’t matter. Egg is egg. So just do as you know is right for your own dietary needs and situation!
Oh my goodness, Averie….this is sooo good and yet sooo dangerous that I am a microwave ding away from a rich, warm chocolate fix!
Pretty dangerous indeed :)
I live mug cakes but they are dangerous in my house because I am always tempted to eat them around the clock or whenever I have an extra 5 minutes!
LOL. Glad you’re a fan of them. Me too!
*Love* your gorge blue mug (and this cake)! It looks super-fudgy…not at all like something that came out of a microwave. Genius! xo
Thanks, Valerie! Best microwave cake I’ve ever made!
I have had terrible luck with mugcakes. So much so that I stopped making them because I wasn’t ever satisfied after eating them. (Choking them down, really.) But this recipe actually looks unique and different – way to find something that actually works!
I LOVE that mug!!!
Perfect for my 1:30am chocolate craving when I need to go to bed! ;)
That’s the time it REALLY hits the spot for me too!
This looks incredible! How do you even come up with these things?! Great post, as always :)
partyatgatsbys.me x
Long runs and too much time to dream up recipes in my head :)
Woah definitely dangerous! But hey, bathing suit season is almost over :-D
Lol. So true!
I have tried to make mug cakes, but they didn’t turn out that well! Will try your recipe for them!
Thanks, Angie. Yes this one is my best ever and I bet you’ll love it!
one mug is not enough for me…
LOL!
This looks incredibly dangerous! And I love that you added greek yogurt, sounds absolutely perfect.
It is pretty dangerous to have at your fingertips :)
I just LOVE that mug, Averie! So beautiful and unique looking. And um, this mugcake is just pure genius!!!
Thanks, Ashley. I thought it would make for the perfect mugcake for photos b/c it’s so bright and colorful!
Shouldn’t the name be Happy Hormonal Cake?
Whoa! I want to dive a spoon into that mug cake! It looks amazing, not to mention the cutest blue mug I’ve ever seen ;)
Thank you so much!
I love quick chocolate brownies! I have a 100 calorie 1 minute version on my b log but this one seems more fudgy! Definitely have to try it! Thanks!
Wow, your version sounds fab!