There comes a time in every girl’s life when she needs a chocolate mug cake.
Perhaps it’s one of those days where you just want to curl up on the couch all day and watch bad Lifetime movies about stolen babies (ladies, you know what I’m talking about).
Or maybe you just ran four miles for the first time in your entire life and unless you counteract it immediately with a dessert, the universe will be thrown out of balance and implode, and the entire 2012 apocalypse will be all your fault.
Or maybe it’s your birthday and everyone forgot so there was no cake. Okay, sorry, that last one was kind of depressing. Anyway, my point is, sometimes you just need a bite of cake to make things right. Just a bite.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
Love peanut butter and chocolate? Check out my No-Bake Pretzel Peanut Butter Bars or Peanut Butter Fluff Cups.
What Makes This Mug Cake The Best?
I was never a fan of mug cakes because all of the versions I’ve tried have turned out rubbery and just not at all delightful. Until I found this recipe, which for me is the one. This is why I like it:
- It’s not overly sweet. (If you want it sweeter, add more sugar or some chocolate chips.)
- It’s small. Other recipes I’ve tried have just been too big and they make me feel like I just over indulged. This one is just a few, rich, delightful bites.
- There is no egg. I find that eggs make mug cakes rubbery or spongey and they also mean that you can’t scale the recipe in size. If you want a small cake, you can’t just split an egg in half, right?
- There are a lot of variations. Add chocolate chips, use nutella, jam, or caramel sauce in place of the peanut butter, vegan-ize it by using soy milk in place of cow’s milk… lots of options.
Don’t be tempted to leave out the peanut butter (or jam, or whatever you drop in the center) because it helps keep the cake moist and rich. It simply wouldn’t be the same without it.
Make it a Vegan (Dairy-Free Mug Cake)
With one simple swap, this Chocolate Mug Cake can be made vegan. Simply swap the milk with your favorite non-dairy milk and you’re good to go! Life is good.
So, shout out to Jessie at Made From Scratch for experimenting with mug cakes until finding this perfect mix. You just saved the universe from imploding!
“The One” Chocolate Mug Cake
Servings 1Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.02)
- 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder ($0.03)
- 2 tsp sugar ($0.01)
- 1/4 tsp baking powder ($0.02)
- a pinch salt ($0.01)
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 2 Tbsp milk ($0.04)
- 1 Tbsp peanut butter ($0.13)
Instructions
- In your mug, stir together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and a pinch of salt). Make sure there are no clumps.
- Stir in the vegetable oil and milk until the mixture is smooth. Drop a tablespoon of peanut butter into the center and push it down into the batter.
- Microwave on high for one minute and then enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Video
Love microwave mug cakes? Check out my Funfetti Mug Cake, or Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake!
How to Make a Chocolate Mug Cake – Step By Step Photos
Add 2 Tbsp flour, 1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp baking powder, and a pinch of salt to a microwave-safe mug. Stir them together very well.
Add 2 Tbsp milk and 1 Tbsp oil, then stir until it forms a batter.
Drop a dollop of peanut butter (about 1 Tbsp) down into the center of the batter.
Microwave on high for one minute and you’ve got yourself a cake with a melty, peanut butter center! The cake turns out extra light and fluffy and the peanut butter kind of sinks in as the cake rises up around it. So magical!
Every bite has a light cake and a gooey, rich bit of melty peanut butter. Absolutely perfect.
And then five or six delightful bites later, you’re done and you don’t feel like you do when you “accidentally” eat a whole pint of ice cream. …not that that ever happens. 👀
Delicious! Thank you. I also used Nutella. Using this mug cake will satisfy my sweet tooth for years to come.
I could see using Andes Candies mints in the center. Also the green mint chips, cherry chips and all the other flavors of chips you can find in bulk bins. A different flavor every day of the week.
I found your blog through a friend’s blog and this recipe has made me the happiest person on the planet. Seriously. I’m making it tomorrow for dessert!
I just made this. I skipped the peanut butter and added mini Ghirardelli chocolate chips instead. This was not only delish, but fun to make too! Thanks Beth!
It took longer to eat it than to make it….I used nutella instead of peanut butter yum! Thanks for the recipe!
Jen – Thank you so much for sharing your tips and experiences!! Greatly appreciated :D
I seriously had to comment on this again because I’ve been making it almost DAILY since you first posted! I am obsessed! Since I have probably made different variations of this cake over ten times now, here’s some info your readers might be interested to know:
One reader asked about a substitution for the cocoa powder, and you mentioned carob. I accidentally used carob powder one time because I keep the carob and cocoa containers next to each other in the pantry and they look virtually identical. I added a little more cocoa powder on top when I realized my mistake, but it was mostly carob. I found I actually PREFERRED it to the cocoa alone, because I like a super chocolaty flavor (I have been adding over a tbsp of cocoa/carob to my mug cakes instead of just 2tsp) and carob powder is naturally sweet and not bitter like cocoa powder.
Speaking of sweet, if you have a sweet tooth (like me) and especially if you are using just the cocoa powder, I recommend upping the sugar to 1 Tbsp (which is the same as 3 tsp).
I also like to add a smidgen of vanilla extract, just a few little drops straight from the jar. If you have it on hand already, it just adds a little extra flavor oomph.
I have also recently started adding about a tsp of greek yogurt and it’s incredible! Sour cream would also be delicious. It really makes the cake moist and intensifies that awesome chocolate flavor. One of my favorite dark chocolate cake recipes calls for sour cream, so that was where I got the idea. Definitely recommend if you have it on hand.
This mug cake is seriously amazing and can be taken in SO many different directions. As somebody else mentioned, I find that around 40-45 seconds yields a more soft and gooey consistency, which I prefer. Sometimes I leave out the peanut butter and drizzle caramel topping on after it cooks instead! I want to try nutella next and also cookie butter as a previous commenter mentioned.
Thank you sooo much for posting this recipe, but be warned – it’s ADDICTING!!! ;)
What a difference 15 seconds makes!! Made this a couple weeks ago & microwaved for 1 minute. It was not good…dry, burnt chocolate taste, peanut butter ended up in a ball…my husband & I only got through a couple bites each. :( I was so disappointed since it seemed so yummy from the photos & was so easy to make!
Tonight I cooked it for 45 seconds and it was PERFECT! Soft & more of the gooey-ness I had hoped for. Next time I’m adding chocolate chips!
I made this tonight! It was so good. I added an extra tsp of sugar. I should have added more peanut butter and pushed it in more. I’m going to try Nutella next time. This is good recipe.
This is an awesome recipe, I put nutella in center instead of peanut butter and doubled the amount of sugar since I like sugary cakes :) I think next time I will add a dab of vanilla extract, it will make this more flavorful. Thanks so much!
I used gluten-free flour and it turned out great. I’ll probably add more sugar or something next time though because I have a huge sweet tooth ;^)
Oh & i used self-raising flour instead of all-purpose since i didn’t have baking powder.
Very nice, I used white chocolate spread instead of peanut butter & it was awesome!! This despite the fact that i mistakenly put in two tablespoons of chocolate powder & had to add some more milk to even things out a bit lol
So very good! My favorite mug cake I have made! Don’t think I will ever use another! I use almond milk and almond butter and about 50 sec.in my microwave and it’s Awesome!
I was surprised it wasn’t rubbery. I think I’ll add a touch more sugar next time. Less than five minutes all together (including washing the dishes), and it satisfied that sweet craving. Thanks.