The best chocolate vegan mug cake out there! Super fudgy, moist and perfect anytime you need a chocolate fix, quick! Ready in 1 minute.
What is a mug cake?
This might seem like a silly question, but if you’ve never made one before, you’re probably thinking, “what the heck is a mug cake!?”
A mug cake is literally a single serving cake, made in a mug and cooked in the microwave. Basically the best invention ever!!
I wanted to create a super chocolatey vegan mug cake that was also incredibly simple to throw together when you need a chocolate fix and quick! I was testing the recipe when my twin 10 year olds got home from school one day last week, and they wanted to try making their own. They successfully followed the recipe and couldn’t get over how delicious they turned out! If a 10 year old can do it, I’m confident you can, too. 🙂
How to make a vegan mug cake
It’s so easy. Get a mug out of your cupboard. Add the dry ingredients to it and whisk or stir to combine: flour, cocoa, sugar, salt and baking powder.
Now add the wet ingredients: oil, non-dairy milk and vanilla. Stir with a spoon until combined. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top, and microwave for 40-60 seconds. I prefer 40 seconds, because it’s nice and gooey in the middle at that point, but you could cook it a little longer if you want.
Yum, yum. Enjoy immediately as is, or you could add a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream for a seriously tasty treat.
Want more vegan chocolate dessert recipes?
- The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Best Ever Vegan Brownies
- 5 Minute Vegan Hot Chocolate
- Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Chewy Vegan Brownies
Chocolate Vegan Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon canola oil, melted coconut oil or vegan butter
- 3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons dairy free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and baking powder to a mug. Stir or whisk to combine.
- Pour in the oil, non-dairy milk and vanilla into the mug with the dry ingredients and stir well with a spoon. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.
- Cook in the microwave for 40 seconds. It will likely be a little undercooked in the middle at this point, which is my preference, but if you want it cooked more, microwave it another 10-20 seconds.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- I think the mug cake tastes best with white flour, but you can use whole wheat flour, or a gluten free flour mix. I wouldn't suggest using all almond or coconut flour.
- You can use natural cocoa powder or dutch processed. Either work fine for this recipe.
- Feel free to substitute coconut sugar for the regular sugar, or lower the sugar amount if you want a less sweet dessert.
- For the oil, you can use canola oil, melted coconut oil, vegan butter or any other oil you prefer. You could also substitute applesauce for oil free, but it will not be quite as rich tasting.
My favourite mug cake recipe! I have made this multiple times following the original recipe, and today experimented by adding 1.5 tbsp ethryitol instead of 2 tbsp sugar (I prefer less sweet desserts), and 1 tbsp of oat flour and 1 tbsp of plain flour. It turned out great!
Amazing! Hits that sweet chocolatey spot. I will be making this again!
I’m so glad you love the mug cake! I agree it definitely hits that craving chocolatey spot! Thank you for sharing your terrific review! Happy cooking!
Love these vegan mug cakes! I’d never made one before so it was a new experience, but I was so happy to see that my whole family loved them! We like them in quite a tall and skinny mug so that they rise higher, but any kind of container that can go in the microwave is great!! Thanks for the recipe!
You are welcome, Lizzie! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the mug cake recipe! Thanks for your awesome review and great feedback! Happy cooking!
absolutely delicious mug cake! I make a ton of your recipes Nora and my favorite is your vegan chocolate cake which is always a hit no matter where I bring it to. Thank you for making amazing vegan recipes!!!
Thank you, Keerthi, for loving my recipes! The mug cake is one of my all-time favorite chocolate fixes in a pinch! I’m so glad that you are loving it. I appreciate your terrific review, support, and encouragement! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
This has become a household favorite! Our vegan and non vegan family members cannot get enough. Our pro tip is to add frozen fruit to it once it’s out of the microwave, so good!!!
Wanted to ask the poster, do u have a recipe of this cake that could be made in the oven? We want to make a normal sized version because we’ve never had cake this good.
Thank you for loving the recipe, and thanks for the tip about frozen fruit! So you need to go make my Vegan Chocolate Cake, I think you’ll love it. 🙂
Dairy, egg & soy free while nursing my baby. This is the besssssst treat!
Hi Alena. I agree, one of the best treats ever! I”m thrilled that you loved the mug cake! Thanks for sharing your great review! Happy cooking!
I might as well leave a comment at this point because I revisit this recipe so much that I’ve lost count of the mug cakes I’ve made. I tell everybody about these mug cakes. I keep the ingredients on hand so that I am only ever a couple minutes away from one. Especially at that point in the month where food becomes VERY important to me. I especially like how the chocolate chips don’t even need to be mixed in, they just melt right down to the bottom. They turn out perfect every time too. (don’t forget the baking powder though!)
Hi Cat. I know what you mean about this mug cake! It is so easy and perfect to make when you want a chocolate fix! Thank you for taking time to share your stellar review and comments! I appreciate your support, and wish you lots of happy cooking!
I’ve made this multiple times and it’s really good! I’ve reduced the sugar by half (1 tb) and it came out fine and is still very delicious!
Hi Laura. Thank you for sharing your wonderful review and comments! I am so glad that you are loving the mug cake!
this is sooo good. This is the second time I’ve made this and I subbed half of the cocoa powder for vegan chocolate protein powder which worked great! I also didn’t have choc chips so I mixed maple syrup and cocoa powder for a drizzle on top which was GREAT. 50 seconds was ideal for me! I love a good mug cake so much
Hi Wren. Thank you for sharing your recipe ideas and terrific feedback! I agree, there’s nothing like a delicious mug cake! I’m thrilled that you loved my recipe, and wish you lots of happy cooking!
This is my go-to recipe when I need a chocolate fix! Highly recommend it.
Dandies makes a lovely marshmallow cream and I put a dollop on top.
Make this. You won’t regret it.
Made this today on this dreary Sunday. So Yummy. I cooked it for 50 seconds and let it sit in my microwave to finish for about 6 min. really good. thx
Hi Tama. Oh yes, what a cozy delicious treat on a dreary day! I’m so glad that you loved it! Thank you for sharing your glowing review and feedback!
Came out good! Just delicious.
Simple and tasty! Definitely scratched by itch for something chocolatey! My mw is 1100 watts. 40 seconds was a little underdone, 55 was perfect. I used a normal size coffee mug – about 8 oz.
Nora, you never miss.
LOVE this recipe. I’ve actually made it so many times that I have it memorized (which means I don’t actually have to come here that often,,, which is why I’m leaving this review now!)
Sometimes to switch things up I use an eighth of a teaspoon of almond extract instead of the half teaspoon of vanilla extract and it is HEAVENLY.
Ta ta!
Hi Claire! Thanks for stopping by to share your terrific review and feedback! I’m so glad you are loving the mug cake recipe! Wishing you happy cooking!
Can I ask about the wattage if your microwave please? I have to cook my mug cake for nearly 1.5 minutes and it doesn’t rise either 🙁
I’m honestly not totally sure about my microwave wattage but I think it’s 800 watts? Are you following the recipe ingredients exactly? It’s okay if it takes longer in your microwave, just microwave in 30 second increments until it does rise and is mostly cooked through in the middle.
Just wondering if/how this could be made without a microwave….?
Hi Andrea. You can totally bake in an oven! 350 degrees for about 10 minutes in a little oven-safe ramekin or dish. Enjoy!
Thanks for asking this question! Just reading through the comments hoping someone already asked it since my daughter needs it for her class this afternoon
Hi Nora, I tried this recipe with a tweak since I do not have with me some of the ingredients. I used the following instead: 2 tbps each of vegan pancake mix and powdered cocoa, 3 tbsps almond milk, 2 tbsps maple syrup, 1 tsp coconut oil, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp choco chips and bake the mixture in the microwave for 50 minutes. It satisfied my craving! Thank you so much!
Hi Bernie. Thank you for sharing your recipe variation ideas! I’m so glad that the cake turned out wonderful for you! It is wonderful to have in a pinch for that chocolate craving!
Absolutely delicious! Made this for my babies who have food allergies. With vegan milk. Then made the same for the rest of us with cow’s milk.
Consider yourself warned how big a problem this recipe is lol. I’ve made it several nights this week.
I do modify a few things for me and my husband. He is gluten sensitive so I use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free 1:1 baking flour and I cut the sugar in half so we can put a couple scoops of dairy free vanilla ice cream on top. It’s sooooo good, super easy, and fast. What’s not to love!?
So so yummy! I did this with king Arthur’s 1:1 gluten free flour, and it tasted perfect. I also love frosting so I took 1tbsp of coconut oil, 1tbsp powder sugar, 1/2tsp of vanilla, and a teeny tiny pinch of salt. (Was too impatient for my vegan butter to soften for the frosting haha!)
FIRST TIME!! LOVE!!! PUT MORE SUGAR so its better!!
So dangerous. Vegan chocolate cake in a mug that only takes 40 seconds? Shhhh. Don’t tell anyone…..
The ideal slightly fudgy texture I was craving. Just used water instead of milk, still turned out great. Definitely recommend the 40 second microwave time.
Hi Wes. Thank you for sharing your recipe experience and terrific review! Wishing you happy cooking!
Wow this recipe is perfect! I’ve tried other mug cake recipes and didn’t care for them. This one is sooo good and perfectly chocolaty. Thank you!
Hi Layla. How awesome that the mug cake was a winner for you! I love the chocolatey goodness of this mug cake as well! Thank you for taking time to share your terrific review and feedback!
First time I ever made a mug cake and did not expect that I am actually gonna eat it all 😅 Considering I didn’t have some ingredients, so substituted cocoa for a superfood blend with cocoa powder, baking powder for baking soda, the oil for sunflower oil, it worked just fine and was delicious w some whipped cream! Defo saving this recipe! Many thanks
Hi Kata. This mug cake is easy to eat, for sure, and so versatile. I’m so glad that you loved it! It’s a perfect recipe to have on hand for those chocolate craving moments! Thank you for sharing your stellar review and feedback! Happy cooking!