Chocolate Lava Mug Cake
Chocolate Lava Mug Cake is moist and fudgy, with a warm molten center. Made in the microwave and ready in minutes, this easy treat is perfect for chocolate lovers!
Sometimes you just need a piece of cake. Chocolate cake, to be exact. Am I right?
And this molten lava mug cake? It’s so good. And if I say it’s good, it’s good. It’s chocolatey, rich, and has a molten center. And that just happens to be my favorite kind of chocolate cake. If I’m ordering dessert in a restaurant, it’s a lava cake (or creme brûlée).
And did I mention this mug lava cake recipe is made entirely in the microwave? Yep, no oven or stove required, just your trusty microwave and a few ingredients. And if you’re looking for a vanilla recipe, you’ve got to try this vanilla mug cake.
This easy mug cake is perfect for when you want just a little cake, and don’t want to share! It’s easy to whip up, is ready in less than five minutes, and has a warm and gooey center. I’ve made my fair share of microwave cakes before, and a lot have turned out dry or just lack in flavor. But, not this one, friends…I promise!
Microwave Lava Cake Ingredients
This molten chocolate mug cake bakes up moist and oh-so chocolatey. And that molten middle? Mmm mmm good! Plus, this mug cake is made with no eggs! And that makes it extra handy, just in case you don’t have any in your fridge.
To make it, you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Milk
- Oil
- Vanilla
- Semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
How to Make Chocolate Lava Mug Cake
This mug cake recipe is so easy and so delicious that you’ll probably want to make it over and over again!
- To start, stir some flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. I combined everything right in my mug (16 ounces), but if you’re baking this in a smaller mug, you may want to mix everything together in a small bowl and then pour into your mug to cook.
- With a fork, whisk in some milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir so that there are no lumps and batter is smooth.
- Microwave for about 30-45 seconds on medium power and then remove from the microwave and add 1-2 chocolate squares or a tablespoon of chocolate chips in center of batter. No need to stir, as the chocolate will sink to the middle.
- Place back into microwave and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until cake as pulled away from edges and center is almost firm.
- Let cool for 2 minutes in microwave, then top with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and dig in!
What size mug is best to use for this cake?
A 14- or 16-ounce mug works best if you’re looking to mix the ingredients and cook in the same mug. However, if you want to stir everything together in small bowl and then transfer to a mug to cook, you will need a 12 ounce mug (or larger). Be sure to keep an eye on your cake as it’s cooking so it doesn’t overflow and make a mess.
How long will this chocolate mug cake last?
This cake is best eaten right away, warm from the microwave. However, if you want to save it for later or have leftovers, you can cover and keep at room temperature for up to three days. When ready to serve, warm in the microwave and enjoy!
What to serve with chocolate lava cake?
I like to top my cake with a dollop of whipped cream or a big scoop of vanilla ice cream! The topping will get melty from the warm cake and pair beautifully with the chocolate.
So, are you ready to make the best chocolate mug cake? I guarantee you’ll fall in love with the taste, texture, and all-around easiness of this decadent recipe!
Tips for the Best Chocolate Mug Cake
- Be sure that you have a mug large enough to hold the batter and cook in the microwave, as the batter will rise when cooking (and you don’t want it to overflow and make a mess). I used a 16 ounce mug and was able to stir and cook ingredients right in the mug. If your mug is smaller than 14 ounces, you may want to combine the ingredients in a small bowl and then pour into your mug to cook.
- Don’t overcook this molten chocolate mug cake! That will result in a drier, more crumbly texture, not a gooey, moist one that you’re looking for.
- Check your cake when it’s cooking! I removed mine at 40 seconds to add the chocolate in and then checked it again after another 30 seconds to see if it was done. Your microwave times might be different than mine, so keep an eye on your cake.
- The chocolate squares or chips add that molten, gooey center in the cake. I used two squares of semi-sweet chocolate, but bittersweet or milk chocolate would work well, too. And the same goes for chocolate chips! Semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or chocolate chunks would make a perfectly gooey middle.
- If you don’t have chocolate squares or chocolate chips on hand, no worries! You can skip that step and still make the most delicious mug cake!
Looking for more easy cake recipes? I’ve got you covered!
- No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
- Banana Upside Down Cake
- Strawberry Pound Cake
- Funfetti Cake Batter Bars
- Chocolate-Covered Pound Cake Bites
Chocolate Lava Mug Cake
Ingredients
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup milk, (any kind)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, (or vanilla extract)
- 1-2 squares semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, (or 1-2 tablespoons chocolate chips)
Instructions
- In a 16-ounce microwavable mug or small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt.
- Using a fork, whisk in milk, oil, and vanilla until batter is smooth and there are no lumps. If mixing in a small bowl, pour into a 12 ounce mug (or larger) to cook. Otherwise, you can cook cake right in the bowl.
- Microwave cake for 30-45 seconds, then remove from microwave and add chocolate squares/chips into center of batter. There is no need to stir, as chocolate will sink to the middle.
- Place back in microwave and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds, or until cake rises and starts to pull away from the edges of mug and the center is almost firm, but still looks slightly shiny. Be sure to keep an eye on the cake as it cooks, as it might overflow if your mug isn't large enough.
- Let cool in microwave for 1 minute, then remove and top with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.
Notes
- Be sure that you have a mug large enough to hold the batter and cook in the microwave, as the batter will rise when cooking (and you don’t want it to overflow and make a mess). A 14 or 16 ounce mug is best if you want to mix everything in the mug.
- If your mug is smaller than 14 ounces, mix the ingredients in a small bowl and then pour into a 12 ounce mug (or larger) and cook.
- Be sure to check the cake when cooking. You don’t want the batter to overflow and you don’t want to overcook the cake, as that will result in a dry and crumbly texture.
- See my tips and tricks for making this chocolate lava mug cake above the recipe box.
Amazing recipe I make this almost every morning for breakfast. I’ve tries so many different recipes and this is the one. Totally recommend! <3
So happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing!
This was DELICIOUS!! I replaced the flour with rice flour and added a pinch of xanthan gum to make it gluten free! Thanks for this amazing recipe!
That’s a great idea! I’m so happy you enjoyed!
So good! I didn’t want to open a new gallon of milk so I just used water and it was still great! Thank you for this recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Al! Thanks for stopping by!
So easy and yummy! Lucky for me we have larger mugs because we want to not have to go refill too often, lol. I love making things with unsweetened cocoa so I can use stevia to replace real sugar. Been diabetic since I was a small child, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like sweets! Especially CHOCOLATE!!! I’m sharing this recipe with everybody I know! Thanks for sharing such a great treat! 🙂
I’m so happy you enjoyed this mug cake, Sage!
This is amazing! Not rubbery like others I have tried. Thank you and well done for creating this. Very impressive.
So glad to hear that, Jim!
I used measurements and found that the batter (and subsequently the cake) was rather dry. Not sure what happened. I did however add a dash of cinnamon to the batter and a pinch of red pepper to my dark chocolate pieces for the center to give this a Mexican chocolate flavor. That in deed was yummy but for the dryness.
I’m sorry to hear that! I’ve never had a problem with the cake being dry, as there is both milk and oil in this recipe. You may have measured incorrectly.
This is it. I’ve tried countless recipes, this one is perfect for what it’s suppose to be. I call it emergency cake. I also put a smore cluster from Costco in the center instead of chips. I use a bowl and it makes at least 2 portions.
I’m so happy to hear that, Von! Thanks for sharing!
This is my go too mug cake. Cooks perfectly every time. Sometimes I even throw in some chopped hazelnuts and fudge pieces.
I’m so happy to hear that, Jim! Hazelnuts and fudge sound like a delicious addition!