3 ingredient mug cake is a moist and fluffy 1 minute cake made in a mug. This three ingredient mug cake is especially delicious when topped with your favorite topping such as Nutella or peanut butter. Make this cozy cake in a cup for the perfect single serve breakfast, snack or dessert.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
Mug cakes are the easiest and best desserts ever. They’re versatile and endlessly adaptable based on your cravings and what you have in the pantry. My Peanut Butter Mug Cake, Banana Mug Cake, Oreo Mug Cake and Chocolate Tahini Mug Cake are some of my favorite microwave desserts. This 3 ingredient mug cake is another fun and easy single serve dessert I know you will love.
- It’s quick, easy and fun to make. This mug cake with three ingredients takes about 1 minute to mix up and 1 minutes to “bake” in the microwave. Top with your favorite toppings such as Nutella, Biscoff cookie butter or peanut butter, scoop and enjoy.
- Perfect for 1 or 2: This mug dessert makes one perfect single serving of warm, fluffy cake. Double the recipe for two cupcake sized desserts.
Ingredients
This 3 ingredient mug recipe is made from a handful of pantry basics. Here’s what you’ll need.
Gather Nutella, an egg and your preferred flour.
Substitutions
This microwave mug cake is meant to be quick and easy, but sometimes you may not have everything on hand. If you need them, here are my recommended substitutions for this recipe:
- Egg: This mug cake recipe has not been tested without an egg. The egg in an important part of this Nutella mug cake because there are only three ingredients.
- Nutella: Any sweet spread such as Biscoff cookie butter or granola butter works well. Creamy peanut butter, sunflower butter or other sweetened spread also works.
- Flour: Any flour works well in this three ingredient cake in a mug. I love using oat flour. Feel free to use almond flour to make this grain free or all purpose flour for a more cake like texture.
Variations
One thing I love most about this mug dessert recipe is customizing it to my own tastes. Here are some more ideas to make your own favorite three ingredient mug cake.
- Biscoff or Granola Butter Mug Cake: Mix 1 egg and 2 tablespoons flour (15 g) with ¼ cup Biscoff cookie butter or granola butter until well combined. Microwave for 60 seconds. Top with the same spread as the one used in the mug cake and enjoy.
- Peanut Butter Mug Cake: Unlike sweetened spreads, the peanut butter or other nut butters such as pistachio, cashew or sunflower butter need a little something sweet added to the cup cake. Swap 2 tablespoons flour for 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sweetener such as sugar or maple syrup.
- Cake Mix Mug Cake: Aka, a 3 -2-1 mug cake. If you have leftover or unused cake mix in your house, this is a super easy way to make a vanilla, chocolate or even funfetti cake mug cake. Mix 1 ½ tablespoons angel food cake mix with 1 ½ tablespoons cake mix of choice (3 total tablespoons between the two cake mixes) into 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water. Pour into a mug and microwave for 1 minute. Top with frosting and sprinkles if you like.
How To Make
Learn how to make 3 ingredient mug cake in two easy steps.
- Grab your favorite mug. It should hold at least 8 oz. (240 ml) of liquid. Whisk one egg in the mug until mostly smooth. Stir or whisk in the Nutella (or other spread or nut butter), followed by your choice of flour (or sweetener).
- Microwave the mug cake in the microwave for 60 - 90 seconds (1 - 1 ½ minutes). The mixture should puff up and resemble cake. If there is any liquid at the bottom or the cake seems underbaked, heat the mug cake in the microwave in additional 15 second increments until the cake is to your desired consistency. Top with more Nutella, scoop and enjoy!
How To Serve and Store
- Serve: I love topping this three ingredient dessert with the same spread I used in the base of the cake. I topped my Nutella mug cake with more Nutella. For a Biscoff cookie butter mug cake, I would top with more cookie butter. For a peanut butter mug cake, I would top with chocolate chips, chopped peanut butter cups or more peanut butter. Ice cream is always a great choice to top a mug cake.
- Store: This mug cake with three ingredients is designed to be single serve and to be eaten as soon as it is made. I do not recommend storing this mug cake as the texture changes over time. It tastes so much better right after it is made.
M’s Expert Tips
- Mix in the suggested order. I love an easy one cup dessert. Always mix the egg before the other ingredients. This ensures the egg is properly mixed. Then add the “wet” and dry.
- Mix the ingredients well. The mug cake batter should be similar to a chocolate cake and the final texture will be like a fluffy brownie or chocolate lava cake.
- Check the wattage on your microwave. If your microwave is below 1100, you may need to add 20 - 30 seconds after the initial 60 seconds. If your microwave is above 1100, you may need to start at 45 seconds and add 20 - 30 more seconds as needed.
- Top the mug cake with your favorite toppings. My favorite way to enjoy a mug cake is with more of the main spread or nut butter used in the cake, a scoop of ice cream, peanut butter cups or chocolate chips.
FAQs
You absolutely can. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Place the mugs or ramekins filled with the mig cake batter on a baking sheet. Bake the mug cakes for 10 - 15 minutes.
Mix up the cake batter according to the recipe directions. Divide the batter into mugs and microwave for 1 -3 minutes (depending on the size of the mug and how much cake batter is inside).
This can happen when a cake has been overcooked of if there is too much oil. If this happens, try starting at 30 - 45 seconds. Add 15 seconds more until the microwave mug cake is the right texture.
More Minimal Ingredient Recipes to Try
If you try this 3 Ingredient Mug Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking!
3 Ingredient Mug Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 8 oz. mug
- 1 mini whisk or fork
- 1 microwave
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup Nutella
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) flour of your choice
Instructions
- Grab your favorite mug. It should hold at least 8 oz. (240 ml) of liquid.
- Whisk one egg in the mug until mostly smooth. Stir or whisk in the Nutella (or other spread or nut butter), followed by your choice of flour.1 large egg, ¼ cup Nutella , 2 tablespoons (15 g) flour of your choice
- Microwave the mug cake in the microwave for 60 - 90 seconds (1 - 1 ½ minutes). The mixture should puff up and resemble cake.If there is any liquid at the bottom or the cake seems underbaked, heat the mug cake in the microwave in additional 15 second increments until the cake is to your desired consistency.
- Top with more Nutella, scoop and enjoy!
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