Pumpkin mug cake is a warm, deliciously soft and fluffy pumpkin cake that’s made in a mug. This pumpkin mug dessert takes 1 minute to mix together and another minute to cook in the microwave. Top this moist pumpkin spice cake in a cup with cold vanilla ice cream for the perfect single serve pumpkin 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 Hot Chocolate Mug Cake, Snickerdoodle Mug Cake, Vanilla Mug Cake, 3 Ingredient Mug Cake, Peanut Butter Mug Cake and Chocolate Chip Mug Cake are some of my favorite cozy mug cake recipes on the blog. This simple pumpkin cake in a mug is another fun and easy single serve dessert I know you will love.
- Uses up leftover pumpkin puree in a fun way. So many pumpkin recipes use almost an entire can of pumpkin puree. Rather than throw it away, use the last few tablespoons to make a wonderfully easy pumpkin dessert for one.
- It’s quick and easy to make with a few ingredients. This warm and fluffy pumpkin cake in a cup takes about 1 minute to mix up, using a handful of simple ingredients and 1 minutes to cook in the microwave.
- Perfect for 1 or 2: This mug cake with pumpkin makes one perfect single serving of warm and gooey brown sugar pumpkin cake. Top with cold vanilla ice cream for the best single serve fall dessert.
Ingredients
This pumpkin spice mug cake recipe is made from a handful of pantry basics. Here’s what you’ll need to make it.
Gather butter, milk, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder, and flour.
Substitutions
This pumpkin pie spice 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.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted “sweet cream” butter in almost all my baking recipes. This is the most common and widely available butter in the US. If needed, use salted butter or a diary free butter you like.
- Milk: The milk replaces the egg in this mug cake recipe to keep it egg free. Any type of milk will work well in this pumpkin in a cup cake. If you don’t have any milk on hand, substitute all the milk in the recipe for one large egg yolk.
- Brown Sugar: Maple sugar would be good refined sugar free substitute.
- Canned Pumpkin Puree: This mug cake pumpkin cake is the perfect recipe to use up leftover pumpkin puree. You can use the same amount of fresh pumpkin puree if you have some on hand. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
- Vanilla Extract: Adding a splash of vanilla extract really makes this microwave pumpkin pie mug cake shine.
- Pumpkin Spice: Use your preferred blend of cozy fall spices if you don’t have pumpkin spice. This mug cake recipe uses ½ teaspoon of ground spices.
- Salt: A pinch of salt enhanced the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Baking Powder: This leavener is recommended for this mug cake. Omit if needed. The texture of the cake will be denser and gooey verses lighter and fluffy.
- Flour: Any flour works well in this moist mug cake. I love using oat flour or all purpose flour. Feel free to use almond flour to make this grain free. If you choose to use almond flour, the overall texture will be more dense.
Variation
- Chocolate Pumpkin Mug Cake: To make the chocolate version of this brown sugar pumpkin cake in a mug simply substitute 1 tablespoon (12.5 g) flour for 1 tablespoon (5 g) cocoa powder. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mug Cake: Prepare the mug cake recipe as written. Before cooking the mug cake in the microwave, add 1 - 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips to the pumpkin cake. Add more chocolate chips as a topping.
How To Make
Learn how to make pumpkin mug cake in a few easy steps.
- Grab your favorite mug. It should hold at least 12 oz. (360 ml) of liquid. Place the butter in the mug. Microwave the butter until melted, about 30 seconds in the microwave.
- Stir or whisk in the milk followed by the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, salt and baking powder until smooth and well combined. Stir in the flour until smooth and well combined.
- Microwave the pumpkin cake in the microwave for 60 - 90 seconds (1 - 1 ½ minutes). The mixture should puff up and resemble fluffy 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. Allow the mug cake to cool for 2 - 3 minutes. Top the cooled pumpkin muffin mug cake with ice cream or whipped cream if you like and enjoy.
How To Serve and Store
- Serve: I love topping this easy pumpkin spice mug cake with a generous scoop of cold vanilla ice cream.
- Store: This mug cake recipe is designed to be single serve and to be eaten as soon as it is made. I do not recommend storing this pumpkin cake in a mug as the texture changes over time. Aka, it tastes so much better right after it is made.
M’s Expert Tips
- Mix in the suggested order. I love an easy one dish dessert. After trying a few different ways, I found whisking or mixing the wet ingredients first and then adding in the dry was the best and easiest way to make this gooey and moist pumpkin and spice filled mug cake.
- Mix the ingredients well. The pumpkin cake batter should be similar in texture or consistency to a regular cake batter before baking.
- Check the wattage on your microwave. If your microwave is below 1100, you may need to add 20 - 30 seconds. If your microwave is above 1100, you may need to start at 90 seconds and add 20 - 30 more seconds as needed.
- Top the mug cake with your favorite toppings. My favorite way to enjoy this mug cake is with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
FAQs
You absolutely can. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Place the mugs or ramekins filled with the pumpkin cake batter on a baking sheet. Bake the mug cakes for 10 - 15 minutes.
This can happen from overmixing or overcooking. Cook the pumpkin mug cake until the top is soft but no longer wet.
Most often this happens when the mug is overfilled. A good rule to follow is to only fill the mug halfway. For most mug cakes, such as this pumpkin mug cake, a 12 oz. (360 ml) capacity mug or microwave safe ramekin is large enough to bake the cake properly.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Try
- Mini Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Banana Muffins
- Pumpkin Donuts
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Recipe
If you try this Pumpkin 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!
Pumpkin Mug Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 10 - 12 oz. microwave safe mug
- 1 small whisk or fork
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) milk
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoons (30 g) all purpose flour
Instructions
- Grab your favorite mug. It should hold at least 12 oz. (360 ml) of liquid. Place the butter in the mug.
- Microwave the butter until melted, about 30 seconds in the microwave1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
- Stir or whisk in the milk followed by the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, salt and baking powder until smooth and well combined. Stir in the flour until smooth and well combined.3 tablespoons (45 ml) milk, 2 tablespoons (25 g) light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract , ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice, ¼ teaspoon salt , ½ teaspoon baking powder, 4 tablespoons (30 g) all purpose flour
- Microwave the pumpkin cake in the microwave for 60 - 90 seconds (1 - 1 ½ minutes). The mixture should puff up and resemble fluffy 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.
- Allow the mug cake to cool for 2 - 3 minutes. Top the cooled pumpkin mug cake with ice cream or whipped cream if you like and enjoy.
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