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This 3 ingredient mug cake is the ultimate quick and easy chocolate fix. No flour needed, it’s super moist and fluffy.
Mug cakes are a life-saver for when you are craving something sweet right after dinner or on days when you are not at all in the baking mood.
Add this chocolate version to your favorites. It is the easiest chocolate treat you can make in less than 5 minutes including the preparation time.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Only 3 ingredients. This chocolate mug cake is made with three simple ingredients. And yet, it ends up rich and chocolatey with the perfect cakey texture.
- No flour and sugar. This mug cake is made without flour which makes it gluten-free. It doesn’t contain granulated sugar either, instead, relying on the chocolate chips for sweetness.
- No oven. While you can bake this mug cake in the oven too, this recipe features microwave instructions. Cooking this chocolate cake in the microwave is ten times quicker than baking it in the oven and the result is equally as good.
Make this 3-ingredient chocolate mug cake next time you are craving a dessert but don’t have time to make anything complicated and time-consuming.
Ingredients needed
Making a full-on chocolate dessert with just three ingredients feels exceptionally good. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it.
- Egg. The egg provides the fluffy texture of the cake and gives it structure. Use a room-temperature egg.
- Chocolate. Use dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips for this recipe for a rich chocolatey flavor.
- Butter. Unsalted.
- Confectioners sugar (optional). Sifting powdered sugar over this chocolate mug cake right after it’s done cooking makes it look good and adds a touch more sweetness.
How to make a 3 ingredient mug cake
The fact that this mug cake is made in the microwave makes this recipe so easy. Here’s how to make a chocolate cake in less than 10 minutes.
Step 1 – Melt the chocolate. Add the chocolate chips and butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 15-second intervals until the chocolate is fully melted. Don’t forget to mix the chocolate in between the microwaving sessions.
Step 2 – Beat the eggs. Use a hand mixer or a whisk to beat the egg until it’s frothy.
Step 3 – Combine and cook in the microwave. Gently fold the melted chocolate into the foamy eggs. Mix just enough to get both mixtures fully combined. Transfer the cake mixture to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on medium for 30 seconds. Microwave on high for an additional 45 seconds to up to a minute to get the cake fully set.
Dust the cake with powdered sugar and enjoy.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Beat the eggs until foamy. Many mug cake recipes tell you to just whisk the eggs with the melted chocolate. However, beating the eggs until foamy is always a better idea as it results in an airy and fluffy cake.
- Eat immediately. Unlike oven-baked cakes that need to be cooled before they are eaten, a mug cake like this one should be enjoyed immediately for the best texture and flavor.
- Consider the mug size. The cooking time of mug cakes may vary depending on the type of mug you are using. The cake will cook faster in shallow and wide mugs.
Variations
- Use milk chocolate. If you don’t have to keep this recipe dairy-free, feel free to use milk chocolate chips for a sweeter flavor.
- Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Unlike oven-baked cakes, adding chopped nuts to this mug cake is not the best idea as the microwave steams them and makes them softer. So, just sprinkle them on top once the cake is cooked.
- Add cinnamon. If you enjoy the combination of cinnamon and chocolate, add ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the melted chocolate mixture.
- Serve with a pinch of salt. Adding a pinch of flaky salt on the chocolate cake will enhance its flavor and take it to the next level.
Storage instructions
We highly recommend you eat this mug cake right after removing it from the microwave. This is when the chocolate mug cake has the most perfect texture and rich flavor.
But if for some reason you didn’t eat it immediately, allow the mug cake to cool, then cover it with cling wrap and refrigerate it for up to a day.
Reheat the mug cake in the microwave for 20 to 25 seconds before eating it.
More mug cake recipes to try
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can bake this mug cake in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and bake the cake until it’s fully set and a toothpick comes out clean. Make sure the mug you are using is oven-safe.
There are many ways to make this mug cake sweeter. You can use a sweeter chocolate variety, add some powdered sugar to the eggs while beating them, or top the mug cake with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.
Yes! I’ve tried this with a pre-formulated egg substitute (just egg) and also flax eggs and it has come out very well.
3 Ingredient Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup chocolate chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate and butter and melt in 15-second increments until melted.
- Add the egg to a bowl and whisk until frothy. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture.
- Microwave the cake batter for 60 seconds. Let it sit for one minute before enjoying.
Oven version
- Pour batter in an oven safe dish and bake for 10-12 minutes on 180 degrees celsius for 10-12 minutes, until desired consistency.
On behalf of all the volume eaters (me me me!) out there, who can’t stop at just one piece of delicious cake, I thank you! I’ve been wanting to develop a recipe for a chocolate mug cake and honestly didn’t even know where to start. Thankfully you did all the work for me, so I can enjoy this thing while binge watching Grace and Frankie on the ‘Flix. Bravo, Arman! I say bravo!
This comment deserves a post in itself. Thanks Julia. Let’s toast to the ‘flix now. (My room mate is watching Gilmore Girls….vom)
You know my thoughts. I only have positive things to say about you and your amazing recipes – even if I cannot eat more than 1/2, I still think they’re genius!
🙂 Thanks Gigi 🙂
I love zucchini, and I love chocolate, so this dessert is for me!
😀 Let’s call it the Joanne 😀
Ah the blender…. I am trying to decide what kitchen gadgets I need to buy here (we have one week left before moving from a hotel apartment to our rental house) and I think a blender will have to be one of them. I am hoping a blender will double up as a food processor…maybe! Others on my shopping list include a filter coffee machine and a slow cooker!
Loving the simplicity of your recipe! 🙂
YES! Trust me, if you get a good one, it can pass as a food processor too! 😀
Yum cocoa eggs! It’s probably a delicacy in some country. My favorite way to use zucchini is pan fried and dipped in some sort of creamy sauce. The most under appreciated kitchen appliance is the broiler. It’s amazing for melting cheese on top of things.
That sounds delicious!
My mom was just bragging about all the mug cakes she’s been making lately and now I’m seeing them everywhere online. You’d think something this easy is something I would’ve done by now, but I’ve still never made a mug cake!
Kitchen gadget? Ummm, how ’bout a corkscrew? Can you think of another kitchen item that can make people so happy?
You need to try it! In fact, I’ve got a whole week planned…just for you.
Of course you’d think a corkscrew :p
YUMM!!! Zucchini is the best in baked goods. It gives the best texture. And makes me feel good I am getting veggies. So then I can eat more cake 🙂
Definitely! Thanks Shannon 🙂
Another amazing microwavable treat from the Big Man!! This looks so tasty and I can’t wait to get home from school and make it 🙂 xoxo
Thanks so much, Whitney! 🙂
I was hoping for eggy pieces of cocoa, so I guess I’ll mash by hand while I whip my hair back and fourth. I loled at this post as I do with all of them. You’re a gem.
Sometimes a blender or food processor really makes the recipe! I’m currently drooling over everything I see in this post. I’ll take the fritters, frittata, and finish it off with your chocolate cake 🙂
Thanks so much, Michele! 🙂
Dear Arman, I cannot believe how soft and moist this cake looks. Admittedly, I do not own a microwave, but love the single size portions and how easy this recipe is, so I will be making the oven version. Have a wonderful day my friend, Catherine
Thanks Catherine! 🙂
Oh oh oh–I love zucchini noodles, hands down! But I’ve been getting bored with them, so I’ll have to try these recipes!
An underrated kitchen gadget is a pair of chopsticks! You can scramble eggs with them, eat anything with them, and stir with them!
That’s so true! Love chopsticks! My sister is so uncoordinated with them!
Yessss finally a recipe that I think I could use my Nutribullet for and not a food processor. I’m always looking for easy single-serving desserts considering I’m incapable of going to bed without dessert.
😀 you and me both. I’ve polished off many a Ben and Jerry’s 😀