Cake in a Mug: 7 Absolutely Adorable Recipes

Who says you need a crowd for a cake? It's a snap to make one of these incredibly satisfying, microwaveable mug cakes.

By Mima Sinclair, Reader's Digest

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Red Velvet Cake in a Mug

Tara Fisher

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium egg
1 teaspoon red food colouring
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons caster sugar
3 tablespoons self-raising flour
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon white wine vinegar

To decorate:

1 tablespoon soft butter
1 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese
3 tablespoons icing sugar
1/4 teaspoon red food colouring

Place the butter in a 350ml mug and microwave for 10–20 seconds until melted.

Add the egg, red food colouring, buttermilk and vanilla to the mug and beat with a fork until combined.

Add the sugar, flour, cocoa and salt and beat again until smooth. Stir in the white wine vinegar.

Cook in the microwave for 2 minutes at 600W, 1 minute 45 seconds at 800W or 1 minute 30 seconds at 1000W. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter, cream cheese and icing sugar together until smooth. Add the red food colouring one drop at a time, stirring after each addition until you achieve your desired shade of red, then spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a closed star nozzle. The effect you want from your icing is that of a beautiful valentine’s rose so start in the centre and, keeping steady pressure on the piping bag, move in a gradual spiral towards the outer edge, overlapping a little as you go. To finish, release pressure on the piping bag, press down slightly and then pull away.
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Vanilla Cones Cake in a Mug

Tara Fisher

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium egg
1 tablespoon semi-skimmed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons caster sugar
4 tablespoons self-raising flour
pinch of salt
4 small flat-bottomed wafer ice cream cones, optional

To decorate:

4 tablespoons softened butter
6 tablespoons icing sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coloured sprinkles
1 tablespoon strawberry sauce
2 chocolate flakes, halved

Place the butter in a mug and microwave for 10–20 seconds until melted.

Add the egg, milk and vanilla to the mug and beat together with a fork. Add the sugar, flour and salt and beat again until smooth.

Divide between the four ice cream cones and place on a small plate. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute 45 seconds at 600W, 1 minute 30 seconds at 800W or 1 minutes 15 seconds at 1000W. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla together until light and fluffy, then spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large open star nozzle.

Pipe the icing over the cooled sponge in a spiral pattern – it’s best to work from the outside edge, keeping a constant pressure on the icing bag as you work in towards the centre. To finish, release the pressure on the bag, then press down lightly and pull straight up.

Decorate with all the sauces and sprinkles you fancy.

If using a 350ml mug, cook in the microwave for 2 minutes 50 seconds at 600W, 2 minutes 30 seconds at 800W or 2 minutes 10 seconds at 1000W. Leave to cool.

To make the icing use half the butter, icing sugar and vanilla.
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Honey Cake in a Mug

Tara Fisher

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons runny honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons light muscavado sugar
4 tablespoons self-raising flour
pinch of salt

To decorate:

2 tablespoons softened butter
4 tablespoons icing sugar
pinch of ground cinnamon
30g yellow marzipan
black food dye
4 flaked almonds
cocktail stick
1 teaspoon honey

Place the butter in a 350ml mug and microwave for 10–20 seconds until melted.

Add the egg, honey and vanilla to the mug and beat with a fork until combined. Add the sugar, flour and salt and beat again until smooth.

Cook in the microwave for 1 minute 45 seconds at 600W, 1 minute 30 seconds at 800W or 1 minute 15 seconds at 1000W. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter, icing sugar and cinnamon together until light and fluffy, then spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle.

Divide the marzipan in two and, with your fingers, roll each piece into two bumble bee-sized oval shapes. Dipping either a skewer or a paintbrush into the black food dye, paint the marzipan with stripes and eyes to look like a bee, finishing with almond flakes for wings. Place one on a cocktail stick.

Once the cake is completely cooled, pipe the icing in a spiral pattern over the sponge. It’s best to work from the outside edge inward and to keep constant pressure on the icing bag. To finish, release the pressure on the bag, press down lightly and then pull straight up.

Garnish with the bees and drizzle with honey to serve.
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Carrot Cake in a Mug

Tara Fisher

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tablespoon 2% milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
4 tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons grated carrot
½ tablespoon pecans, roughly chopped
½ tablespoon raisins

To decorate:

2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1–2 edible sugar carrots

Place the oil, egg, milk, vanilla, and sugar in a 1½ cup mug and beat with a fork until well combined.

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon, and beat again until smooth, then fold in the carrot, pecans and raisins.

Cook in the microwave for 2 minutes 35 seconds at 600W, 2 minutes 15 minutes at 800W, or 1 minute 55 seconds at 1000W. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat together the cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, and lemon juice until light and fluffy.

Roughly spoon the frosting over the cooled cake. Sprinkle on the cinnamon and top with a sugar carrot or two.
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Mojito Cake in a Mug

Tara Fisher

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium egg
1 tablespoon white rum
4 tablespoons caster sugar
1 lime, zested
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons self-raising flour
pinch of salt

To decorate:

2 tablespoons softened butter
4 tablespoons icing sugar
1/4 teaspoon peppermint essence
drop of green food colouring
1 slice of lime
1 teaspoon caster sugar
3 mini white marshmallows
1 cocktail stick
1 fresh mint sprig

Place the butter in a 350ml mug or glass and microwave for 10–20 seconds until melted.

Add the egg, rum, sugar, lime zest and juice to the mug and beat with a fork until combined. Add the flour and salt and beat again until smooth.

Cook in the microwave for 1 minute then a further 1 minute 10 seconds at 600W, 1 minute at 800W or 50 seconds at 1000W.Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter, icing sugar and peppermint together until light and fluffy, then fold through the green colouring. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large closed star nozzle.

Pipe the icing over the cooled sponge in a spiral pattern – it’s best to work in from the outside edge, keeping constant pressure on the icing bag and working gradually toward the centre. To finish, release the pressure on the bag, then press down lightly and pull straight up.

Dip the lime slice in a little water and then roll the edge through the sugar. Thread the marshmallows onto the cocktail stick and skewer into the top of the cake. Finish with the sugared lime and a mint sprig.
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Banana Bread Cake in a Mug

Tara Fisher

1 medium ripe banana (approx 100g)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium egg
1 tablespoon semi-skimmed milk
4 tablespoons light muscovado sugar
4 tablespoons self-raising flour
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon pecans, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon sultanas

To decorate: 

2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 tablespoon icing sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a 350ml mug, mash ¾ of the banana (reserving the rest) with a fork and then beat in the oil, egg and milk until well combined.

Add the sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon and beat again until smooth. Fold through the pecans and sultanas.

Cook in the microwave for 3 minutes 20 seconds at 600W, 3 minutes at 800W or 2 minutes 40 seconds at 1000W. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. Place the cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl and beat with a fork or a whisk until light and fluffy. Slice the remaining ¼ banana.

Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a closed star nozzle. Pipe at a 45° angle, then top with slices of banana and a dusting of cinnamon. Serve immediately.
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Piña Colada Cake in a Mug

Tara Fisher

1/2 tablespoon desiccated coconut
1 medium egg, yolk and white separated
50g fresh pineapple, finely chopped, plus a slice for garnish
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon white rum
3 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 tablespoons self-raising flour
pinch of salt

To garnish:

2 tablespoons double cream
1/2 tablespoon icing sugar
1 tablespoon rum
1 small pineapple slice and 1 leaf
1 glacé cherry
½ tablespoon coconut flakes
1 cocktail umbrella

Tip the desiccated coconut onto a small plate and spread out to cover. Take a 350ml mug and dip the rim first into the egg white and then into the coconut. Try and stick as much coconut as you can to the edge of the mug.

Add the pineapple, butter, rum and caster sugar to the mug and microwave for 1 minute until hot and bubbling. Leave to cool slightly.

Add the remaining egg white, egg yolk, coconut milk and vanilla to the mug and beat with a fork until thoroughly combined. Add the flour and salt and beat again until smooth.

Cook in the microwave for 5 minutes 30 seconds at 600W, 4 minutes 30 seconds at 800W or 3 minutes 30 seconds at 1000W. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat together the cream, icing sugar and rum until light and fluffy, then spread over the sponge, swirling with the back of a spoon. Garnish with the pineapple slice, pineapple leaf, cherry and coconut, then add a big cocktail umbrella.

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