Easy Vanilla Mug Cake
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This classic easy Vanilla Mug Cake recipe is easy to make, full of vanilla flavor, and is great served warm with whipped cream or ice cream over the top.
It’s no secret, I love a good vanilla cake. It’s often my request as a birthday cake.
As a kid, I preferred Oreo mug cake, chocolate mug cake or Nutella mug cake but as I’ve gotten older I’ve grown more fond of plain vanilla.
You really can’t beat a moist cake with tons of vanilla flavor. I love to pair it with fresh fruit. And it’s even better when the cake is warm and served in a mug.
Have you ever had a mug cake before? Better yet, have you ever made a mug cake before?
It’s probably the easiest cake to make. One that you can produce in a matter of seconds as soon as you get a craving for something sweet.
I think you’re really going to love this vanilla cake in a mug!
Ingredients
As with any basic vanilla cake recipe, the ingredient list is simple. To make this single serving Easy Vanilla Mug Cake recipe, you will need:
For the ingredient measurements and the entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
- Butter: Will add a rich buttery flavor to the cake
- All-purpose flour: I’ve only tested this recipe using this flour. It may work with cake flour also, but I’m not sure.
- Salt: To mellow the sweetness and tie the other ingredients together.
- Eggs: To provide leavening, color, and flavor.
- Sugar: Add a touch of sweetness because this is dessert!
- Milk: I used whole milk but you may be able to replace it with a dairy-free alternative.
- Baking powder: Helps the batter bake up into a fluffy little mug cake.
- Vanilla: Use a high-quality pure vanilla extract to get the best flavor. A vanilla paste will also work!
Step by Step Directions
I promise this will be the easiest cake you’ve ever made. There are just a couple steps to sweet yellow mug cake heaven…
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the bottom of the blog post to the recipe card.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
- Combine the two and whisk until smooth.
- Pour batter into a 10-ounce microwave-safe mug.
- Microwave on high power for 90 seconds then let the cake sit for 2 minutes before serving.
Tips For Success
- This mug cake recipe is great on its own but to make it the best mug cake, top it with vanilla ice cream, chocolate chips, homemade whipped cream, raspberry frosting, coconut frosting, or chocolate frosting.
FAQ
My recipe requires eggs! This cake will not work without the eggs. I’m sure you can find an eggless recipe by doing a Google search.
Easy Vanilla Mug Cake
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (43 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- homemade whipped cream
- fresh berries
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
- In a 2 cup measuring cup, whisk the sugar, butter, milk, egg, and vanilla together until well combined.
- Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth.
- Divide batter into two 10-ounce coffee mugs.
- Microwave, one at a time, on high for 90 seconds. (Every microwave is different. If the cake hasn’t set, microwave in 10-second intervals until cooked through.) Let the cakes stand for 2 minutes.
- Top with whipped cream and berries or other desired topping. Enjoy!
Notes
- Because this cake is “baked” in the microwave, you’re not going to get exactly the same results as a cake baked in the oven. This mug cake is slightly spongy.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.
Best mug cake ever, even if I must say I made a few changes : 2 tablespoons of coffee cream instead of milk ; 2 tablespoons of salted butter instead of unsalted; a bit less sugar. I think the whole egg is the secret weapon of this recipe ! Mes félicitations, this recipe is a keeper !
I’m thrilled to hear you loved the recipe! Coffee creamer sounds like such a great idea!!
I made your cake once again last night, and added a bit of lemon rind to the batter and I served the cake with homemade « sucre à la crème » (a kind of québécois fudge made with brown sugar), it was delicious !
It was very easy to make. It was spongey like the recipe says but it tasted a lot like eggs. It baked in the microwave easily. Overall, it was easy to make but very eggy.
Love this recipe super ? cool
can i bake it in the oven instead
I suppose you could but could be challenging to not overbake such a small quantity. I suggest making my vanilla cupcakes instead. Once they’ve cooled, you can freeze them for when a craving hits.
The texture was light and spongey, but it smelled and tasted very strongly of egg.