2 Easy Ways to Bake Cake in the Microwave

Microwave cake is a quick, easy, and delicious alternative for home chefs who may not have the time or energy to whip up a cake from scratch. In this simple guide, we’ll walk you through the best ways to make a delicious vanilla mug cake, as well as a family-sized chocolate cake. For an extra delicious touch, we’ll even cover some creative cake-decorating ideas that will take your dessert to the next level.

Things You Should Know

Make a simple mug cake by microwaving brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, self-rising flour, butter/margarine, and chocolate chips in a mug for 50 seconds.
“Bake” a full cake in the microwave by heating margarine, sugar, self-rising flour, milk, eggs, and baking powder together for 3-4 minutes.
If your mug cake is too gooey, reheat it in 30-second increments. If your family-sized cake isn’t quite done, reheat it in 1-minute increments.

Ingredients

Mug Cake

1 egg
2 tbsp (25 g) of brown sugar
¹⁄₂ tsp (2.5 mL) of vanilla extract
3 tbsp (25 g) of self-rising flour
1 tbsp (15 g) of butter or margarine
2 tbsp (20 g) of chocolate chips (optional)

Serves 1 person

Whole Cake

3/4 cup (170 g) of margarine
3/4 cup (150 g) of sugar
2/3 cup (85 g) of self-rising flour
3 US tbsp (44 mL) of milk
3 medium eggs
1 tsp (5 g) of baking powder
1 tsp (4.9 mL) of vanilla extract
1/3 cup (35 g) of cocoa powder (optional)

Serves 4+ people

Section 1 of 3:

Mug Cake Recipe

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1
Combine the dry ingredients and vanilla extract. Dump 2 tbsp (25 g) of brown sugar into the mug. Then, add ¹⁄₂ tsp (2.5 mL) of vanilla extract followed by 3 tbsp (25 g) of self-rising flour.
- It’s okay to use regular flour if you don't have self-rising, but the cake will have a more brownie-like texture.
2
Add 1 egg and 1 tbsp (15 g) of butter or margarine. Crack an egg directly into the mug. Then, soften a stick of butter on the countertop and scoop a tablespoon into the mug—you can use salted or unsalted butter, as well as margarine.
- The great thing about mug cakes is that there is virtually no clean-up; just toss the shell in the compost or trash.
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Adding the chocolate chips will create a chocolate-flavored mug cake. If you prefer a vanilla cake, add a tiny bit more vanilla extract instead.
Use a spoon to stir up the contents of the mug until the chocolate chips are folded in or all the contents are combined. Don’t worry about the top edges of the mug getting messy—your cake will rise in the microwave, anyway.
5
Put the mug in the microwave for 50 seconds on full power. After 50 seconds, check to see if the cake is baked by sticking a toothpick straight down into the center. The toothpick should come out clean. If there is gooey cake residue on the toothpick, put the mug back in the microwave and cook it in 30-second increments until done.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Try not to overcook the cake. If you microwave it for too long, the cake will dry out. It shouldn't need to be cooked for any longer than 2 minutes.
- Don’t worry about the toothpick creating a hole in the cake. You won't be able to see that when you frost it later.
Microwaves often don’t distribute heat as evenly as ovens do. Let the cake sit on the counter for a couple of minutes after baking, allowing time for the heat to distribute throughout the mug.
7
Take a spoon and dig in. If you'd like, frost and decorate the cake first.
- Be careful when removing the mug from the microwave. Use a pot holder or a towel to lift it out, as it may be too hot to grab.
- Top your cake with a scoop of ice cream for an even sweeter treat.

Section 2 of 3:

Whole Cake Recipe

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1
Mix the cake batter. In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup (170 g) of softened butter or margarine with 3/4 cup (150 g) of sugar and 2/3 cup (85 g) of flour. Stir the ingredients together with a spoon or rubber spatula.
- It's okay to use regular flour if you don't have self-rising, but the cake will end up more like a brownie in texture.
2
Add in the milk, eggs, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Pour in 3 US tbsp (44 mL) of milk, along with 3 medium eggs. Then, add 1 tsp (5 g) of baking powder and 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of vanilla extract.
- Feel free to use whole, fat-free, 2%, or any type of milk that you prefer.
For a chocolate cake, add in 1/3 cup (35 g) of cocoa powder. For a vanilla cake, add 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of vanilla extract.
Stir everything well with a fork or use an electric mixer to mix for about 4-5 minutes (or until the batter is smooth). If you have a food processor, add all of the ingredients to the food processor for about 60 seconds instead.
5
Spoon the cake batter into a microwave-safe dish. This is important––never use a metal baking pan for microwave baking.
- A shallow dish will probably give you the best results.
6
Cook the cake in the microwave for 3-4 minutes on full power. The cake will bubble and puff in the microwave just as it would in the oven. When it just starts to set (it'll still be jiggly), it's done.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Check to see if the cake is baked by sticking a toothpick straight down into the center. The toothpick should come out clean. If there is gooey cake residue on the toothpick, put the cake back in the microwave and cook it in 1-minute increments until done.
- Take care not to overcook it. If you microwave the cake for too long, it will likely dry out.
Served warm, this cake is super moist and totally irresistible. Top with frosting and decorate if you'd like.

Section 3 of 3:

Cake Decoration Ideas

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1
Frosting Use store bought or make your own frosting. Try chocolate, vanilla, lemon, or any flavor that you like the most. Use a long rubber spatula or spoon to spread frosting over the surface of your cake.
- Cool the cake fully before trying to put on icing, or the icing will melt.
- Make sufficient frosting. It’s better to end up with leftover frosting than to run out before you are done decorating.
2
Fresh fruit Slice fresh strawberries thinly and place them on top of the cake—feel free to place them in a pattern or randomly. Then, brush over the fruit with some seedless jam.
- Substitute the strawberries for fresh mango, banana, or any softer fruit you desire.
- If you're using fresh fruit, add it at the last minute (especially if you’ve frosted the cake). If the fruit is wet, it could cause the frosting to move or melt slightly.^{[3]XResearch source}
Sprinkles are a fun way to make a colorful confetti cake. You can also add a pinch of sprinkles to your cake batter before baking.
Sprinkle a handful of mini marshmallows on top of the cake for a super sweet addition. Dust the marshmallows with a pinch of powdered sugar.
If you want a chocolate cake with some crunch, break your favorite candy bar into small pieces and drop some on top of the cake. You could also sprinkle chocolate chips instead.
6
Coconut shavings Coconut can be baked in a cake or used to decorate it too. It's a healthier version than sugar sprinkles or sweets and looks great on a cake. Cover the cake in a light frosting and then press coconut into it.
- Coconut is so light it can be added to many cakes, from lighter flavors like vanilla and lemon to richer cakes like chocolate and carrot cake.
7
Nuts You can cover the whole cake, top to bottom, or you can sprinkle some on top of the cake.
- If you're making a chocolate cake, sweet pecans be a good match.

Community Q&A

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Question
Is it important to add vanilla in the cake?
Community Answer
Not necessary but it gives the cake a nice smell and flavor.
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Can I use a glass bowl to bake the cake?
Community Answer
Yes, you can. Glass bowls and cups are the best alternative for microwave safe dishware.
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How long do I microwave a store-bought cake mix to make a cake in a mug?
Community Answer
Depending on the watts amount of your microwave, microwave for no longer than 1:30. It may be a good idea to stand and watch your cake and end the microwave when it is fully done. It is always better to cook less as you can always cook more but it's not possible to undo an overdone cake.
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Tips

Microwaves function by heating the water in any given food item, which allows it to cook.^{[4]XTrustworthy SourceUS Food and Drug AdministrationU.S. government agency responsible for promoting public healthGo to source} The golden-brown deliciousness of a cake (or any baked good), however, is created by the Maillard reaction, which occurs when a protein and sugar source are heated up and begin to brown.^{[5]XResearch source} With this in mind, a microwave won’t make the top of a cake golden-brown in the same way that an oven would. You can add a couple of spoonfuls of cocoa or freshly brewed coffee to give the cake a richer appearance, though.
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Before taking a finished cake out of the microwave, let it stand for a minute or two. This allows the heat to be distributed evenly around the cake.
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The total preparation, baking, and clean-up time shouldn’t take longer than 20 minutes. That means you'll have plenty of time to enjoy the delicious dessert you've prepared.
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Mug cakes are best when made with medium or large eggs. Extra-large and jumbo eggs may affect the proportions.
If you don't have self-rising flour, you could use regular flour and add a little baking powder to it.
Top the cake with chocolate syrup to give your cake a little extra flavor.

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