This chocolate chip mug cake bakes up fluffy and warm in the microwave. It has all the decadence you want from a dessert in a single serving! With just a few ingredients, this mug cake whips up in mere minutes and will totally satisfy your chocolatey dessert cravings!
A delectably warm and fluffy chocolate chip mug cake you won't have to share!
Life is busy, and sometimes you just want a little something sweet to enjoy without having to go all out. That's where mug cakes come in. They've become really popular over the last few years, and it's no surprise why.
This chocolate chip mug cake will provide all the rich, decadent flavor you want from a cake without having to make a huge mess in your kitchen. It's great for those busy days where you just want to kick your feet up and spoil yourself without any hassle.
I also love that with a mug cake I don't have to worry about portion control and can eat the whole thing! If the kiddos want one too, it's easy enough to double the recipe and give everyone their own personal cake in a mug.
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We really love whipping a few of these up for sleepovers or movie nights where we can all sit on the couch and hang out together while enjoying our mug cake!
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
It's quick! This mug cake takes only takes 4 minutes to make, prep time included!
It's customizable! Toss in some nuts for added crunch, top it with whipped cream, or try different flavors of chocolate chips; whatever you're craving, you can have it!
It's convenient! No slicing necessary, and the ease of carrying a coffee mug means you can eat your cake wherever you want!
🥘 Ingredients
For this recipe, all you need is a few everyday baking ingredients you probably keep stocked in your pantry. Grab a mug, a whisk, and a bowl then you're ready to go!
- ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour - Any brand of all-purpose flour will do. If you have self-rising flour you can use that too, just leave out the baking powder and salt!
- 2 tablespoons Light Brown Sugar - A good habit to make when baking with brown sugar is to pack it down when measuring to press out any air pockets so you get an accurate measurement.
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder - Because this cake has no eggs, baking powder is necessary.
- 1 pinch Salt - Just a tiny bit to help balance flavors.
- 3 tablespoons Milk - Whole milk will add the most moisture because it has the most fat, but you can use whatever milk you keep in the fridge.
- 3 tablespoons Butter - Pop your butter in the microwave for 30-45 seconds because it needs to be melted for this recipe. I like using salted butter for my mug cakes because it adds the most flavor, but unsalted is fine too.
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract - For the best flavor, use 100% vanilla extract. Alternatively, if you have vanilla paste or a little bit of scraped vanilla bean you can use that.
- 2 tablespoons Chocolate Chips - I prefer to use the milk chocolate or semi-sweet mini morsels, but you can use whatever kind you like.
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*
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🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
My chocolate chip mug cake is made in just three super easy steps. This recipe is for a single mug cake, but you can easily double it to suit your needs. If you're making more than one, microwave them individually so they cook evenly!
- Mix dry ingredients. In a bowl, whisk together ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, and a pinch of salt until well-integrated.
- Add wet ingredients. Stir in the 3 tablespoons milk, 3 tablespoons melted butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until nice and smooth. (Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to moisten all the flour.) Then, fold in your 2 tablespoons chocolate chips.
- Cook and enjoy! Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes. Then, continue microwaving in 30 second increments until your cake is fluffy and bounces back to the touch. (See Tips & Recipe Notes) Allow your mug cake to cool in the microwave for 1 minute before serving.
If you want to dress up your mug cake try topping it with a dollop of whipped cream, drizzling it with a little strawberry coulis, or plopping a scoop of ice cream on top. You could even try out some different flavored chocolate chips! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- Check that your cake is done by using a toothpick! If you are unsure if your mug cake is baked through, stick a toothpick in the center. If it comes out with batter on it, microwave it a bit more. Check between each increment in the microwave until it comes out dry.
- If you don't have a microwave, you can use an oven-safe ramekin and bake it in the oven at 350℉ (175℃) for 12-15 minutes. Cakes baked in the oven tend to be denser, but still delicious!
- In place of the brown sugar, you could use granulated sugar or a sugar substitute like erythritol but it may alter the flavor a bit.
🥡 Storing
Mug cakes do just fine being stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours, but be sure to wrap them tightly with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
If you want to eat your cake chilled you can refrigerate it, but it isn't necessary.
If you really want to make a mug cake to have for later, they can be frozen. Again, wrap the mug cake tightly with plastic wrap then place it in a freezer bag and date it. You should eat your mug cake within 3-4 months.
Thaw your mug cake by placing it in the fridge overnight. If you don't have time to wait, you can leave it on the counter to thaw so long as you plan to eat it within a few hours.
Reheating Your Mug Cake
You can reheat your mug cake in the microwave in 10-15 second increments. Be careful, it will continue to cook so take it out just as soon as it gets warm or it will become rubbery.
They also taste delicious cold if you want to eat them that way!
😋More Easy Mug Cake Recipes!
- Chocolate Protein Powder Mug Cake
- Oreo Mug Cake
- Peanut Butter Mug Cake
- Vanilla Mug Cake
- Nutella Mug Cake
- Coffee Cake Mug Cake
Be sure to see our ever-growing collection of mug cake recipes here, which includes all the best tips for perfect mug cake dessert every time!
❓ FAQ
You can! To make a vegan mug cake just substitute your favorite vegan butter in place of the salted butter and the milk for a nut or oat milk. To make it gluten-free, simply substitute the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free 1:1 flour that includes xanthan gum for texture!
(*Substitutions may cause slight differences in flavor and/or texture in the mug cakes.)
I have a few tips that will help you make a perfectly fluffy mug cake. First, be sure not to over-mix the batter because that can make your cake tough. You want to mix it just until all the flour is incorporated. Be sure to check between every interval when you are microwaving. The cake is ready when the top is shiny and slightly sticky to the touch. (This is also where you can use the toothpick trick mentioned above.) Your mug cake should give slightly when you touch it with your finger, almost bouncy. If it has no give, it is overcooked.
Despite the fact they are both leavening agents, baking soda and baking powder are not interchangeable. Baking soda needs acid to trigger the leavening and there is not enough acid in this recipe for it to work.
📋 Recipe
Chocolate Chip Mug Cake
Ingredients
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 tablespoon milk
- 3 tablespoon butter (melted)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon chocolate chips (milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate morsels, mini chips are best)
Instructions
- Whisk together your dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, and salt) either directly in your mug, or in a small bowl.¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoon light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, 1 pinch salt
- Stir in the liquid ingredients (milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract) and mix until smooth, then fold in the chocolate chips. Transfer the batter into a mug if needed.3 tablespoon milk, 3 tablespoon butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoon chocolate chips
- Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes. Continue heating in 30 second increments if needed until the cake is puffy, set, and springs back to the touch.
- Allow your cooked microwave mug cake to sit in the microwave for 1 minute before serving.
Notes
- 1 pinch of salt = 1/16th of a teaspoon
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Erin says
The best mug cake that I have tried!
Derek says
put 1/2 tablespoons of vanilla extract at first and it exploded in my microwave but when i did it again it was very good and would recommend.
Joey V. says
Certified Mug Moment
Pipsqueak says
So delicious!! I used 2 Tbsp butter instead of 3 because I read other comments saying it’s better that way and it came out great! Absolutely delightful, added a little pop of joy to my day.
Georgia says
This recipe is amazing! I've already made this twice in 2 days, it really hits the spot when you're craving something sweet but don't have a bunch of people to bake for. The only tweak I would make is to decrease the butter slightly like others commented, I went down to around 2 tbsp butter and the texture was lighter and fluffier. Otherwise it's perfect, it's just the right amount of sweet to me.
Claire says
It was great! It was a little too sweet for my liking though, but maybe that was because I included too many chocolate chips. I also think that 3 tbsp of butter was too much. It was super moist. When I put it in the microwave and took it out it was bubbling and a little under done. I microwaved it for 30 more seconds but it didn’t change the consistency at all. It bubbled even more! I loved the mug cake aside from this. It’s one of the best mug cakes I’ve had! 8/10 would recommend.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Thanks Claire! Because we're working with such small single serve ingredient amounts, just the tiniest bit of additional flour can make a difference. I hope you make this mug cake again, with a touch more flour to offset the moisture in the future. 🙂
Ilaf says
Dit is het beste dat ik oooooooit gegeten heb (This is the best I've ever eaten)
Ashley says
This was so delicious! I cut the butter from 3 tbsp to 1.5 tbsp and it was still super moist and fluffy. Will definitely be making this again!
M says
Hello! I made this and it was so good but it barely filled up the mug? Did I do something wrong? I added dark brown sugar instead or f light and my baking powder was expired so maybe that? Lmk if u have any tips! Thanks
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Alot of mugs are much larger than 10-12 ounces, so it may simply have been that. The baking powder may or may not have been the issue. You can check by pouring about 1/4 cup of boiling water over a 1/2 teaspoon of your expired baking powder. If it still bubbles when the boiling water is poured over it, then it's good. 🙂
Lacey says
Holy smokes this was so good!! I was craving a sweet treat but not enough to justify making a huge batch of cookies. Thank you!!
Patricia says
I made the mistake of using a 16 oz mug which I've used for other mug cake recipes, but this one did not fill it up, either. I do not think it was your ingredients. Next time I will make it in a smaller, narrower mug. The taste, however, was really good. Ii actually like this one much better than the chocolate mug cake recipes.
Meredith says
Great mug cake, have made tgis several times now... with no end in sight 🤪
Shania says
This was the perfect snack before bed, it was quick and delicious. Only thing different I did was only adding 2 tablespoons of butter.
Clara says
Hey there, I tried this recipe tonight for me and my husband with our late night sweet tooth’s lol and this came out perfect!! I used m&m’s for my chocolate and microwaved ours for 2 mins each and came out perfect!! Thank you for your recipes🤗
Az says
THIS IS AMAZING! I’ve made so many mug cakes that failed in high altitude (Colorado) but this is perfect! Super yummy and I added some unsweetened cocoa inside. I also added some caramel and sea salt on top. YUM!
Quita Madden says
Hi what does it taste like with the sea salt on top? Because I’m planning to make this for my brother and I tonight. 😀
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I personally like sweet and savory together. I think it accents the chocolate. I have found that most (not all) people like this combo!
Andrea S says
Tried my hand at my first mug cake last night, and this was the perfect one to make! Thanks so much for my new late night cake fix.
Michelle Tomei says
This recipe is delicious and so simple, I didn't have any chocolate chips and didn't realize until after I already combined all ingredients so I went with out, It was basically a butter cake and I put butter pecan Ice cream on top, it was so delicious!
anjna says
this was amazing we were having second thoughts but when we tried it we wanted more
Anonymous says
This. Was. Awesome. That is all
E says
Wow🤩
Sweettooth says
Love this!! Added walnuts to mine but it turned out more amazing then I thought it would especially since it’s my first time trying to make one. Thank you thank you!
Pamela Walton says
I really needed a single serve dessert and this mug cake did it!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
It really does hit the spot in a hurry! So glad you enjoyed the chocolate chip mug cake!
Dan says
Seriously so good! I cook as a job and do a lot of more advanced baking but this seriously tops a lot of that fancy stuff lol. Especially when it’s just me at home at night and I want a quick sweet treat. Thanks for sharing!
Kaylee says
Thank you so much for this recipe! It's the best mug cake I've ever had that hasn't been from the store. It really is light and fluffy! It's really great for a quick craving! Just make sure not to overcook it. If anyone is debating on trying it, do it! If you're using big chocolate chips, mix some in with the batter, put some on top right before putting in the microwave, and put the last of the chocolate chips on after it's done so the chocolate doesn't all go to the bottom after being mixed in.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Thank you for your helpful tips too Kaylee! These are great!
Andy says
Great recipe! So many other recipes on the internet don't include the portions, so I made a big mess because I added way too much milk! I didn't have baking powder or sugar, so I didn't use baking powder and used hot cocoa mix for the sugar. The cake turned out great! Thank you!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
What a great substitution! Glad you enjoyed the mug cake!!
Jasmine says
Super easy and so yummy! I was craving chocolate chip cookies or cake, but it was super late. Googled and found your recipe and had cake in five minutes! Craving = satisfied. I blew it and used baking soda instead of baking powder (didn’t read carefully enough 🤦🏼♀️), and it still turned out delicious! It was still pretty fluffy with a muffin-y texture even with my mistake. I used big chocolate chips so they all ended up at the bottom - but still delicious! I definitely recommend. Good call on the pinch of salt and salted butter. So many baking recipes leave the salt out and the result is always flat. You gotta have salt! It’s the flavor maker.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I'm glad the mug cake helped out with a late night craving. 🙂 Thanks for coming back to share your results! (and yes, salt is the spice of life!)
Kizzy C says
This recipe is amazing!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Thank you Kizzy! Glad you like my chocolate chip mug cake!
Unknown_Baker says
I was super excited to try this mug cake! I made it and had very high hopes, as I was in the mood for something sweet. I would have rated it a 5 star, but while I was eating it, I was not satisfied. Areas where there wasn't enough chocolate tasted like a corn muffin. Otherwise, delicious! I recommend more chocolate chips!
Lily says
Surprisingly delicious. I made it with 2 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp of dark brown sugar and it was yummy. Very light but appropriately decadent. It’s terrible that I have this delicious recipe in my arsenal now.
Anonymous says
It was so good. My whole entire family loved it. Thank you so much!!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Awesome! I love hearing that this easy mug cake has been a hit!
Jordyn says
I bake chocolate chip cookies all the time, but usually in large batches that take a lot of time to make, so I was very excited to try this recipe out! My first attempt was very dry and rubbery, but I think that's because I overcooked it. I'm trying it again with slightly less flour, but I'm determined to get it right! Thanks for sharing ^^
Sb says
Turned out very good!
I was making a few different types of mug cakes, and didn't read closely enough that this was supposed to use baking powder instead of baking soda like the other 3 recipes did - it doesn't seem to have affected the outcome negatively at all! I'm interested in what the difference in consistency would be between the two.
I used 1/4 cup chocolate chips and pushed some extra on to the top after it was finished cooking which lead to a really good amount of chocolate in each bite.
Carla T says
This is the best mug cake EVER!!! Wow, really impressed I've tried quite a few recipes and this one takes the cake 🙂
Dominique says
Perfect late night cake craving.
Anonymous says
love it so much but didnt rise as much as i thought it would and i dont know why
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
As long as the texture turned out OK, I wouldn't worry about how much your mug cake rose while heating. I have some that will threaten to overflow based on the mug size and shape, but the same recipe may heat just fine in a 14 ounce mug. Was the texture off or too dense?
micky mouse says
this stuff is awsome my sister is about to marry it
Lexi says
I love this recipe. Usually my mug cakes come out like plastic, but this one was moist and delicious. I also added nutmeg and cinnamon and it tasted AMAZING. Thank you for this recipe. I'll be making this all the time.
Dorothy says
This was great! I made it with only 1 Tbsp brown sugar and 1 Tbps choco chips and subbed half of the butter with apple sauce to make it slightly "healthier." I put all the dry ingredients into small tupperwares and put them aside in the pantry so the kids can make their own muffins in the morning for breakfast! Thank you!
Anonymous says
Is the butter amount on this recipe correct? I made this tonight and while the cake itself is tasty, it was definitely not cake like texture. It was a soggy/saturated cake. I microwaved well over 4 minutes (1.5 minutes, then 3 30-second intervals) and it didn’t firm up at all. The only thing I can think of is that there’s way too much butter in the recipe.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
It is correct, I would double-check the measurements. Because it's such a small batch being a bit heavy-handed on the liquids, or just shy on the flour can affect the consistency.
Anonymous says
I had the same issue. The first time I made this it didn’t turn into a cake at all, it was like half-baked cookie dough with liquid butter oozing out of it. Tonight was my third try and it came out MUCH better, here’s what I did:
Less butter (obviously). I did closer to 2 tablespoons.
More flour. I did the recommended 1/4 cup plus about 1 1/2 teaspoons.
More baking powder. I did *just* over 1/4tsp. I shook the excess off the measuring spoon but didn’t scrape it flat like normal.
This came out much more like a cake. Better texture, not wet and soggy. This could be down to differences in altitude, temperature, humidity, microwaves, etc., but even on my first read of the recipe I thought 3 tablespoons seemed like way too much. Should’ve trusted myself lol.
ella says
i may have done something wrong but idk what. it tasted sour and burned my tongue as if i was eating soap. i followed everything correctly and nothing i used was rotten. plz help
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
That burning tongue sensation would be related to using too much baking soda (most likely), however, this recipe uses baking powder which is much weaker than than baking soda. It's the only thing I can think of, that perhaps you switched the two accidentally?
Nancy says
Hi. Love the mug cake. Best I’ve had so far. My question is, recipe shows it’s I’ve 600 calories. Is that correct?
Brianna says
Best mug cake I’ve ever had! I’ve made it a couple times so far and always turns out great. 90 seconds is perfect in my microwave.
Evelynn says
Angela thank you!! I have tried so many cookie mug recipes, they were terrible, this however, is perfectly moist, not too sweet, great texture/flavour! I was skeptical at first, however not dissapointed! Added milk and lil crème after cooking 😖💕
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I am so happy to read that you have enjoyed this mug cake recipe! I really do think it's one of the best! Thank you for sharing your results. 😊
Paula says
Thank you Angela! Totally delish😋 I shared your recipe with family and friends🥰
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Awesome to hear! Thank you very much!!
Tanya says
Your mug cake recipes are a fun and easy dessert option when you have a sweet tooth craving. I made your chocolate chip mug cake here first and have tried the vanilla and chocolate as well now. Yummy!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Awesome! So nice to hear that you've enjoyed them all!!
Anonymous says
i tried to make this and it exploded in my microwave 😀 so that was fun, tastes good though so uh
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I've learned to cook the microwave desserts with a paper towel under them and to watch as they cook. Sometimes that top rises and threatens to overflow, and I think this can happen based on coffee mug size and shape, as well as your microwave's wattage. Watch and pause the cooking, check the top of the cake, and cook in short bursts (15-20 seconds) until the top of the cake is spongy and springs back to the touch. Keep trying, the results are worth it! 🙂
Sandy R. says
This is an incredibly easy mug cake to make in a flash! It was perfect for my chocolate cravings 🙂
Izzy D. says
Made this for me and my mom. Was so good I hardly had to do the dishes!