This tasty peanut butter mug cake whips up in just a couple of minutes and then bakes to tender, fluffy perfection in your microwave! In 5 minutes, you can have a single-serving dessert cake that satisfies any craving for homemade sweets!
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Quick Nutty Delight Mug Cake Sensation!
Top your mug cake off with ice cream, whipped cream, or toffee sauce, or stir in some chocolate chips, roasted peanuts, or caramel bits for an even more amazing dessert!
Sometimes, all you need is a single serving of something sweet! This mug cake has all the peanut buttery goodness of a professional bakery creation in a manageable size for just you!
No leftovers. No overeating. Just a rich, satisfying dessert in under 5 minutes. Mix, heat, and eat this perfectly portioned microwave cake.
If you’re not into chocolate, no problem. Just skip the chocolate chips. Try stirring in some roasted peanuts instead!
This recipe is just for you, so make it exactly the way you want!
❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
- It’s Fast! It only takes 5 minutes to mix your ingredients, cook, and let it cool!
- It’s Perfect For One. Sometimes, a whole cake is more than you need (or want to have sitting on the counter)! This way, you CAN have your cake and eat it too! 🙂
- It’s Adjustable! Add chocolate chips, peanuts, and vanilla extract, and you can even set a dollop of your favorite jam or jelly in the batter. Whatever you love mixing with peanut butter!
🥘 Ingredients
No surprises here! This easy microwave peanut butter mug cake just requires the staple baking supplies you may already have in your pantry.
- Oil – I like to use virgin coconut oil as an exotic addition. Refined coconut oil is nearly flavorless, so unrefined coconut oil is my cooking oil of choice here, but any vegetable oil will do.
- Peanut Butter – Chunky or smooth, natural or not. It doesn’t matter. You can also use other nut butters in this recipe!
- Sugar – Adds just the right amount of sweetness. You could also substitute honey or maple syrup.
- All-Purpose Flour – Your baking staple for bulking up your baked goods!
- Baking Powder – This adds the lift for an amazingly fluffy cake.
- Milk – Any dairy or non-dairy milk will do just fine.
- Vanilla Extract (optional) – I love the flavor this adds! It makes the peanut butter flavor 'pop' too!
- Chocolate Chips (optional) – For anyone as obsessed with chocolate as my husband and daughter are, this is a must-have.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 Instructions
Just mix it together and toss your mug cake in the microwave for a perfectly cooked treat every time. You can’t go wrong with this recipe!
Step 1: Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients
In a microwave-safe mug or small bowl, combine 1 ½ tablespoons of oil or melted butter with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter until smooth.
Add 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, and ½ teaspoon of baking powder.
Stir everything together until it's well mixed.
Step 2: Add Milk and Flavorings
Pour 3 tablespoons of milk into the mixture, along with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional) for added flavor.
For a chocolatey twist, fold in 1 tablespoon of your favorite chocolate chips, mini morsels work great for this size of cake.
Mix until the batter is smooth.
Step 3: Microwave the Cake
Place your mug in the microwave and cook on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
Check the cake for doneness; it should be set and spring back when touched.
If it's not quite done, continue microwaving in 10-15 second increments until fully cooked.
Step 4: Cooling Time
Allow the cake to cool and set for 1 minute in the microwave before removing.
This not only prevents burns but also lets the cake finish cooking through residual heat.
Resist the temptation to dive in immediately for the best texture and safety!
Step 5: Enjoy
Your peanut butter mug cake is ready to eat as-is, but to make this a showstopper, top with whipped cream and a cherry or sprinkle with peanuts.
To infuse with extra richness, heat a bit more peanut butter or caramel and pour it over the top. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Experiment with Mix-Ins: Enhance your mug cake by adding extra ingredients for flavor and texture. For a sweet surprise, consider sprinkling in some chopped peanuts for crunch or a few caramel bits.
- Cream Cheese for Cheesecake Flair: For a tangy twist, add a couple of chunks of cream cheese to your batter before microwaving, transforming your mug cake into a mini cheesecake delight.
- Watch the Cooking Time: Watch your mug cake as it cooks. Since it won't brown like oven-baked cakes, look for it to be set rather than soupy. It will continue to cook slightly once removed from the microwave, so if it's nearly done, it's ready.
- Avoid Overcooking: Mug cakes are quick and easy, but overcooking can lead to a rubbery texture. Stop cooking once the cake appears set and springs back to the touch. Let it rest for a minute to complete the cooking process with residual heat.
- Use the Right Leavening Agent: Stick to baking powder as specified in the recipe. Substituting baking soda without the correct acidic components can lead to an unsuccessful mug cake.
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
🥡 Storing & Reheating
If you have leftover cake, cover it tightly with plastic cling film or aluminum foil to maintain freshness. Store it in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the texture may deteriorate before the flavor, often becoming stale or mushy.
Reheating: If you do need to store and reheat a portion of your mug cake, place it in the microwave and warm it in short 10-15 second bursts. Continue until it reaches your desired temperature.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can find just about any flavor online. This is one of my favorites. You can also try my Vanilla Mug Cake. Just remember, look for a mug cake recipe. Cakes designed for the oven will turn out differently in the microwave.
The best way to reduce sugar is to replace it with an equal amount of applesauce, honey, or maple syrup. Applesauce adds a slight apple flavor, but it would go well with the peanut butter.
Personally, I would only reduce it to a measurement that is ‘just shy’ of what's called for in the recipe. Taste, and go from there in your next peanut butter mug cake!
While I love almond extract, and it’s great with chocolate, it doesn’t really blend with peanut butter. If you don’t have vanilla, don’t worry about it! The cake will still be amazing without it. Save the almond extract for a chocolate, apple, or marzipan mug cake.
Yes! Fats are often interchangeable in baking. In the case of butter and oil, just substitute one-to-one. You’ll use 1 ½ tablespoons of either butter or oil. The taste of butter is relatively neutral but can add a fantastic richness. Make sure to use unsalted, sweet cream butter for best results.
Note that oil typically keeps the cake moist longer, but in the case of this single-serving cake that you’re going to enjoy right now, it doesn’t really matter.
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📖 Recipe Card
Peanut Butter Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoon oil (I use coconut oil)
- 2 tablespoon peanut butter
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chocolate chips (optional)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe mug or small bowl, stir the 2 tablespoon peanut butter and 1 ½ tablespoon oil until smooth. Add the 2 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour, and ½ teaspoon baking powder, then stir until well combined.
- Stir in the 3 tablespoon milk and optional 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until the batter is smooth. Add optional 1 tablespoon chocolate chips if desired.
- Microwave on high for 1 minute 30 seconds or until the mug cake is set. The top may still be shiny, but should be springy to the touch. Heat in additional 10-15 second increments if needed.
- Leave in the microwave for 1-2 minutes to let the cake set and cool slightly before serving.
Cheryl says
I used chunky peanut butter and it turned out perfect!
Lynn says
Mine turned out great the only adjustment I think I would make to it next time is adding a pinch of salt. My husband liked it and I'm printing the recipe out so I can make it again
is says
mega lecker
habe etwas mehr milch benötigt
ein gedicht 😍
"super tasty - I needed a little more milk"
Ben says
This is really good and low sugar too!🙂🙂
Olivia says
This is so good, it’s perfect. It’s my go to when I’m craving something sweet but don’t want to cook and super easy to make. I don’t have a microwave so I actually bake it in the oven. If you want to use this recipe but don’t have a microwave, I put in the oven at 200 degrees C and bake for 25 minutes. It comes out perfect.
Claire says
The best “mug dessert” recipe I’ve tried
Regina says
Muito bom amo amendoim
"Very good I love peanuts"
Izzy says
I only had some PB2 Peanut Butter Powder so I was worried it wouldn't turn out well, I did end having to make an adjustment to the flour but mine came out so soft and moist I loved it!
First I mixed the peanut butter powder with water as instructed on the PB2 instructions, then proceeded to add the oil and other ingredients according to the mug cake recipe. I only used 1.5 tbsp of sugar instead of 2 tbsp because I'm a "not too sweet" person. When I finished mixing the batter according to this recipe it was so liquidy, like soup. So I eventually added a little more than 2 tbsp of additional flour (maybe 2 tbsp + 1 tsp) until I got to a more batter-like consistency. Also added butterscotch chips.
Overall I definitely liked this cake, it was still a little bit sweeter than I would like but I can always adjust the sugar again next time. I will definitely make this again.
Anonymous says
This was tasty! I accidentally used too much oil (misread on my part), but it was still good. The consistency is kind of spongy- not really cakey. That said, this is a mug cake- not a regular cake. People should expect a difference. I'd definitely make this again.
Marie says
Didn’t work at all. I cooked it for 5 minutes and it’s still liquid. How is that even possible
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Hi Marie, sounds like the fat balance was off and this mug cake needed more flour. What kind of peanut butter did you use?
Sharon says
Tried it for my husband and he likes it. I didn't have chocolate chips so I used the butterscotch chips I had. He was really happy with. Thank you for the recipe.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I'm a fan of butterscotch too, I'll have to try that next! Glad to hear that the mug cake was a hit!
Amanda says
This came out Really weird for me. I followed the recipe exactly, but it was not cakey at all. Very moist, way too much, like it needed more for to balance it out.
Taste was good, just weird consistency.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I'm glad you liked the taste of this mug cake, and I would always double-check the measurements on ingredients when you run into a consistency issue like this. Hope you give it another try to see what went awry!
Kathy says
This was so yummy. I used jam for the mix in. I just lightly swirled it through before baking. Very delicious.