Chocolate Lava Mug Cake

This Chocolate Lava Mug Cake comes together in just minutes in the microwave. This single-serve moist chocolate cake with a molten lava center is perfect when you need a warm, gooey dessert - and you need it fast. Made with pantry and kitchen staples and ready in 5 minutes!

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Resting time2

Total Time25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: -2 servings (sharable!)

Calories: 914kcal

Author: Briana

Equipment

large microwave safe mug or ramekin (ours is a 14 ounce size)

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter (can sub neutral oil)
3 tablespoons dutch processed cocoa powder 15g (can sub regular natural cocoa powder)
1 large egg room temperature
3 tablespoons milk room temperature (can sub water, cream, or coffee)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons light brown sugar 22.5g (can sub regular white sugar)
3 tablespoons all purpose flour 22.5g
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1.5 ounces chocolate bar or chips (opt for dark, bittersweet, or semi-sweet!)

Instructions

Grease a large ramekin (ours was 14 ounces) or microwave-safe mug with baking spray or butter.
Put 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large mug. Melt in the microwave for about 20 seconds until completely melted, then stir in 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder with a rubber spatula until smooth. Set aside to cool. In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg.
Once the butter and cocoa powder mixture is cooled off, add in whisked egg, milk, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stir until you get a nice, smooth batter.
Add in 3 tablespoons of flour, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¾ teaspoon of baking powder. Stir until the batter is combined completely, but don't mix it too much, just until it's combined. Add the chocolate squares to the top.
Pop it into the microwave at full power for about 50 seconds to 1 minute and 20 seconds. This can vary a lot depending on the wattage power of your microwave, so just keep a close eye on it. Start with 50 seconds, then check the cake. Microwave in 5 to 10-second increments until set. The top should still be a little sticky, but fully set. It may rise out of the mug a little bit, but will deflate as it cools.
Dig in an enjoy right away while the cake is warm and the center is melty. Serve with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, fresh berries, whipped cream, or whatever you like. Enjoy!

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Notes

This recipe makes one very large mug cake! It's perfect for sharing, or for anyone with quite the appetite for chocolate. It can also be divided between two mugs or ramekins to make smaller servings.
Don't overcook the mug cake! Cook until the top of the cake is just a little sticky. Microwaves can overcook things quickly, so keep a very close eye on the mug cake after the 50-second mark. The cooking time may vary depending on the wattage of your microwave.
Don’t overfill the mug. Fill the mug ¾ of the way only, leaving space for it to rise without overflowing.
Use a microwave-safe mug. Always check if the mug you are planning to use is microwave-safe. Avoid mugs that have gold or silver rims as they may melt or create sparks.
No overmixing. While it's important to mix the ingredients well, avoid overmixing the batter, as this can result in a denser cake.
Make sure your melted butter isn't too hot when you add the other ingredients. Otherwise, you may accidentally scramble the egg.
Use room temperature ingredients if possible. The milk and egg should be at room temperature and not too cold, or the batter may seize up and not combine properly.
Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder if possible. This has the richest chocolate flavor. This is because the chocolate has been alkalized to reduce the acidity, leaving you with a rich chocolate flavor.
Use butter over oil if possible. This will add a rich flavor that is hard to match. Oil will work too, and if you need to use oil instead, use coconut oil, avocado oil, or a neutral oil of your choice.
Use milk instead of water if possible. For the same reason as above, milk will provide a richer result! Water can be used, but milk just adds so much lovely flavor.
Make sure your baking powder is fresh. For the mug cake to rise properly, the baking powder needs to be fresh. To test if your baking powder is fresh, combine a teaspoon of baking powder with one teaspoon of hot water. If it bubbles up a lot, it's good to go. If not, it needs to be replaced!

Nutrition