Best Ever Chocolate Coffee Mug Cake

Make this decadent chocolate mug cake with a hint of coffee flavor!
3 minutes

Mug cakes are my go-to cure for a sweet tooth, mostly when I'm short on time or ingredients. They're easy, quick, and involve a small number of ingredients and tools. There's no need to make a big cake you'll eat too much of over the next week.

For people who live alone, mug cakes are easy and avoid food waste. For a family, each person can make their own mug cake, try different flavors, and use different ingredients. They're incredibly versatile. Cakes, cookies, and brownies can all be made into mug cakes. I've made every kind of mug cake that I could dream up: snickerdoodle cookie mug cake, raspberry, and white chocolate mug cake, banana bread mug cake, and funfetti mug cake, but my favorite mug cakes always involve chocolate.

This recipe is for my all-time favorite mug cake because of the richness provided by the addition of coffee and dark chocolate chips.

Kitchen tools
1 eaMugMug
1 eaHand mixerHand mixer
Ingredients
1/4 cupsugar
1/4 cupFlour, all purpose
2 tbspCocoa PowderCocoa Powder
1/4 tspBaking PowderBaking Powder
1 dashSalt
1 1/2 tbspmelted butter or oil
2 tbspbrewed coffee
1 tbspMilk of your choice
1/4 tspAlmond Extract
2 tbspDark Chocolate Chips
1 sprayCooking Spray

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Pam cooking Spray

This step is optional, but I highly recommend it. The cake does tend to stick because of the amount of sugar used. Just like greasing a cake pan, this step prevents the cake from sticking. It also makes for easy cleanup. The few times I have forgotten to grease my mug before cooking, I have ended up with some serious sticking and a lot more cleanup.

To Prep
  • Spray a small amount of your favorite cooking spray into the mug
  • Using a paper towel, soak up excess oil and spread the oil along the entirety of the inside of the mug

When combining the ingredients, make sure to measure carefully. Even though this cake is being cooked in the microwave, it still requires the scientific approach of baking. Making sure to have the right amounts of baking powder, wet ingredients, dry ingredients, and not overdoing it with the number of additional ingredients, is crucial to getting a cake-like texture.

Combine

  • Add all dry ingredients to your mug and mix them
  • Before adding any wet ingredients, make sure you don't have any major lumps in the mixture
  • Add all wet ingredients to your mug and mix them until combined
  • Add additional ingredients and fold them in
Dry ingredients
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • dash salt
Wet ingredients
  • 1 1/2 tbsp oil or melted butter- I think butter adds more flavor, but canola or coconut oil can be used also
  • 2 to 3 tbsp coffee- only use strong coffee
  • 1 tbsp milk (optional)- 3 tbsp of wet ingredients is all that is needed. You can opt for 2 tbsp of coffee and 1 tbsp of milk, or 3 tbsp of milk.
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract- works well with chocolate and adds a more complex flavor than vanilla
Additional ingredients
  • 1 to 2 tbsp of dark chocolate chips

Here is where the magic happens! In just over a minute, you will have a silky, decadent chocolate mug cake that will rival all other mug cakes.

Note that cooking times may vary depending on your microwave. If the wattage of your microwave is 1200 like mine is. I recommend 70 to 80 seconds. If you are feeling unsure of the time, watch over it a bit. If your wattage is lower, increase the time. If the wattage is higher, reduce the time. Get to know your microwave to decide the best time for you!

Cook

  • Cook for 70 to 80 seconds.
  • While the mug cake is cooking, add frosting ingredients to a bowl and mix until smooth and silky (avoid overmixing).
  • Let the mug cake cool about a minute before adding frosting, and enjoy!
Frosting ingredients (optional)

This mug cake is delicious on its own, but if you want to amp it up a bit, this chocolate coffee frosting is silky and delicious.

  • 1/2 tbsp softened butter
  • 3 to 3 1/2 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1 to 2 tsp of cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp of vanilla
  • 1 tsp of coffee

To make the frosting, combine the ingredients and whisk with a hand mixer (I use my whisk attachment but you can use the standard attachments).

What is your all-time favorite mug cake? Tell us about it below!

Try this rich rocky road brownie in mug cake form!
3 minutes

Mug cakes are a great alternative to baking (not that I don't love baking).