This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
A vanilla mug cake is the perfect fix when you are craving a simple cake but not necessarily the whole shebang of making a full cake. This single serving vanilla mug cake is just as easy to make as my chocolate mug cake; equally light and fluffy, and still has no eggs and fully customizable!
The Very Best Vanilla Mug Cake
If you have been hanging around the blog for a few years now, you’ll know that my original chocolate mug cake that started the whole mug cake trend has been a hit. I recognize, though, that not everyone is a fan of chocolate. If I’m being honest, that’s quite shocking to me but, I aim to please, so if you are a vanilla lover, here is the vanilla mug cake!
Over the years, several of people asked for one and honestly, it wasn’t a bad idea. It’s like having chocolate and vanilla ice cream flavors to choose from. Sometimes you’re wanting chocolate, some days you’re wanting vanilla. Same deal for mug cakes, right?
What is a mug cake?
I still seem to get this question a lot and a mug cake is literally as it sounds. A cake that is made in a mug! They are popular because they’re easy to make, egg-free, and a single-serving. When you are craving cake, you don’t have to whip out all your baking equipment, let alone bake an entire cake. A mug cake is a great alternative to nip that craving in the bud!
Vanilla Mug Cake Variations
Vanilla cake in a mug is the perfect base for your favorite add-ins. Here are some ideas:
- Sprinkles (I suggest using Jimmie sprinkles as the nonpareils will bleed color into your batter)
- Chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, you get the jist!
- Mix in some jam for a fruity surprise!
- Add in some leftover candy like chopped up Reese’s peanut butter cups or a Snickers bar.
- Crush up cookies like Nilla Wafers or Oreo cookies and mix them into the batter.
- Use a nut butter or substitute of choice. Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc.!
- Top it off with some whipped cream or ice cream!
Important Vanilla Mug Cake Tips
- Use a microwave-safe mug! This is so important. You don’t want anything shattering in the microwave. Additionally, make sure it holds at least 16 ounces.
- Place the mug on a paper towel just in case it bubbles or spills over. It would make clean up a lot easier.
- Microwave wattages vary thus cook time will vary. My microwave is 950 watts and I cooked mine on 100% power for 130 seconds. Knowing this information, it may help you better judge how long to cook yours for and at what power.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but I tested it with self-raising flour and it just came out spongey and not the texture I wanted. I like my cakes light, fluffy, and moist and with the self-raising flour, it just didn’t yield the results I wanted. There have been many people who have used self-raising flour in this recipe and didn’t notice a difference so if you’re up for the challenge, and knowing texture and taste may be off, I say go for it.
No, this was solely developed for the microwave. I have had readers who have baked this but I honestly do not recall how it turned out and/or what temperature or time.
Other Mug Cake Flavors
Very Vanilla Mug Cake
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (31 g) + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (59 ml) + 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.1/4 cup (31 g) + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt
- In a measuring cup, whisk together milk, vanilla bean paste, and vanilla extract.1/4 cup (59 ml) + 2 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients then pour the milk mixture into the center, followed by the melted butter.2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Whisk until no lumps remain and batter is smooth and well combined.
- Pour into a 16-ounce microwave-safe mug.
- Microwave on high for 130 seconds or 2 minutes and 10 seconds.
- Carefully remove and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Photographs by Eat Love Eat
I am going to try this! Its a bit late here, and im hoping to make it, drink it with a hot cup of tea, and drift off to sleep {hoping the sugar wont affect anything sleep-wise ;) }
I used gluten-free flour and coconut milk and it was perfect!
Me too but with almond milk! It was delicious! Topped it with Fluff for the kids. They loved it!
Very delicious, but I would recommend adding in the notes NOT TO DOUBLE. I made this mistake and it looks rather funny. Still a great dessert and very delicious. Stupid mistake on my part. I love all your recipes!
Ohh girl mmmmm
It is amazing
This is a good base for experimentation! I use vanilla extract because the beans are so expensive. I’ve swapped the white sugar for brown sugar and added chocolate chips to resemble a chocoate chip cookie. Or add blueberries, almond slivers, and a pinch of cinnamon for a breakfast coffee cake. You could even make a crumb topping with brown sugar, flour, butter, and more nuts- pop it under the broiler to toast the topping. So good!
Ditto to everything Katlyn said below in the previous comment (although I did not add a pinch of cinnamon like she did, but that sounds delightful so I will be trying it next time, since I will be making this mug cake A LOT).
I never seem to have chocolate, cocoa powder, or Nutella on hand, and every other non-chocolate mug cake recipe I’ve tried has been a complete inedible disaster. This is hands down the best mug cake recipe I’ve found. Super moist. Thank you!
I threw a small handful of fresh blueberries in…delicious. Also the mug I used was very heavy so it required about 20 seconds more, but it didn’t seem to hurt the texture at all. Thanks!
My cake did not rise.. it was flat, greesy and very very very moist, like not fluffy at all.
I bet your baking powder was expired then.
Great recipe, love that it has no eggs. The 2nd time I just mixed all ingredients together in the mug and it still came out great. Making a well with dry ingredients is really only useful when working on flat surfaces like when making pasta. In a bowl it’s kind of redundant. Thanks so much!