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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
Thank you soooo much for this recipe! it has always turned out great, but I love your chocolate mug cake recipe even more. I tried this at my friends house for the first time, and since then, I have been making these at least once a week. Thanks a lot for these wonderful recipes!
I always make this when i want a treat usually without the paste of baking powder and today I finally had some powder it taste good without it but even better with it I absolutely love this recipe
Can I put some syrup at the bottom of the cup and then the vanilla mixture so that it comes out like a golden cap steamed pudding?
I’m honestly not sure. I’ve never had it this way before nor have I done it myself. I would say go for it and see how it turns out!
a while back I found a recipe for a brown butter vanilla bean cake. to make it “mug size” I used this recipe but with only 1/4 cup of milk no vanilla paste but scraped the inside of 2 small vanilla beans and 4 tbs browned butter. came out so good.
Thanks for the mug cake recipes…I, too, don’t like the egginess of most recipes. Heading out to what is left of my garden (-3 last night…central Alberta, Canada) hope the beets survived. Any neat ideas for turning them into something fantastic?
Pickled beets? Or I have several beet recipes on my blog: https://www.tablefortwoblog.com/?s=beet
Have made this a few times already and absolutely love it! Last night I had no milk though and tried it with water instead. Still came out very nice. A pretty good substitute when you’re desperate for something sweet or can’t use milk!
Taste much like a pancake. Not what i expected, but still good.
Hi.. I’ve tried this multiples times and it never works!!
I have one question I really want to try this but I don’t have baking powder, by I have baking soda what acid thing an I use with it,reply when you can have a nice day ?
I don’t think it will work as well with baking soda. You can try it with baking soda but realize you might not get the rise and lightness.
You can use baking soda if you also use double the amount of lemon juice,(directly from the lemon.) In fact that’s what I did.
I chose this recipe because I ran out of chocolate and needed dessert hahaha. Didn’t have vanilla bean paste, added a scoop of vanilla frosting and a drizzle of honey in the batter. So good! So moist! Could even go further and form balls, dip in chocolate and you have at least two huge cake balls!