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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
I made this tonight, I doubled the ingredients and put everything in a soup bowl. I was so surprised to see it worked. I didn’t have any milk, but had evaporated milk, so I used it instead, and I added a tad more sugar. It came out great.
This is the best mug cake I have ever had. I will try the chocolate next time.
HELP!
I made this cake, it tastes great! My only problem is that the sides pulled in. So now I have, like, a cylinder cake…Not so great for presentation. What did I do wrong?!!
I’m guessing I used a too small mug. Does the mug have to 16 oz (will it affect the cake)?
The sides do pull in a little regardless of mug size because the baking powder will make the cake expand and then after there’s no more heat from the microwave, it’ll retract, therefore, pulling in away from the sides. The mug cake is intended to be eaten within the mug. If you’re trying to take the entire mug cake out of mug and putting it on a platter, it’ll definitely be whatever the shape of the mug is, so if it’s a taller mug, definitely a cylinder shape.
Thanks!
No egg?
No egg. The egg is what gives it the spongy texture. If you think about it, cakes/baked goods made for regular serving sizes usually require 1 or 2 eggs…for a single mug cake to use 1 whole egg is way too much. With the egg omitted, the spongy texture won’t be there. Trust me. I’ve tested this 4 times, with and without the egg :)
Hi JULIE, I’ve just tried this recipe without the vanilla bean paste, using 1tbsp of vanilla extract and one egg instead. You’re right, one egg is way too much for flavour.
Tried your recipe and it was better ! thank you.
Beautiful flavor! Will definitely try again with wheat flour (rice flour-based GF mix yielded a gummy texture.) Used coconut crystals and almond milk. Just delicious, thank you for sharing!
This was SO GOOD! At first I was skeptical about the amount of liquid to dry, but OMG it was delicious!
You are so right – this cake is wonderfully moist and delicious! I doubled the recipe and added 1 tablespoon of almond extract. Also made a quick thin glaze with powdered sugar mixed with a little almond extract and milk; then spread it on top of the cake immediately when it came out of microwave Thanks so much for this one!
Mine turned out horrible! I really wanted to come out well though.. I guess I did something wrong? It was really spongy and not edible at all!
I tried this and it was terrible and extremely rubbery . I followed the recipe just as written and it tasted awful.
You must have cooked the cake for long. It turns out rubbery when you cook it for even 10 seconds extra.
Thank you for this amazing recipe. Just made it with a few changes. Used coconut oil instead of butter and unsweetened almond milk instead of regular milk. Plus I drizzled some maple syrup over it, it’s delicious mhhhhh