How to Make Cake in the Microwave

Last Updated: November 18, 2022 References Approved

It is possible to bake a genuine cake in your microwave as a quick alternative to conventional gas or electric oven baking. Bake an entire cake in the microwave for a birthday or party, or make fun personal cakes in a coffee mug for a great after dinner desert. The following recipes are for a family sized chocolate cake, or a microwave chocolate mug cake that bakes in under a minute; creative frosting ideas follow the recipes.

Ingredients

Mug Cake

1 egg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons self-rising flour
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 tablespoons chocolate chips

Whole Cake

3/4 cups margarine
3/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup self-rising flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 tablespoons of milk
3 medium eggs
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Baking a Mug Cake in the Microwave

1
Create the cake mix. Add two tablespoons of brown sugar or honey to the mug. Add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and then 3 tablespoons (44.4 ml) of flour.
- It is okay to use regular flour if you don't have self-rising, but the cake will end up more like a brownie in texture.
2
Crack an egg into the mug. The great thing about mug cakes is that there is virtually no cleanup; just toss the shell in the compost or trash.

Advertisement
3
Add butter. Soften a stick of butter on the countertop and scoop a tablespoon into the mug. You can use salted or unsalted butter, or margarine.
4
Add a tablespoon or two of chocolate chips (optional). Adding the chocolate chips will create a chocolate flavored mug cake. If you prefer a vanilla cake, you can add an additional tablespoon of vanilla extract instead.
5
Mix it all together. Use a spoon to stir up the contents of the mug. Stir until the chocolate chips are folded in, or all the contents are combined. Don’t worry about the top edges of the mug getting messy, your cake will rise up in the microwave anyway.
6
Bake the mug cake. Put the mug in the microwave for 50 seconds on full power. After 50 seconds, check to see if the cake is baked by sticking a toothpick straight down into the center. The toothpick should come out clean. If there is gooey cake residue on the toothpick, put the mug back in the microwave and cook it in 30 second increments until done.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Take care not to overcook. If you microwave the cake for too long, it will dry out. It shouldn't need to be cooked for any longer than 2 minutes.
- Don’t worry about the toothpick creating a hole in the cake, you won't be able to see that when you frost it later.
7
Let the cake sit. Microwaves often don’t distribute heat as evenly as ovens do. Let the cake sit on the counter for 1-2 minutes after baking, giving time for the heat to distribute throughout the mug.
8
Enjoy! Take a spoon and dig in. If you'd like, frost and decorate the cake first.
- Be careful when removing the mug from the microwave. Use a hot pot holder or a towel to lift it out. It will probably be too hot to grab.
- Top your cake with a scoop of ice cream for an even sweeter treat.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Baking a Whole Cake in the Microwave

1
Mix the cake batter. In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup softened butter or margarine with 3/4 cup sugar and 2/3 cup flour. Stir together with a spoon or rubber spatula.
- It's okay to use regular flour if you don't have self-rising, but the cake will end up more like a brownie in texture.
2
Add in the rest of the ingredients. Pour in 3 tablespoons of milk. Crack in 3 medium eggs, and add 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- You can use whole, fat free, 2%, or whatever type of milk you prefer.
3
Flavor the cake. For a chocolate cake, add 1/3 cup cocoa powder. For a vanilla cake, add another teaspoon of vanilla extract.
4
Mix together. Stir well with a fork or use an electric mixer to mix for about 4-5 minutes or until smooth. If you have a food processor, you can add all of the ingredients to the food processor for about 60 seconds to mix instead.
5
Spoon the cake batter into a microwave safe dish. This is important––never use a metal baking pan for microwave baking.
- A shallow dish will probably give you the best results.
6
Bake the cake. Cook the cake in the microwave for 3-4 minutes on full power. The cake will bubble and puff in the microwave just as it would in the oven. Just as it starts to set (it'll still be jiggly), it's done.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Check to see if the cake is baked by sticking a toothpick straight down into the center. The toothpick should come out clean. If there is gooey cake residue on the toothpick, put the cake back in the microwave and cook it in 1 minute increments until done.
- Take care not to overcook. If you microwave the cake for too long, it will likely dry out.
7
Enjoy! Served warm, this cake is super moist and totally irresistible. Top with frosting and decorate if you'd like.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Frosting and Decorating the Cake

1
Pick whatever frosting you desire. You can use store bought, or make your own frosting. Try chocolate, vanilla, lemon, or any flavor that you like the most. Experiment with different flavors to find your favorite.
- Cool the cake fully before trying to put on icing, or the icing will melt.
- Make sufficient frosting. It would be better to end up with leftover frosting than to run out before you are done decorating.
2
Frost the cake. Have the frosting at room temperature. Use a long rubber spatula or spoon to spread frosting over the surface of your cake.
3
Decorate with fresh fruit. Slice fresh strawberries thinly and place them on top of the frosting in a pattern or randomly. Brush with seedless jam.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- You can substitute the strawberries for fresh mango, banana, or any softer fruit you desire.
- If you're using fresh fruit, add it at the last minute. If the fruit is wet, it could cause the frosting to move or melt slightly.^{[4]
  X
  Research source}
4
Add some sprinkles. Sprinkles are a fun way to make a colorful confetti cake. You can also add a pinch of sprinkles to your cake batter before baking.
5
Pack on the sweets. Sprinkle a handful of mini marshmallows on top of the cake for a super sweet addition. Dust the marshmallows with a pinch of powdered sugar.
6
Add extra chocolate. If you want a chocolate cake with some crunch, break your favorite candy bar into small pieces and drop some on top of the cake. You could sprinkle chocolate chips instead.
7
Press in coconut shavings. Coconut can be baked in a cake or used to decorate it too. It's a healthier version than sugar sprinkles or sweets and looks great on a cake. Cover the cake in a light frosting and then press coconut into it.
- Coconut is so light it can be added to many cakes, from lighter flavors like vanilla and lemon to richer cakes like chocolate and carrot cake.
8
Dust the cake with nuts. You can cover the whole cake, top to bottom or you can sprinkle some on top of the cake.
- If you're making a chocolate cake, sweet pecans be a good match.

Community Q&A

Question

Is it important to add vanilla in the cake?

Community Answer

Not necessary but it gives the cake a nice smell and flavor.
Question

Can I use a glass bowl to bake the cake?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. Glass bowls and cups are the best alternative for microwave safe dishware.
Question

How long do I microwave a store-bought cake mix to make a cake in a mug?

Community Answer

Depending on the watts amount of your microwave, microwave for no longer than 1:30. It may be a good idea to stand and watch your cake and end the microwave when it is fully done. It is always better to cook less as you can always cook more but it's not possible to undo an overdone cake.