About this recipe

A rich, fudgy chocolate mug cake made entirely in the microwave — no oven needed. Ready in under 5 minutes, this single-serving treat is deeply chocolatey, moist, and satisfying. Perfect for late-night cravings or when you need dessert fast. With just a handful of pantry staples and one mug, it's the most reliable no-fuss chocolate fix around.

Instructions

1. 1

   Choose a large microwave-safe mixing bowl — at least 12 oz capacity. This is important so the batter has room to rise without overflowing.

2. 2

   Add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt directly to the mixing bowl. Use a fork to whisk the dry ingredients together until fully combined with no cocoa lumps.

3. 3

   Crack in the egg, then add the milk, vegetable oil (or melted vegetable oil), and vanilla extract. Mix everything together with a fork, stirring from the bottom up, until the batter is completely smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl to make sure no dry all-purpose flour is hiding.

4. 4

   If using semisweet chocolate chips, stir half into the batter, then scatter the rest on top for extra melty pockets of chocolate.

5. 5

   Microwave on ^[HIGH] for 60–90 seconds. Start checking at 60 seconds — the cake is done when the top is just set and no longer wet or shiny in the center. It's okay if it looks slightly underdone; it will continue cooking from residual heat and stay fudgy. Avoid overcooking, which makes it rubbery.

6. 6

   Let the mixing bowl sit for 1 minute before eating — it will be very hot. Dust with powdered sugar or top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired. Eat directly from the mixing bowl.