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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Dec 28, 2022 by Harriet

    Gingerbread Mug Cake

    Jump to recipe card

    This gingerbread mug cake is made with a few simple ingredients and cooked in the microwave oven in less than 2 minutes.

    This single-serve dessert has all the classic flavors of gingerbread and is perfect for the holiday season.

    Gingerbread mug cake dusted with icing sugar.

    If you are looking for other easy mug cake recipes like this gingerbread mug cake try this recipe for an apple mug cake or this one for a hot chocolate mug cake. 

    Jump to:
    • 👛 Cost To Make
    • 🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe:
    • 🥘 Ingredients In This Recipe
    • 🍽 Equipment
    • 🍳 Step By Step Instructions
    • 💭 Recipe Tips
    • How To Tell When A Mug Cake Is Ready 
    • 👪 Serving Size
    • 🍬 Calories Per Serve
    • 🥗 Serving Suggestions
    • Substitutions
    • 🍲 More Easy Recipes
    • 📋 Recipe Card

    This gingerbread mug cake is a quick and easy dessert to make. Made with warming spices of ginger and cinnamon, it is the perfect fall or holiday dessert.

    👛 Cost To Make

    Estimated cost = $0.70 a serve (does not include toppings)

    🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe:

    You will love this gingerbread mug cake recipe because it is:

    • Budget-friendly, using only a few pantry staples that you might already have.
    • Quick and easy to make in the microwave, perfect for a single-serving dessert.
    • Adaptable and can be made dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian using plant-based alternatives.
    • A delicious dessert that can be enjoyed hot or warm.

    🥘 Ingredients In This Recipe

    The printable recipe further down the page has the complete list of ingredients, including quantities and step-by-step instructions.

    Image showing the ingredients needed to make a ginger bread mug cake.

    Butter - we use salted butter, but you could also use unsalted butter or dairy-free butter.

    Sugar - use soft brown sugar rather than white granulated sugar because it contains molasses, which helps make the cake moist along with the butter.

    Milk - We used dairy milk, but a non-milk can also work.

    Spices - cinnamon powder and ginger powder are the spices used for this mug cake, they add a nice warm flavor and it smells so nice when it bakes.

    Flour and baking powder - use all-purpose flour (plain flour) and add baking powder to help the cake rise as it bakes. 

    Molasses - is a classic ingredient in gingerbread and helps to add flavor and color to the mug cake.

    🍽 Equipment

    • Microwave oven
    • A microwave-safe mug at 350 ml (12 ounces) capacity.

    🍳 Step By Step Instructions

    Melted butter in a mug.

    Step 1 - Place the butter into a 350 ml (12 ounces) microwave-safe mug and microwave on high for 20 - 30 seconds to melt.

    Cake batter in a mug.

    Step 2 - Add the molasses, milk, salt, sugar, ginger powder, and cinnamon powder and mix well.

    Uncooked cake batter in a mug.

    Step 3 - Stir in the flour and baking powder and mix until well combined. Use a spoon to even out the top of the batter.

    Place the mug into the microwave oven and cook on high for 1 minute, or until cooked. - Refer to the Cooking Times in the notes below.

    Remove from the microwave and cool for five minutes or more before serving - this allows the cake to set and the flavor to develop.

    Enjoy warm or at room temperature. 

    💭 Recipe Tips

    Mug size

    Use a mug that has a capacity of at least 1 ½ cups (350 ml, 12 ounces) because this will allow enough room for the cake to rise and leave enough space for any topping you might like to add.

    Mixing the batter

    You can mix the batter in the mug (saves washing up) or in a separate bowl and spoon the mixture into the mug after mixing. 

    Don't over-mix the batter because it just needs to be combined with the wet ingredients so that there are no dry bits left.

    Greasing the mug

    You don't need to grease the mug before adding the batter.

    Cooking times

    Every microwave oven is different, and the cooking times will vary, so this is how you can tell when the mug cake is ready: 

    • A microwave mug cake is ready when the top feels slightly tacky to the touch. You want it a little sticky on top because the cake will continue to cook for about 1 minute or so after microwaving.  
    • If it looks too wet, it is undercooked and will need further cooking in increments of 5 -1 0 seconds until done.
    • If it feels dry to the touch, it has been overcooked and could taste a little dry. 

    How To Tell When A Mug Cake Is Ready 

    Every microwave oven is different, and the cooking times will vary, so this is how you can tell when the mug cake is ready: 

    • A microwave mug cake is ready when the top feels slightly tacky or a skewer inserted into the cake comes out slightly sticky. You want it a little sticky on top because the cake continues to cook for about 1 minute or so after microwaving.
    • If it looks too wet, it is undercooked and will need further cooking in increments of 5 -1 0 seconds until done.
    • If it feels dry to the touch, it has been overcooked and could taste a little dry. 

    Ours cooked in 1 minute and 45 seconds in an 850-watt microwave oven.

    👪 Serving Size

    One mug cake is a serving size.

    🍬 Calories Per Serve

    There are about 645 calories in a serving of the gingerbread mug cake without toppings.

    🥗 Serving Suggestions

    You can enjoy the gingerbread mug cake as it is, straight from the mug or with a topping like a dusting of icing sugar, or a dollop of whipped cream.

    It can also be served with a side of ice cream and with or without fresh fruit.

    Substitutions

    You can use self-rising flour instead of plain flour and baking powder.

    Mug cake with a fork.

    🍲 More Easy Recipes

    If you like this gingerbread much cake recipe you might also like these easy desserts:

    • Mixed fruits in cream
    • Dulce de leche mousse
    • Red velvet brownies with cake mix
    • Easy apricot cake
    Gingerbread cake being scooped out of a mug.

    I do hope that you try this gingerbread mug cake recipe. If you do, please come back and leave a comment below because I would love to know how you went.


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    📋 Recipe Card

    Gingerbread mug cake with fresh flowers in the table.

    Gingerbread Mug Cake

    This gingerbread mug cake is easy to make with a few simple ingredients. Made with warming winter spices, this is a delicious dessert you can enjoy in winter or fall.
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
    Prep Time : 2 mins
    Cook Time : 2 mins
    Total Time : 4 mins
    Cuisine: : Western
    Course : Dessert
    Servings : 1
    Calories : 645 : kcal
    Estimated Cost (AUD) : $0.70 a serve (does not include toppings)

    INGREDIENTS

    • 10 grams (2 teaspoons) of butter
    • 1 teaspoon molasses
    • 3 tablespoons milk dairy or dairy free
    • pinch of salt
    • 1 tablespoon soft dark brown sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon powder
    • 55 grams (4 level tablespoons) plain flour/all-purpose
    • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
    Tap button to prevent your screen from going dark while cooking.

    INSTRUCTIONS

    • Place the butter into a 350 ml (12 ounces) microwave-safe mug and microwave on high for 20 - 30 seconds to melt.
    • Add the molasses, milk, salt, sugar, ginger powder, and cinnamon powder and mix well.
    • Stir in the flour and baking powder and mix until well combined. Use a spoon to even out the top of the batter.
    • Place the mug into the microwave oven and cook on high for 1 minute, or until cooked. - Refer to the Cooking Times in the notes below.
    • Remove from the microwave and cool for five minutes or more before serving - this allows the cake to set and the flavor to develop.
    • Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

    Notes

    Mug size
    Use a mug that has a capacity of at least 1 ½ cups (350 ml, 12 ounces) because this will allow enough room for the cake to rise and leave enough space for any topping you might like to add.
    Cooking times
    Every microwave oven is different, and the cooking times will vary, so this is how you can tell when the mug cake is ready: 
    • A microwave mug cake is ready when the top feels slightly tacky to the touch. You want it a little sticky on top because the cake will continue to cook for about 1 minute or so after microwaving.  
    • If it looks too wet, it is undercooked and will need further cooking in increments of 5 -1 0 seconds until done.
    • If it feels dry to the touch, it has been overcooked and could taste a little dry. 
    Substitute
    • You can use self-rising flour instead of plain flour and baking powder.
    Nutrition Facts
    Gingerbread Mug Cake
    Serving Size
     
    1 mug cake
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    645
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    43
    g
    66
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    27
    g
    169
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    0
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    11
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    113
    mg
    38
    %
    Sodium
     
    461
    mg
    20
    %
    Potassium
     
    78
    mg
    2
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    60
    g
    20
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    16
    g
    18
    %
    Protein
     
    6
    g
    12
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Nutrition Disclosure

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    Hi, I'm Harriet! The face and photographer behind Recipe Pocket. I am a mother of two who is a cook by day and blogger by night.

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