Easy Microwave Vanilla Mug Cake (No Egg)

Satisfy a sweet tooth with this quick and easy Microwave Mug Cake recipe made without eggs. It’s easy to make with just a few pantry staple ingredients and the perfect way to enjoy the flavor of cake in just minutes. Serve as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! 

Mastering the art of saving money on food requires understanding yourself. And if there’s one thing I know about myself, it’s that I tend to make my worst financial decisions when I’m hungry. Grocery shopping hungry? Not recommended!

The same goes for cravings. If I can figure out how to satisfy a craving QUICKLY at home without creating a mountain of dishes, I’m significantly less likely to hop in the car and go spend 10x more money for a restaurant to make it for me.

Microwave mug cakes are the perfect treat and quick dessert fix that will satisfy an intense sweets cravings for just $0.70 per cake! When it comes to dessert on a budget, it’s hard to beat a $0.70 serving of homemade cake that’s ready in literally 3 minutes.

Ingredient Notes

• Flour: The best flour to use in microwave mug cake recipes is regular ol’ all-purpose flour. It is possible to use whole wheat flour, but I’d recommend replacing just 25% of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat. If you’ve made my 100% Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls, you’ll know that 100% whole wheat baked goods are significantly more dense. This isn’t ideal with microwaved cakes because the whole wheat flour does not have enough time to absorb the moisture properly and will be really heavy in texture. 
• Sugar: To keep the color of this mug cake light, granulated cane sugar is best. I have not tested a liquid sweetener substitution (maple syrup, honey, agave) and cannot recommend one. 
• Baking powder: ​Leavens the cake without the risk of that soapy, baking soda taste. For the best rise, make sure you are using fresh baking powder (opened in the last 6 months). 
• Milk: ​Any milk of choice will work, dairy or non-dairy. If you are using non-dairy milk, soy milk is a great option because it is naturally high in protein and will help make a tall, fluffy mug cake. 
• Oil: Vegetable oil (canola oil) or avocado oil are my favorite oils to use in baking desserts because they are neutral in flavor and work well in baked goods like cakes and muffins. Coconut oil is also great, but if using, you must use room temperature milk or the cold milk will cause the coconut oil to harden and yield an oily cake. 
• Vanilla extract: For the best, authentic vanilla depth of flavor. If you’re on a strict budget, imitation vanilla is fine here! 
• Funfetti sprinkles: You’ll need about 1 tablespoon of sprinkles per microwave mug cake. You can also sub in any sprinkles of choice. 

What is the best kind of mug for mug cakes?

First and foremost, it is important to make sure your mug of choice is microwave-safe. Most are and will indicate so on the bottom of the mug. 

Now, when it comes to shape and thickness, my preference is a wide, thin-walled mug. A wider mug will keep the cake batter in a thinner layer that is easier to bake through evenly without becoming tough. Similarly, thicker-walled mugs take longer to heat up in the microwave, which will affect the cooking time of your microwave cake. 

If you don’t have a good mug, a small, microwave-safe bowl or a ramekin that is about 4″ wide will work wonderfully. Don’t be afraid to experiment and find your perfect mug cake vessel. 

How to Make an Eggless Vanilla Mug Cake Recipe

1. Combine the dry ingredients. Add flour, cane sugar, baking powder, and a pinch of salt to a mug with a capacity of at least 8 fluid ounces. Whisk to combine. 
2. Add the wet ingredients. Create a small well in the middle of the dry ingredients, then add the oil, milk, and vanilla extract. Using a small spatula or spoon, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until a uniform cake batter forms. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the mug to make sure all flour is incorporated into batter. 
3. Add sprinkles. ​Finally, add the sprinkles and fold into the batter, as desired. 
4. Microwave. ​The amount of time needed to properly bake your microwave mug cake recipe will depend entirely on the wattage of your microwave. I have provided estimates based on different microwaves I have tested. If the top of your cake is sticky to the touch, continue to microwave in 10 second intervals until it is no longer sticky, yet still moist. 

Flavor Variations

​Switch things up and try a raspberry vanilla mug cake or chocolate chip vanilla mug cake! 

​Raspberry Vanilla Mug Cake

Replace the sprinkles with fresh raspberries pressed into the cake. Adding a tablespoon of white chocolate chips for a raspberry white chocolate cake would also be amazing, too. 

Vanilla Mug Cake with Chocolate Chips 

Replace the sprinkles with a tablespoon (or more) of mini chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or chopped chocolate. 

Recipe FAQs

My mug cake is dense and chewy. What went wrong?

A dense and chewy cake is an overcooked cake. With mug cakes, it is always better to undercook than to overcook, so err on the side of caution. If you own a 1200 Watt Microwave, start with 50 seconds and remove promptly. Wait 30 seconds. then press your finger into the top of the cake. It should be moist, but not stick to your finger or rip off the top of the cake. If it sticks, microwave for just 10 additional seconds and check again. Do this until just cooked and no more! 

​How do I figure out what wattage my microwave is?

This information is usually listed on the door of the microwave, or on the frame of the microwave. Open the door and scan the perimeter and door for an informational sticker. If it’s not there, check the back of the microwave. As a last result, start with a lesser cook time and use a bit of trial and error to find the cook time that works for your particular microwave. 

Can I use self-raising flour?

Self-raising flour isn’t something I usually keep on hand and have not tested it, but if you happen to have it, give it a go! Omit the baking powder and use the self-raising flour and make as usual. If you give this a try and experience success, please leave a comment to help other readers! 🙂 

Storage Instructions

This funfetti mug cake is best enjoyed immediately while warm. As it cools, the cake begins to harden and becomes a lot more dense.