Vanilla Mug Cake

This super easy vanilla mug cake recipe is perfect for those days when you’re craving a delicious fluffy homemade cake, and it’s ready to eat in under 5 minutes!

The best vanilla mug cake recipe

With a soft texture and classic vanilla flavor, this single serving vanilla cake in a mug is like true love in the form of a dessert.

Using just a few pantry staple ingredients, it can easily be made in the microwave or oven, and there are NO eggs and no milk required!

Readers also love this Healthy Banana Bread

What is a mug cake?

Moist, filling, flavorful, and quick to prepare, mug cake recipes are great if you are baking for one, or if you don’t want the temptation of an entire cake in the house.

You can even do some dessert meal prep in advance, by measuring out individual bags of the cake dry ingredients and storing them in the cabinet.

This way, they are ready to go any time you want vanilla cake without the wait!

Above, watch the step-by-step vanilla mug cake recipe video

How to make vanilla cake in a mug

To make the vanilla cake, start by setting all of your ingredients out on the counter and reading through the directions.

Grease a mug or heat-safe large bowl, and add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, water, oil (or oil free option), and vanilla extract to the mug. Stir with a fork or spoon to form a cake batter.

If you’re baking the mug cake in an oven, preheat to 350 degrees Fahreheit. Then bake on the oven’s center rack for 14 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Or for a microwave mug cake, cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until cooked through. The microwave time will depend on your microwave’s wattage.

Apparently you can also bake mug cakes in an air fryer, but I’ve never tried it. If you experiment, be sure to report back for the rest of us.

Serve and enjoy. Whether or not you want to share is entirely up to you!

Also make this homemade vanilla Chia Pudding

Frosting ideas

Top the mug cake with packaged or homemade frosting, melted peanut butter, ice cream, or fresh berries, banana, and Coconut Whipped Cream.

Feel free to stir a spoonful of sprinkles, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, some crushed walnuts or pecans, a handful of shredded coconut, or mini chocolate chips into the batter.

Or add some sprinkles, powdered sugar, or shaved chocolate after baking.

I used the basic cream cheese frosting recipe from my Easy Cinnamon Rolls.

Recipe ingredients

The flour: I’ve successfully made the recipe with spelt, white, or oat flour. A few readers say that all purpose gluten free flour works for a gluten free vanilla mug cake.

It tastes great with almond flour but doesn’t really hold together, so just eat it straight from the mug if you want to do a grain free cake. Or there is also a keto mug cake recipe linked in the recipe below.

For the vanilla extract: Make sure to buy pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla. Look for the word “pure” on the label.

This extract is more expensive, but the improved taste and lack of artificial aftertaste are very much worth the higher price.

To make a vegan vanilla mug cake: This recipe is made without milk and can also be done with no butter, so it’s already naturally dairy free, egg free, and vegan as long as you choose to go with the oil or vegan butter option.

For the sweetener: You can use your favorite granulated sweetener here.

Try white or brown regular sugar, raw or unrefined coconut sugar, or granulated erythritol for a sugar free mug cake. Use the lower sugar amount if adding frosting or the higher amount if eating the cake on its own.

More Mug Cake Recipes

Brownie In A Mug

Chocolate Protein Cake

Banana Bread In A Mug

Pumpkin Mug Cake

Coffee Mug Cake

If you have any other mug cake flavors that you’d like to see, please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what recipe to try next!