Hot Cocoa Mug Cake Recipe | Easy Hot Chocolate Cake

Treat your sweet tooth with this Hot Cocoa Mug Cake! It's the perfect treat for one and takes about two minutes to make. Rich chocolate cake flavored with a hot chocolate packet tastes just like a mug of hot cocoa!

It's time to elevate your cup of hot chocolate and turn it into a delicious hot chocolate mug cake. I'll make this any time of year because this flavor, in cake form, is the best.

With mere minutes for the cooking times, you can't go wrong with this single-serving mug cake. Chocolate lovers will love this easy dessert and all that chocolatey flavor! Grab a microwave-safe mug and check out the printable recipe card below to get started!

Now is the time to try a few of my other simple desserts, like this Starbucks White Hot Chocolate and these 5 Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies! So good!

hot cocoa mug cake topped with mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips from overhead

Ingredients

Salted butter - This helps to add a richer flavor to the chocolatey cake.
Hot cocoa mix - Use your favorite brand for this single serving dessert.
Vanilla extract - Adds a nice warm vanilla flavoring to this quick treat.
Milk - This helps to thin out the texture of this quick dessert.
Sugar - Adds the sweetness!
All-purpose flour - The main ingredient needed to make the dessert.
Baking powder- This helps to add a lightness and fluffy texture to the hot cocoa mug cake recipe.
Mini marshmallows - Use as the topping.
Mini chocolate chips - Another topping for your sweet cravings.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Hot Cocoa Mug Cake

Step One: Add the butter to your mug and microwave until it is melted. This should take about 10 seconds.

Step Two: Add the milk, vanilla extract, and sugar. Stir.

Step Three: Add the flour, cocoa mix, and baking powder.

Step Four: Stir until combined. It will be thick.

Step Five: Put the mug back into the microwave for 1.5 minutes.

close up of topping on hot cocoa mug cake

Step Six: Add the toppings.

Top Tip

If you're worried about the hot chocolate mug cake recipe sticking to the sides of the mug, coat the inside of the mug with a little bit of coconut oil or melted butter first.

Substitutions

Salt - If you only have unsalted butter, adding a pinch of salt to the recipe will work.
Hot chocolate packet - These come in all different flavors so feel free to play around with the one you choose.

Variations

Toppings - The fun part is that you can add any topping that you want. Gooey marshmallows, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, dark chocolate chips, hot fudge sauce, or any other favorite toppings are all great options.
Spices - During the holiday season, you can add some pumpkin spice, cinnamon, peppermint extract, or other fun flavors to this sweet treat to make it festive and delicious.

See these Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes for more chocolate goodness!

hot cocoa mug cake topped with mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips

Equipment

All you need to make this recipe is a large coffee mug and a spoon to stir. The simplicity of delicious recipes like this is the best part!

Storage

Since mug cake recipes are made for one, they're best to eat fresh. I don't recommend making them and then storing them. Once they're out of the microwave, let them cool a bit and then eat right away.

Common Questions

Do different microwaves have different cook times?

The power setting on th microwave or the power wattage is what can be different. Be sure that the mug cake is cooked all the way before eating. If the wattage is low on the microwave and it doesn't cook fully in the time listed on the recipe card, just add a little bit more time and cook.

Can I add chocolate chips?

You sure can! I like to use them as a topping, but if you want to turn this into a chocolate chip mug cake, add them to the batter and stir!

Does this have the same texture as regular cake batter?

It should. If you've ever made a delicious chocolate cake, this has a similar texture to it. It shouldn't be too thin, or thick - but just right!

Do I have to make this in a mug?

It's in the name! The mug is the perfect shape for keeping the ingredients intact and using the heat of the microwave to cook them. A small bowl might work, but I've always used a mug. I like that it has handles that I can carry! A simple dessert that is mobile!

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Like what you see? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Love this recipe? Leave a comment & a 5-star rating right here! Make sure you don’t miss new recipes by getting email updates!

📖 Recipe