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    Home / Recipes / Breads

    Coffee Cake in a Cup

    By Heather · Published: Nov 13, 2017 · Updated: Mar 21, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links · See the privacy policy linked in my footer.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Coffee Cake In A Cup Recipe is the perfect remedy for a sugar craving! If you've tried other coffee mug cakes and weren't sold, you have to try this one! It takes about a minute to bake in the microwave and about that much time to mix it together. It's fluffy, light, and has an irresistible streusel topping!

    A spoonful of Coffee Cake made in a mug with struesel topping

    Coffee Mug Cake

    I usually try to stay FAR, FAR away from the microwave when it comes to anything besides reheating food. In fact, Baking in the microwave pretty much goes against everything I believe in. Until now.

    I'm guessing you've probably tried a coffee mug cake by now and have been underwhelmed by it, am I right? I know I have! I think we all want to believe that we can spend a few minutes mixing something up, throw it in the microwave and have a decadent creation presented to us by the microwave gods 1 minute later. Because, well, that would be cool.

    Well, I'm here with some good news! I have a coffee cake in a cup recipe that doesn't suck! 🙂 And when I say it doesn't suck, I mean it's reeeeeaaaalllly dang good. Like, the microwave gods are really pleased with themselves and how this coffee mug cake turned out.

    Pin This Recipe To Your Dessert Board

    Red mug and spoon with microwave coffee cake in it.

    If you've been following the blog for a while, you know that I posted this coffee cake in a cup recipe a long time ago-- 5 ½ years ago to be exact! And, I figured it was time to take some updated pictures (aka- give myself an excuse to make some cake).

    Does Coffee Cake In a Cup Have Coffee In It?

    If you read through the comments at the end of the post you'll see a pretty common thread-- "Why doesn't this have coffee in it?!?" Well, here's the answer: Traditional coffee cake DOESN'T actually have coffee IN it. Instead, it's a cake that is commonly served WITH coffee.

    Pin This Recipe To Your Dessert Board

    Up close of coffee cake in a mug and a spoon inside.

    Tips for Making Coffee Cake In A Cup:

    • Make sure your mug is big enough to allow the cake to rise about 1 inch. Nobody likes cleaning out the microwave. 🙂
    • Microwave ovens all vary so your cooking time will vary, too! My microwave cook this cake in a cup perfectly at the 6o second mark. I suggest starting at 50 seconds and going up in 10-second intervals until the center is set. You can check this by inserting a toothpick into the middle and if it comes out with only a few moist crumbs, it's done!
    • The BEST way to eat this cake in a cup is straight out of the microwave when it's nice and hot! Of course, you can let it cool as to not burn your face off, but once it's cooled completely it loses some of its magic.

    Want More Coffee Mug Cake Recipes?

    • {2 minute} Pumpkin Coffee Cake in a Mug
    • Hot Fudge Mug Cake

    Pin This Recipe To Your Dessert Board

    📖 Recipe

    Coffee Cake In A Mug-- the perfect remedy for a sugar craving when you don't want to spend a lot of time or heat up the oven. #coffee #cake #microwave #mug

    {2 minute} Coffee Cake in a Cup

    Coffee Cake In A Cup-- the perfect remedy for a sugar craving when you don't want to spend a lot of time or heat up the oven. 
    By Heather Cheney
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 minute minute
    Total Time: 4 minutes minutes
    Servings: 1 serving

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tablespoon butter
    • 2 Tablespoons sugar
    • 2 Tablespoons applesauce
    • vanilla extract few drops
    • ¼ cup All Purpose flour
    • ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 pinch of salt
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 2 tablespoons flour
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

    Instructions

    • In a mug soften 1 tablespoon of butter in microwave, about 5 seconds. You don’t want it melted, just soft. Stir in 2 tablespoon of sugar and mix until well incorporated. Stir in applesauce, vanilla (just a tiny bit, we’re talking drops), flour, baking powder, and pinch of salt; stirring until just combined. Use the back of your spoon to smooth it out in the bottom of the mug.
    • Want struesel? Of course you do! In a separate, small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of butter, 2 tablespoon of flour, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Use your fingers to to pinch the butter and mix it in with the other ingredients. When it starts to look like lumpy sand (appetizing, eh?) and all ingredients are combined, pour on top of cake batter in mug.
    • Cook in the microwave for 50-80 seconds depending on your microwave. At 1 minute, my microwave cooks it perfectly. It will look just barely set on top. You don’t want to overcook it and things tend to get ugly fast in the microwave. I suggest cooking it 50 seconds, and then in 10 second intervals checking after each interval until done. Eat white it’s still warm. Once it cools off, it tends to loose some of it’s magic!

    Nutrition Facts

    Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 521 kcal | Carbohydrates: 75 g | Protein: 5 g | Fat: 23 g | Saturated Fat: 14 g | Cholesterol: 60 mg | Sodium: 205 mg | Potassium: 50 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 38 g | Vitamin A: 700 IU | Calcium: 22 mg | Iron: 2.1 mg

    Nutrition and Food Safety Disclosure

    ARE WE FRIENDS ON INSTAGRAM?Tag me @heatherlikesfood and use #heatherlikesfood so I can see what you're making and enjoying!
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    3. Anne Cheri Estes says

      October 02, 2025 at 6:58 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve been enjoying this recipe for years but I don’t normally keep applesauce in the house and didn’t want to buy it just for this. Y’all. I switched out the applesauce for pumpkin purée and did pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon in the streusel. And OMG!!!! Y’all gotta try this!!

      Reply
    4. Bobbi says

      February 09, 2024 at 7:24 am

      I want to try this microwave coffee cake in a mug! So simple!
      Can you tell me how many watts your microwave is? I can then figure out how long to cook it with my 900 watt microwave.

      Thank you!

      Reply
    5. Kathleen Cole says

      January 21, 2022 at 4:29 pm

      5 stars
      I give this a 5 star rating!

      Reply
    « Older Comments
    4.70 from 107 votes (104 ratings without comment)

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    Headshot of Heather in an apron

    Hi, I'm Heather! Want to become a rockstar cook? I’m a former chef, caterer, and culinary arts school graduate that just wants to help you make some killer food! I truly believe that with a little know-how anyone can totally rock their kitchen. Stick around for ultimate recipes of your favorite foods, cooking tips, guides, and more!

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    Headshot of Heather in an apron

    Hi, I'm Heather! Want to become a rockstar cook? I’m a former chef, caterer, and culinary arts school graduate that just wants to help you make some killer food! I truly believe that with a little know-how anyone can totally rock their kitchen. Stick around for ultimate recipes of your favorite foods, cooking tips, guides, and more!

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

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      The Best Super Moist Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
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      One Pan Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Skillet
    • Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken-- so flavorful you'll forget how easy it is to make! Filled with flavors of ginger, garlic and just a touch of red pepper.
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    • Coffee Cake In A Mug-- the perfect remedy for a sugar craving when you don't want to spend a lot of time or heat up the oven. #coffee #cake #microwave #mug
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    • Baked Ricotta Chicken
      Baked Ricotta Chicken
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    Cooking Method

    • Slow Cooker
    • Grilling

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