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!
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! ๐ 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.
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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 ยฝ 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.
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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. ๐
- 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?
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{2 minute} Coffee Cake in a Cup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 Tablespoons applesauce
- vanilla extract few drops
- ยผ cup All Purpose flour
- โ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ยผ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a mug soften 1 tablespoon of butter in microwave, about 5 seconds. You donโt want it melted, just soft. Stir in 2 tablespoon of sugar and mix until well incorporated. Stir in applesauce, vanilla (just a tiny bit, weโre 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 ยผ 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 donโt 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 itโs still warm. Once it cools off, it tends to loose some of itโs magic!
Mary says
DO NOT USE CANOLA OIL! The cake just stays in dough ball at the bottom of the mug. When trying to cook it longer in hopes that it would turn into a more cake like texture, it just ended up burning.
Melora Johnson says
Since I do like chocolate, I tried this with switching out a tablespoon of flour for cocoa powder and adding a tablespoon of pb morsels. (Left off streusal again.) It was fabulous. This is not desperation cake, like so many mug cakes. This is treat cake.
Melora Johnson says
Tried this with a couple minor substitutions. Didn't have applesauce so I pureed some pear pieces that come in juice. Also added a heaping tablespoon of mini chocolate chips and left off the streusal. Smelled a bit doughy but tasted delicious!
Heather A. says
I tried this by substituting the apple sauce for nonfat blueberry yogurt and got a delicious blueberry coffee cake!! Way to go- this cake recipe also cooks better than a lot of the others I've tried. Great job (:
Heather A. says
Sorry - nonfat blueberry GREEK yogurt (:
megan says
Made this with 2 1/2 year old. He enjoyed the process and the product. We made it in one of those clear glass Irish coffee mug type glasses. After 50 seconds, it was done and the glass itself was still cool enough for my little one to take out of the microwave. we did take it out of the mug to cool quicker for eating right away - as toddlers aren't know for their patience. We did use a little less sugar and whole wheat flour. This is a good recipe to experiment with a bit for little ones. Thank you for posting.
Kay says
I made this. It was goooood. I didn't have applesauce and used an equal amount of greek yogurt instead. I didn't have vanilla (I know, weird right?) but I used brown sugar instead of white sugar and it tastes just fine. Mine took about a minute and five seconds in my mysterious dorm microwave. I'll probably make it again, and next time I might mix it up after cooking. The streusel to cake ratio was too low on the last bites. Thanks for the recipe.
Bdby800 says
Tried this cake if it's doughy did I add a bit too much apple sauce or did I cook it too long ?
Heatherlikesfood says
I'm thinking it probably wasn't cooked long enough. I would try adding 10 seconds at a time, checking between intervals until it's where you would like it. Too much applesauce might be the culprit to, but if you kept it at 2 tbsp. you should be good.
cat markovich says
most likely too long. the applesauce would make it spongy
Wendy says
I am a fan of chocolate, but the microwave chocolate cake left a lot to be desired (at least the one I tried a few years ago). However, I am also a fan of cinnamon, and this looks pretty fantastic.
One question - I don't routinely have applesauce in my house, can I substitute canola oil?
(You may be weird not liking chocolate, but I'm weird by not liking anything make from apples.... applesauce, apple juice, apple pie - YUCK. Give me a REAL apple any day!)
Heatherlikesfood says
Haha, I've never heard of an aversion to all things apple! Love it. I've never used canola oil, but I have used sour cream and greek yogurt with good results. I don't see why the canola oil wouldn't work, I've just never tried it. If you do give it a go, let me know how it works!
The Seaside Baker says
How fun this will be to make for my kids in the morning...thank you!
Sally @ Spontaneous Hausfrau says
YES! Thank you! Finally a mug cake that isn't some sort of chocolatey - I'm kinda with you on the chocolate thing. Too much of it is pretty boring to me. Plus, the texture of this actually does look baked. Pinning this one for sure!
Linda says
That sounds wonderful. Can't wait to try it.
Have you ever heard of the 3-2-1 minute cupcake? In a gallon bag -Mix 1 dry cake mix any flavor you like with 1 angel food cake mix. (you must use 1 angel food mix) To make one serving, mix in a cup or ramekin - 3 tbsp cake mixture with 2 tbsp of water, stir well and bake in microwave 1 minute. Serve with ice cream and your favorite topping. Whenever you need a quick dessert in a minute try this. (Sometimes I stir in a few white choclate chips.)
admin says
I haven't tried it, but I will now! Thanks!
Jez says
I make 3-2-1 Microwave cake all the time. I live alone so making a big cake is out of the question because I would feel obligated to eat it before it got funny. I do like chocolate, so I've made 3-2-1 with chocolate cake mix last winter, but for the warmer weather I've made it with lemon cake and topped it with fruit or ice cream.
It's also great when I have unexpected guests. It means I always have something quick I can serve and people have fun adding their own toppings.
I haven't got adventurous enough yet to try making microwave cakes from scratch yet, but this one looks easy and yummy. So I'll make sure I get the needed ingredients the next time I grocery shop.
Kara says
Thanks Heather.
I too dislike chocolate, and I like that you make it from scratch. I usually don't like sweets, but I have a nostalgic twang for coffee cakes, because it was something I enjoyed as a kid.
That said, I will take your recipe and deconstruct it, try almond meal and stevia and try to incorporate some ground flax seed into it... healthy(ish) can be tasty too
Thanks for the recipe and inspiration<3
Barbara says
I hope your deconstruction works--I can't use regular flour, being gluten-free, so I need to deconstruct, too. Maybe coconut flour would work as well?
Tazia Rae says
So how did the deconstruction go? 13 weight watchers points total- I am searching for a healthier alternative ๐
Mark Cheney says
Sounds yummy! I'll try it out this a.m. unless I am out of butter! :o(