Ingredients
Scale
- ¼ cup (30g) All-Purpose Flour: This forms the basic structure of your cake, giving it body and texture.
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness to balance the cocoa; adjust slightly to your preference.
- 2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: The heart of the chocolate flavor; use good quality for the best taste.
- ¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder: The leavening agent that helps the cake rise and become fluffy.
- Pinch of Salt: Enhances all the other flavors, especially the chocolate and sweetness.
- ¼ cup (60ml) Milk: Adds moisture and helps bind the ingredients; any kind (dairy or non-dairy) works.
- 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil (or Melted Butter): Contributes to a moist and tender crumb. Oil often yields a slightly moister cake in microwaves.
- ¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the chocolate flavor and adds a touch of aromatic warmth.
- 1–2 Tablespoons Chocolate Chips or 1–2 Small Squares of Good Quality Dark Chocolate (approx. 15-20g): This is the secret to the “molten lava” center. Using a piece of a chocolate bar often melts more predictably.
Instructions
- Choose Your Mug: Select a standard-sized microwave-safe mug (around 10-12 ounces is ideal). Ensure it’s large enough to prevent overflow as the cake rises during cooking. A wider mug can sometimes cook more evenly than a tall, narrow one.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In the mug, add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly with a fork. This step is crucial to ensure there are no clumps of flour or cocoa and that the baking powder is evenly distributed for a consistent rise.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the milk, vegetable oil (or melted butter), and vanilla extract directly into the mug with the dry ingredients.
- Mix Batter: Stir everything together with the fork until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few small lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing can lead to a tough cake. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mug to ensure all ingredients are incorporated. The batter should be relatively smooth and have a consistency similar to brownie batter.
- Create the Molten Center: Gently push the chocolate chips or the small squares of dark chocolate into the center of the batter. You don’t need to fully submerge them, but make sure they are nestled within the batter. This will create the gooey, lava-like core.
- Microwave: Place the mug in the center of your microwave. Cook on high power. The cooking time is the most variable part of this recipe and depends heavily on your microwave’s wattage:
- For a 1000-1200W microwave: Start with 60-70 seconds.
- For a 700-900W microwave: Start with 75-90 seconds.
- The cake is done when the edges are set and look cooked, but the very center still appears slightly wet or jiggly. It will continue to cook a bit as it rests. It’s better to slightly undercook than overcook to achieve that molten center.
- Check for Doneness: Carefully remove the mug from the microwave (it will be hot!). The surface should look mostly cooked, perhaps with a slight sheen in the middle. If you gently touch the edge, it should spring back. If it looks very liquidy all over, microwave for another 10-15 seconds and check again.
- Rest (Crucial!): Let the mug cake rest for 1-2 minutes before diving in. This allows the molten center to set slightly (so it’s lava, not soup) and the cake to cool down enough to avoid burning your mouth. The residual heat will also finish cooking the cake to perfection.
- Serve: Enjoy your molten lava mug cake straight from the mug! You can dust it with powdered sugar, add a dollop of whipped cream, or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: one normal portion
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 30g
- Fat: 25g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Protein: 6g