When you're craving a little fall treat, but only have about 5 minutes of patience, try this super easy pumpkin mug cake! The whole recipe comes together in a mug with ingredients you probably have in your pantry right now. It's soft, fluffy, and studded with melty chocolate chips - so good!
The other day, I had the most intense urge to be a basic AF early 2010s-era fall girlie. And you know what that means. No, I'm not talking about stiletto ankle boots or circle scarves.
Say it with me, friends: PUMPKIN SPICE. If you were to blast in the past to 2012, you would find 16-year-old Sara pulling up to the Starbucks drive thru in her Nissan Altima, bumping Sleeping with Sirens, and ordering a classic PSL.
Truth be told, I actually hate PSLs these days lol. But I still love a pumpkin treat. However, sometimes I simply don't have the time (or energy) to make small batch pumpkin muffins or these chewy pumpkin cookies.
In these times, I turn to mug cakes. And yes, I know, mug cake usually isn't as good as regular cake. But even as a trained pastry chef, I'm all about a quick-and-dirty solution sometimes.
And this one is surprisingly good! The cake is moist, fluffy, and you don't even need an egg. Plus, it comes together in 5 minutes, so it's an all-around winner.
No eggs needed
When it comes to single serve desserts, I always love an egg-free option. (As you can see in my single serve chocolate chip cookie recipe.) But it works especially well here because pumpkin purée can be used as an egg substitute!
But, make sure that you are using canned pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. I promise, there's a huge difference! I like Libby's cause it has less water and more flavor, but use what you have.
Make this recipe in the microwave
You can also use a ramekin to make mug cakes! Sometimes, I actually prefer them because they can handle a lot of heat.
Keep the cake from becoming gummy
Mug cakes are notorious for coming out gummy. But, I have a couple of tips so your cake will always come out soft and fluffy!
First off, don't over-mix the batter. It overdevelops the gluten which can make the cake sticky. Also, don't over-cook the cake! Every time I've had a dry or gummy mug cake it's because I microwaved it too much.
Microwaves can vary, so the cook time will totally depend on the microwave you have. The cake is ready when it's no longer jiggly, but the top is still a little shiny!
When it comes to small batch baking, I always recommend using a scale to measure the ingredients. Just a small amount of flour can make or break an entire recipe. But if you don't have a scale, use the fluff, spoon, & level method to measure flour, cocoa, & other dry ingredients. Here is a whole guide on how I measure ingredients for small batch baking!
If you try this recipe, I would love if you left a star rating and review. I read every comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thanks so much for supporting Midnight Bake Club!
The Best Pumpkin Mug Cake
Equipment
- Microwave-safe mug or ramekin
Ingredients
- 15 grams unsalted butter (1 Tablespoon)
- 25 grams brown sugar (2 Tablespoons, packed)
- 30 grams canned pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling (2 Tablespoons)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 30 milliliters whole milk (2 Tablespoons)
- 30 grams all purpose flour (¼ cup)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 15 grams mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate chips (1 Tablespoon)
Instructions
- Grease a microwave-safe mug (or ramekin) with neutral oil or baking spray. Then, add the unsalted butter to the mug. Melt in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and whisk until well-combined, another 30 seconds.
- Mix in the canned pumpkin purée, vanilla extract, and whole milk until smooth. Then, add the all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix just until there are no more streaks of flour, using a small rubber spatula to make sure you get all of the flour at the bottom of the mug. Don't over-mix the batter!
- Sprinkle the top of the mug cake with mini chocolate chips, if using. Microwave the mug cake on full power for 1-1 ½ minutes, or until it's no longer jiggly. The top of the cake should still be a little shiny. Enjoy right away!
Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear what you think!