Presenting the BEST Brownie in a Mug recipe EVER! Okay, I’m not one for blowing my own trumpet, far from it in fact but this was a mini triumph concocted by myself and my daughter Bethany.
We’d enjoyed some delicious Mug Brownies made by Simply Cake Co. and had decided to see if we could make them ourselves using common store cupboard ingredients. Bethany told me how she wanted her Brownie in a mug to taste and I thought up the ingredients to match her likes and dislikes.
Incidentally, for more info about Simply Cake Co. or Nono (where the chocolate decorations came from) head to this invaluable Guide for Gluten Free small businesses that deliver across the UK
So, first things first, how do you go about making a brownie or cake in a mug?…..
How do you make a mug cake / brownie?
To be fair, I think I’ve been making things like this since microwaves were invented, yes, I’m that old.
Whoa! Scrap that, just Googled when microwaves were invented and it was 1946 I’m not that THAT old! I seem to recall them becoming a household must-have in the 80’s though so I was about 10 then.
I’m going off topic again, sorry. Basically, since I’ve been using microwaves, I’ve been making microwave cakes and puddings so this is really just the mini version of that.
The joy of making a cake or brownie in a mug is that you only need the mug and a spoon for the equipment.
Simply measure your ingredients (I use measuring spoons) into the large cup or mug and pop into the microwave for one minute – hey-presto you have your very own personal Brownie in a mug!
Can the Brownie in a Mug be vegan too?
Yes this brownie in a mug is egg free anyway so no need to swap out ingredients. In fact I’d recommend NOT using an egg for this recipe unless you plan to make a bigger batch of brownie mixture and pour into several mugs.
I also use dairy free butter for all my recipes (being intolerant to dairy) so you’ll always see me recommend a solid block of vegan butter such as Flora or Pure (available here in the UK). I’ll be honest and say I prefer the Flora plant butter as this acts just like butter in baking.
Can I add egg to my Mug Brownie?
If you would still like to use egg in your recipe I would make these swaps and be prepared to make more than one portion.
TOP TIP: The ratio I would recommend is 4x this recipe with one egg. (just increase the serving number on the recipe card below to 4 servings)
If you used one egg for one mug you’re going to end up with an omelette/cake hybrid and I don’t think the world is ready for something like that!
How do Mug Cakes work?
Erm, I’m not entirely sure! It’s like my Simple Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding – gluten free and magical, as the title suggests, it’s magic!
The point is that you’re using a tiny amount of ingredients in the perfect ratios to one another; flour, fat, liquid and cocoa. Then the microwaves blast the liquid into baking at high speed forcing it to form a stable structure 20x faster than if you were making a brownie or small chocolate cake.
The bonus is that because it all happens in 60 seconds the moisture is retained so you end up with a moist and fudge-like sponge or brownie texture depending on the type of ingredients you use.
What makes this a fudgy brownie in a mug?
I decided to use dark brown sugar and chocolate chunks. The sugar is naturally toffee-like in its favour and soft in texture. Adding the chocolate chunks gives the gooey chocolate texture hidden beneath the surface.
TOP TIP: if you prefer to have a cake in a mug then simply cook for 20 seconds longer (I use a 900W microwave). This extra 20 seconds will firm up the sponge texture into a moist cake-like treat. 60 seconds leaves the centre of the mug brownie a little extra chewy and gooey.
You may have to play with timings if your microwave has different power levels.
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If you love this simple chocolate mug cake recipe, you’ll love these
One Minute Fudgy Brownie in a Mug Recipe
A super simple 60 second Fudgy Brownie in a Mug recipe. In fact, cook for another 20 seconds and you've got a cake instead. Both gluten free and vegan, this can be made in the blink of an eye for those chocolate cravings or made in bigger batches for a deliciously simple family dessert.
- 2 tbsp gluten free self raising flour
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp water
- 30 g butter, melted I use Flora plant based butter
- 2 tbsp dairy free chocolate chips or DF chocolate cut into chunks
Find a suitable microwavable mug or large tea cup and spray with oil (or brush with oil) I use a coconut oil spray.
You have the choice here to prepare in the mug or in a small jug, I prepared in a small jug so the finished mug brownie had cleaner sides, you don't need to do this!
Add all the ingredients (minus the chocolate chips) to your mug and stir well to combine. The brownie mixture will be fairly runny like a pouring chocolate sauce.
Next add your chocolate chips or chunks and stir again to incorporate into the mixture.
Pop your mug into the microwave and set the cooking time to 60 seconds on 900W (you will need to adjust this if your microwave has a different wattage).
Watch your mug brownie rise like magic!
Once finished, remove from the microwave and stand on the side for 1 minute – you will burn your mouth if you attempt to eat this immediately.
The brownie will sink back down the mug sides a little, this is normal.
On this occasion I topped my brownie in a mug with some vegan chocolate decorations from Nono Chocolates.
TOP TIP: if you prefer to have a cake in a mug then simply cook for 20 seconds longer (I use a 900W microwave). This extra 20 seconds will firm up the sponge texture into a moist cake-like treat. 60 seconds leaves the centre of the mug brownie a little extra chewy and gooey.
You may have to play with timings if your microwave has different power levels.
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You give the dry ingredients as Tablespoons but the butter as grams!? Just say half a stick or however much it is. Sheesh 🙄
I am in the UK and we don’t have ‘sticks’ here, not even sure what that is, our butter comes in 250g blocks. We use scales to measure our ingredients hence the 30g – thanks for the comment though.
Wow. That looks heavenly, I’d love to try this!
Wow, it looks so rich and very tasty! I love how easy it is to make. I can’t wait to try!
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
YUM, looks good. Pinned.
Great recipe!
This looks divine Rebecca. So rich and chocolatey. Mind you… A cake so delicious that I can make and devour in a matter of minutes is a very dangerous thing. I suspect I wouldn’t stop at just one 😂
Thanks for sharing with #CookBlogShare
Ooh I like the idea of this for a quick sneaky pudding, presuming you have to add melted butter initially?
Thankyou.
You are my top editor at the moment! thank you for pointing that out, yes, the butter should be melted, it’s changed now xxx
Hehe, perfect – thanks! x