3-2-1 Microwave Mug Cake (+Video)
3-2-1 Microwave Mug Cake is made with only two main ingredients and water. It whips up in minutes and is the perfect single serving dessert!
A SIMPLE DESSERT FOR ONE!
I truly don’t know the origins of this cake. I remember it being on the back of a Duncan Hines cake mix many years ago. If any of you who ever lived in a dorm or in a teeny tiny apartment that didn’t come with an oven, then you are probably very familiar with this recipe since learning to cook with a microwave can be it’s own art form when you don’t own an oven. It makes a deliciously quick dessert that satisfies any sweet tooth!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Use any type of cake mix you like. But it has to be mixed with the Angel Food Cake mix for this to work properly. Feel free to play with different toppings depending on the flavor of cake you use. Whipped cream, canned fruit fillings or fresh fruit are all great toppings to try.
There are many different versions. This one is made with two different types of cake mixes mixed with water.
Mug cake has a sponge-like cake texture so it tastes very light and not like a heavy dessert at all.
Absolutely! We are cooking this long enough so that any raw flour in the mixes has been thoroughly cook. There aren’t any eggs in this recipe so you don’t have to worry about that being an issue.
Of course! What’s wonderful about this recipe is the ease of making it and that you can easily pull it out of your pantry and whip it up in seconds. However, you can certainly put in some more time and effort to make it all from scratch!
Keep your bag of cake mix stored in your dry and cool pantry for up to 2 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- angel food cake mix
- any flavor cake mix (Funfetti used here)
- water
- frosting
HOW TO MAKE MICROWAVE MUG CAKE:
Pour both dry cake mixes into a gallon-size Ziploc bag.
Zip it up tight and begin to shake it well to make sure cake mixes are combined thoroughly. In a microwave-safe mug (you do not need to grease the mug), combine 3 tablespoons of the combined cake mixes with 2 tablespoons of water.
Stir well until completely combined. Batter will get foamy as you stir. Then pop it into the microwave. Cook on high for 1 minute.
And that’s how it gets its name, 3-2-1 Microwave Mug Cake. I like to write the directions on the outside of the bag so everyone will know how to prepare it when they pull it out of the pantry.
To make:
3 Tablespoons mug cake mix
2 Tablespoons water
1 minute in the microwave.
When it’s finished, carefully take it out of the microwave (mug will be very warm.) Dab a little frosting on top (optional) and dig into the warm cake. You can eat the cake right out of the mug or you can run your finger or a butter knife gently around the inside edge of the mug. Flip mug over on a plate. And dig in!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Original published: September 2015
Updated and republished: January 2023
3-2-1 Microwave Mug Cake (+Video)
Ingredients
- 1 box Angel Food cake mix
- 1 box any flavor cake mix (I used Funfetti)
To prepare one serving:
- 2 Tablespoons water (for preparing)
- store-bought frosting (optional)
Instructions
- Pour 1 box Angel Food cake mix and 1 box any flavor cake mix into a gallon-size Ziploc bag.
- Zip it up tight and begin to shake it well to make sure cake mixes are combined thoroughly.
- To prepare: In a microwave-safe mug (you do not need to grease the mug), combine 3 Tablespoons of the combined cake mixes with 2 Tablespoons water .
- Stir well until completely combined. Batter will get foamy as you stir.
- Then microwave for one minute. Top with some store-bought frosting, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Rainbow Chip and Funfetti are two of our favorite cake mixes to use.
- For One Serving:
- 3 tablespoons cake mix
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 minute in the microwave.
- When it’s finished, carefully take it out of the microwave (mug will be very warm.) Dab a little frosting on top (optional) and dig into the warm cake.
Or you can run your finger or a butter knife gently around the inside edge of the mug. Flip mug over on a plate. If you like, add a dollop of frosting on top. - Keep your bag of cake mix stored in your dry and cool pantry for up to 2 months. Use any type of cake mix you like. But it has to be mixed with the Angel Food Cake mix for this to work properly. Feel free to play with different toppings depending on the flavor of cake you use. Whipped cream, canned fruit fillings or fresh fruit are all great toppings to try.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I love this! I have found that with chocolate cake, it's better if you also add 1/2 cup cocoa powder to the two mixes. Also if you want a double portion, it still only takes a minute to microwave.
This has to be the greatest invention of the 21st century! My granddaughter loves cupcakes and so do I. Now we can make them whenever we want! Any suggestions about how to make and keep frosting on hand?
We’ve been planning these for little “just add water” gifts…to fill the empty space in the jars we used chocolate, caramel, or mint chips and they actually settle to the bottom during cooking and serve as icing if you flip it onto a plate…or just dig the bottom while eating straight from the cup!
Great idea!
Hi Denise,
I lined an ice tray with plastic wrap and filled each cavity with a dollop of frosting, then covered it with another sheet of plastic wrap to seal and put it in the freezer. Once they’re frozen I can just cut one of the cubes off and let it thaw for a few minutes and have frosting for my mug cakes. I think that the individual ice cube size will be the perfect amount of frosting for one cake and because they’re small they’ll thaw quickly at room temperature. I just prepared them so I haven’t used any yet, but frosting freezes well so it should work out great.
Do you know if this works with the gluten free mixes
This is amazing! I am heading to college in a week and this will be perfect for late night studying!
I am going to the store and picking up all the things for this ……so my grandaughter can put it together and make some for us. Thank you and I would love to listen to you on the radio if you were only in Indiana on a radio station.
I'm in love with this. I love having single desserts like this. I make a 100 calorie brownie very similar to this, but this looks magical – thank you!
I am very excited about this! 🙂 I am headed to college in August and will only have a microwave. Since I love to bake, I will miss having an oven, but this will be a happy substitute I think 🙂
Congratulations! I am so excited for you! I hope this will at least be an easier and tasty way for you to get your cake fix. Microwave cooking becomes an art while in college. Ha!
I was so excited to see this recipe and then it just tickled me when I saw the cup. I yelled over to my husband "Look honey! She has our pattern!!"
Haha! I would love to get more of this pattern. Right now I just have the cups. I do a lot of thrift store shopping so I'm always looking out for them,
HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?!?! This is dangerous knowledge to posses.
that looks great!! And my momma had those dishes like your mug (with the brown around it) and I have the green like your plate!!
My kids are gonna loooove this!!!
Brandie, Love the picture of you sitting on the porch so as to not wake the family. Having never heard you speak, it was so fun to hear a southern accent. Perfect! So is this mug cake…I love individual portions, especially if I can have a cake to call my own. Brava!
Just made this with a plain yellow mix so I threw in about a 1/2 cup of sprinkles. YUMMY!! Couldn't find my frosting so I took some bark chocolate and shaved it off over the top and it melted so easy. Thanks for another great recipe. I'll be sharing the bag with a friend. Teri 🙂
So simple and easy and just the right portion size! Thanks for sharing!
Congrats for being on the show Brandie!!! Glad everything is going well for you!
Looks so fun!
It's been so hot we haven't cooked anything in ages…but with our weekend cool spell, I gave your Crock-pot cubed steak a go. My hubby was so pleased to have "food" again lol. Made your 3-2-1 Mug cake (using lemon cake mix) for dessert too….Wonderful meal. Thanks for the 'food' ideas;-) Really love your site and recipes.
~tracy
P.S….thanks for sharing my blog link…Woot!
AHA – I have the VERY SAME thing in my pantry…marked on the bag and everything!! Love this for a quick snack…and lowfat too. Really really fun to get to hear you on the radio Girlie! But you were a STAR before you were on the radio…=)
How neat that you were on the radio! Unfortunately, my speakers are out and I cannot listen. 🙁 Thanks for sharing this Mug Cake recipe ~ I'm thinking of several people that would love it.
You always share such wonderful goodies!
Pat
Thank you so much for posting this!!! I have been craving cupcakes for weeks now but I have held off on fixing them because the three of us do not need 24 cupcakes! Now I can get my cupcake fix without any going to waste or gorging on them to keep them from wasting! 😉 I have never heard of this before but it sounds so neat!!
I love this!! Adding into my grocery list today!!
Thank you for comng on the show 🙂
The other good thing about these Janna is they aren't really heavy. they are light, yet moist! Hope you love it!
My guys would go crazy over this. Love the ease of it.
Amanda – I appreciated you staying up to listen that night!! 🙂 Hope Skye likes this one!
I loved hearing you on the radio show! you were great! As for the new recipe I showed it to Skye and he said COOL! guess I will be making this one before long. Thanks for all the great recipes! <3 Amanda