You work hard. In the cold post-finals winter, you deserve a treat. So whip up this chocolate delight, it’ll only take a few minutes. This mug cake has a warm, oozing center nestled in a luscious dark chocolate cake. It’s so quick and easy to make, that you’ll go from freezing to festive faster than you can make a cup of coffee. Plus, this recipe has been tested with ingredient swaps that make it delicious for nut-free, dairy-free and vegan diets too.

Easy

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: about 4 minutes

Servings: 1

Ingredients:
½ cup flour
2 tablespoons dark chocolate cocoa powder
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
5 tablespoons milk*
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons Nutella**
*For vegan or dairy free diets, we tested 4 milk substitutes. We recommend using plain or vanilla almond milk as the best substitute for regular milk.

**For nut-free diets, we recommend replacing the Nutella with sunflower seed butter or your favorite nut-free spread.

Directions:

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Photo by Parsa Lotfi.

  1. Mix all the ingredients, except the Nutella, in your mug or a bowl until a smooth batter forms.
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Photo by Parsa Lotfi.

  1. Drop a large spoonful (about 2 tablespoons) of Nutella into the center of the batter. Don’t worry about precision here.
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Photo by Parsa Lotfi.

  1. Microwave the cake on high for 75 seconds uncovered. Since microwave ovens vary, you may find it necessary to add or subtract up to 5 seconds until the cake is “baked” to your liking.
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Photo by Parsa Lotfi.

  1. Enjoy the cake immediately. Pair it with hot coffee, tea or a glass of milk.
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Photo by Parsa Lotfi.

Extras:

Looking to change it up? Try using other spreads for the center. Peanut butter and cookie butter are both tasty variations. If you’re making multiple mug cakes for your extremely lucky friends, we recommend microwaving the cakes separately instead of all at once.

More holiday cheer you deserve:

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