Gingerbread Mug Cake

An easy recipe for gingerbread made in a mug. This microwave recipe is the prefect treat-size cake made in a few minutes. Quick, fuss free and less washing up.

GINGERBREAD MUG CAKE

I've been experimenting with some new mug recipes this week, including a few different mug cakes. If you haven't seen it already, do check out my vegan microwave mug macaroni cheese.

Gingerbread is the first mug cake I'm sharing with you (look out for new recipes over the next few weeks) and it's a real corker!

My husband is loving this gingerbread mug cake for dessert. He would eat it every day if he could get away with it.

He's requested it 3 times this week, but now he's giving his waistline a break on my orders, much to his disgust.

It's soft and spicy, just like gingerbread should be, but baked in a couple of minutes in a single serving.

Happy Days!

WHY ARE MUG CAKES SO GOOD?

1. They are quick - They are ready in a couple of minutes, sometimes less.
2. Less ingredients - They use just a few spoonfuls of everyday store cupboard ingredients.
3. Single portion cakes - If you don't want a full sized cake, these are a generous portion for one.
4. Less washing up - You can whip up a mug cake in the mug, so you only have a mug and s spoon to wash.
5. Sweet cravings - Don't have anything nice for a treat? Make a mug cake, it's quick and will satisfy that craving.
6. No skill required - Even if you're not confident baking, you'll have success every time with mug cakes.
7. Kid friendly - Kids love mug cakes and they are also easy for them to make themselves.
8. Kid safe - These cakes are made in the microwave so they are safer for children to make solo, than using an oven. The cakes are quick so the mugs get warm but not too hot to handle (do remind children to lift mug out by the handle just to be safe).
9. No scales required - All you need is a tablespoon and a teaspoon to measure ingredients.
10. No fancy equipment needed - Just a mug and a microwave
11. Energy saving - no need to have your oven on for up to an hour to bake a full-sized cake, just a couple of minutes in the microwave.
12. Delicious - mug cakes taste just as good as full-size cakes.

Check out my guide to mug cakes - Vegan Mug Cakes - What Microwaves Were Made For!

CAN I USE ANY CUP OR MUG TO MAKE A MUG CAKE?

You must use a mug or cup that is microwave safe. Look for the symbol on the base or the packaging to say it is microwave safe. The symbol is usually the picture of a microwave or squiggly lines (waves).

You also need a generous size mug. In a small cup you may find the cake overflows. Look for the type of deep mug you would serve hot chocolate or soup in.

Mugs are usually fairy cheap to buy.  I bought my glass mug for £3 from Asda, but you can find them from £1 upwards.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE GINGERBREAD MUG CAKE?

• plain flour
• baking powder
• sugar
• salt
• ground ginger
• ground cinnamon
• ground mixed spice
• raisins
• oil
• milk 

SPICES IN GINGERBREAD

Just use ground ginger and you'll have a great gingerbread, but to give the cake a really full flavour you should add other spices. 

Ground cinnamon, mixed spice and nutmeg are all good in gingerbread.

Stick to the quantity of spice I list in my recipe and use whatever mix you like.

WHAT IS TREACLE?

Black treacle is a rich, dark sugar syrup made from sugar cane molasses. It has an almost bitter caramel flavour, with a slight liquorice edge.

It's used in cakes, puddings and even in toffee. It gives a rich, deep flavour and that wonderful dark brown colour to bakes.

It is very similar to molasses. You may use molasses instead.

Just a wee extra tip. Did you know you can get a squeezy bottle of treacle now? Best invention over! 

No more sticky tin and lid. Goodness it was messy to use from a tin. Or was that just me?

WHAT FRUIT CAN I ADD TO GINGERBREAD?

Gingerbread is often plain and doesn't contain fruit, but adding it adds a nice hit of sweetness and a bit of chew to the texture which is rather nice.

You can add raisins, sultanas, mixed dried fruit or fruit peel (finely grated peel from oranges, lemons or limes).

You can add fruit straight into the mix or plump it up for 30 minutes to 1 hour before using in orange juice or rum. 

It will make the fruit softer and add flavour. Of course the rum is only for adults,

CAN I USE BICARBONATE OF SODA (BAKING SODA) INSTEAD OF BAKING POWDER?

You can use bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) instead of baking powder, but you have to adjust the recipe.

Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is a rising agent like baking powder, but baking powder has an extra acidic agent (cream of tartar) added. 

The chemical reaction starts when it hits the wet ingredients, which gives you rise in a cake.

You need that acidic agent if you're using bicarbonate of soda. So use a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar to replace the baking powder. Use slightly more tartar than soda.

Or you can use bicarbonate of soda and a squeeze of lemon in the milk.

CAN I USE SELF RAISING FLOUR IN A MUG CAKE?

You can use self-raising flour to make this mug cake and it will rise, but you may want to add a pinch of baking powder if you want a proper mugful of cake.

Self-raising flour already has baking powder added to the mix, but the ratio is about 1 tsp of baking powder to 1 cup of flour.

As this recipe only uses 4 tablespoons of flour, there won't be the equivalent raising agent in it.

Here's the maths:

16 tbsp self-raising flour (1 cup) has approx 1 tsp baking powder.

4 tbsp of self-raising flour has approx 1/4 tsp baking powder.

This recipe calls for 4 tbsp flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder.

As I said it will still rise, but probably not as much. Experiment and see how much rise you get. Heck it will still be a pretty darn good cake.

also try Easy Microwave Jam Sponge Pudding

MICROWAVE GUIDE

Microwaves vary a lot in power. In the UK they are rated from A to E. 

A is the least powerful and E is the most powerful, which will heat food a lot quicker. They tend to range from 600w to 1000w.

My microwave is in the highest range and classes as E with 800W. if yours is a higher wattage, you will need to microwave the cake for less time and if it is lower, you could need a little longer.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN A MUG CAKE IS READY?

When it is ready, the top of the cake is springy to the touch and not wet.

I've made this cake in 2 minutes and another time it took me an extra 20 seconds.

My glass mug seems to cook the cake slightly faster than my ceramic mugs. 

I would stop the microwave just before 2 minutes and touch the cake gently with your finger tip. If it is wet or any cake comes away on your finger tip, it needs a little longer.

Give it 10 second bursts after that.

MORE GINGERBREAD RECIPES TO TRY

vegan

• Dark Treacle Banana Gingerbread
• Gingerbread Cupcakes with Pineapple Frosting

vegetarian

• Gingerbread Cupcakes
• Gingerbread with Lemon Icing
• Treacle Gingerbread Loaf 

HOW TO SERVE GINGERBREAD MUG CAKE

Serve it in the mug 

• Warm with a dusting of icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
• Warm with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream
• Warm with a dollop of vanilla buttercream

Serve it in a bowl or on a tea plate

If you plan on serving it on a plate, grease the mug before making your cake and when it's ready, loosen around the edge of the cake with a knife and turn onto a plate.

• Warm with vanilla ice cream
• Warm with pouring cream
• Warm with pain youghurt
• Cold with a dusting of icing sugar

pin it for later

HOW TO MAKE GINGERBREAD MUG CAKE

Scroll down for step-by-step photos and a full printable recipe.

STEP 1 - FLOUR

Add plain or self-raising flour to a large, microwave safe mug. 

No need to sieve it.

If you're planning to serve the cake on a plate, remember to grease the mug before adding ingredients.

STEP 2 - SUGAR, SALT & RAISING AGENT

Next add your sugar, salt and baking powder or substitute raising agent (see further up post).

If you are using self raising flour you can add a pinch of baking powder for extra rise, but you don't need to.

STEP 3 - SPICES

Add ground ginger, ground cinnamon and ground mixed spice.

You can vary the spices, see my tips further up the post.

STEP 4 - WHISK

Next give the dry ingredients a good mix before you add the wet ingredients.

I used my son's cute mini whisk, but a fork or spoon will do the job just as well.

STEP 5 - RAISINS & OIL

Now add the raisins and oil.

You can skip adding raisins if you like, but they do give a lovely sweetness and chewy bites to the cake which is rather nice, like a spiced fruit cake.

STEP 6 - TREACLE

Now add the treacle (or molasses). This will give a deep flavour and wonderful colour to the gingerbread.

Use the spoon you measured the oil in and the treacle will slide off nicely with no mess to clear up.

STEP 7 - MILK

Now add the milk.

Just add whatever you have in the fridge. I used soya, but you can use absolutely any milk.

STEP 8 - MIX

Mix until well combined and you have a fairly thick batter.

Again I used a mini whisk, but a spoon or fork would do.

STEP 9 - MICROWAVE

Microwave until the cake is springy to the touch and not wet.

I used my 30 sec burst button. Itt takes 2 to 2 minutes 20 seconds depending on the cup I use. 

Your microwave may take less time. Keep an eye on it and check it after 1 minute 30 seconds, then give it a few more blasts until it's ready.

Once you've worked it the perfect time in your microwave. Make a note and stick to that.

STEP 10 - SERVE

Serve with a dusting of icing sugar while the cake is still warm.

For a real treat, serve topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (dairy or vegan).

mug cake, gingerbread, ginger cake, quick cake, microwave cake, microwave gingerbread, microwave ginger cake, spiced cake, vegan mug cake

baking

British, vegan

Yield: 1

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

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Gingerbread Mug Cake

An easy recipe for gingerbread made in a mug. This microwave recipe is the prefect treat size cake made in a few minutes. Quick, fuss free and less washing up.

Prep time: 2 MCook time: 2 MTotal time: 4 M

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground mixed spice
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp treacle
• 3 tbsp milk
• icing sugar to serve (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add all the dry ingredients into a large, microwave safe mug and whisk until well combined.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk again.
3. Microwave for up to 2 minutes 20 secs until the cake has risen and is soft and springy to the touch but not wet. Start checking at 1 minute 30 secs, then every 10-20 seconds, until you have worked out the perfect time using your microwave.
4. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
5. Enjoy!

Notes:

You can use self-raising flour. For extra rise you can add a pinch of baking powder too, but it's not essential.

You can use molasses instead of black treacle.

For a paler sponge with a milder flavour you could use golden syrup instead of treacle.

Brown sugar can be used instead of caster sugar and you can use half the sugar, if you want to cut down on sugar.

If you are serving the cake on a plate, grease the mug before making the cake and loosen with a knife before tipping onto a plate once cooked.

Serve plain with a dusting of icing sugar (confectioners sugar) or with cream or ice cream.

Best served while warm.

Calories
371.78

Fat (grams)
15.31

Sat. Fat (grams)
1.53

Carbs (grams)
55.50

Fiber (grams)
1.97

Net carbs
53.53

Sugar (grams)
24.10

Protein (grams)
5.49

Sodium (milligrams)
402.95

Cholesterol (grams)
3.67

Created using The Recipes Generator