Make a Gingerbread Mug Cake – it’s so Quick and Easy

This delicious Gingerbread mug Cake Recipe makes an easy and delicious dessert that you can whip up quickly. Full of warming cosy spices, it’s perfect for the chilly days of winter or when you want a cake fix without all the hassle of making a large cake. It’s fast, taking only 5 minutes from start to finish. This is definitely a recipe to come back to time and time again.

I love recipes like this that use few ingredients, don’t require any special baking skills, cook quickly and create minimal clearing up afterwards but still really deliver when it comes to flavour. If you have a busy life like me, you probably appreciate recipes like that.

About this Ginger Mug Cake Recipe

If you love Gingerbread Cake then you’re going to love this recipe. It’s really straightforward and won’t disappoint you when it comes to flavour.

• What is a mug cake? A mug cake is simply a single-portion sponge cake, cooked in a mug. Perfect for when you need a quick and easy cake fix. This recipe makes delicious gingerbread in a mug.
• full of warming spices such as cinnamon, ground ginger and mixed spice. These spices are widely used in autumn and winter recipes. Think of your favourite recipes for staving off the chill of autumn and winter… they probably use those same spices.
• saves on washing up as it can all be made in a mug and eaten from the same mug. Yay! less washing-up afterwards.
• cooks in a couple of minutes in the microwave making it perfect for those times you really want cake.
• makes a great gingerbread pudding if you team it up with ice cream, greek yogurt or custard.
• easy to make with everyday ingredients and there are a few customisations that you can make to make it your own.

Good to know … A Beginner-friendly recipe

Difficulty – this ginger mug cake is not a difficult recipe to make. if you can measure (with spoons) stir a few ingredients together and bake in a microwave then you can do this. This is a beginner-friendly recipe.

Texture – the texture of this mug cake is that of a sponge cake. It is light and can include a few raisins for texture and stem ginger (preserved ginger). Both of those ingredients are optional.

Ease of making – You need a microwaveable mug to make the cake in. The mug needs to be microwaveable so that it doesn’t get super hot whilst the cake is cooking. This is usually stated on the label on the base of the mug. If your mug isn’t suitable for use in a microwave you run the risk of scalding your hand when you take it out of the microwave.

Ingredients in this Simple Mug Cake Recipe

This easy mug cake recipe is made using ordinary everyday ingredients which are easy to find. This mug cake doesn’t require eggs, it relies on the flour and baking powder to give it an airy lightness. This makes it suitable for vegans as long as you use vegan-friendly milk.

• Dry ingredients – plain flour, and baking powder basically create the structure of the cake. You may substitute self-raising flour if you wish.
• Spices – these include cinnamon, ginger and mixed spice. Why so many? The combination of these spices are what gives this mug cake a lovely depth of flavour. They really help each other to stand out to create a really aromatic, flavourful mug cake.
• Sweeteners – the mug cake is sweetened by caster sugar and the treacle. If you use raisins and the preserved ginger these will also add a little sweetness along with a lot of flavour.
• oil and milk – together these are the liquids that combine all of the dry ingredients together to help create the cake. The milk can be dairy, oat milk, almond milk or soya. I’ve used all of these types of milk successfully so be confident in substituting plant-based milks for dairy versions.

Notes on the mug

First of all, you need to find a suitable mug that will hold the cake mixture. It needs to be microwaveable and able to hold about 500 mls.

It also helps to have a mug that is fairly wide as it helps with mixing and eating. You can get that spoon in there without trying to reach down a long way and struggling to reach every last delicious morsel.

Step-by-Step Preparation of the Mug Cake

There are only a few steps to follow, making this Gingerbread Mug cake recipe is very easy. Lets get started.

• Measure all of the ingredients into the microwaveable mug and stir. You just need to stir until there are no dry floury bits remaining. It will make a fairly loose batter.
• Place this in the microwave and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. (800 – 900 watts) Take it out of the microwave and check to see if it is done. If the cake is still wet on the top, microwave it for another 15 seconds and check again. You want it to be set on the top, that’s your sign that it’s ready.
• Once the cake is cooked, carefully remove the mug from the microwave using oven mitts or a kitchen towel. Be cautious as the mug will be hot.
• Allow the gingerbread mug cake to cool for a minute or two before enjoying it. You can eat it directly from the mug or transfer it to a bowl or plate.

Make it Vegan

So, how do you ensure that this warm and spicy pudding is a vegan gingerbread mug cake, suitable for plant-based and vegan diets?

• This mug cake recipe does not contain eggs. It relies on other ways of making the cake rise.
• It contains ‘milk’ but this can be dairy or non-dairy. This recipe is successful using oat milk, soya milk, and almond milk and this has been tried and tested to ensure that it does.
• Use plant-based or vegan-friendly yogurt or cream. This information should be easily found on the product label so that you can be confident about what you’re eating.
• Remember … that you can make custard just the same with plant-based milks and every dessert is nicer with custard or is that just me?

Serving the Mug Cake – making it amazing

Once your gingerbread mug cake is ready, why not make it really special and serve it with a few wonderful additions?

• You could eat it directly out of the mug – why not?
• Sprinkle a little icing sugar (powdered sugar) over the top for a little extra sweetness.
• Serve it with creamy Greek yogurt and a few berries.
• How about a little whipped or squirty cream? It can really make everything taste quite lovely.
• You can remove the gingerbread from the mug and serve it in a bowl and maybe add a little homemade custard.
• Vanilla ice cream is always a favourite.
• Have you considered a little caramel sauce? This is just divine.

Tips for a Perfect Gingerbread Mug Cake

To achieve perfect results with this easy mug cake recipe, here are a few tips.

• Ensure that all the ingredients are well-mixed so that there are no dry bits of flour left.
• Adjust the cooking time based on the wattage of your microwave. Start with 1 minute and 30 seconds, and then add increments of 10 seconds if needed.
• Be careful when handling the hot mug after microwaving. Use oven mitts or a kitchen towel to avoid burns.

Variations to the Gingerbread Mug Cake

While this classic gingerbread mug cake is delicious there are a few other flavours that you can try. These are a few of our ideas. If you have any other suggestions please share them.

• Chocolate Gingerbread: Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the batter for a chocolaty twist.
• Orange Gingerbread: Incorporate some orange zest into the batter to give a citrusy note. This is a really lovely flavour.
• Nutty Gingerbread: Stir in a handful of chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, for added crunch and flavour.

What are your favourite ways to enjoy this gingerbread mug cake?

If you like this, then you may like these

• Castella Cake
• Banana and Date Loaf Cake
• Rock Cakes
• Chocolate Lava Cake
• Blueberry Crumble
• Easy Vegan Blueberry muffins
• Blueberry Orange Muffins
• Double Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Honey Cake
• Shortbread
• Easy Zucchini Bread (Courgette bread)

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