5-Minute Chocolate Lava Cake

It’s True! You can cook a cake in your microwave for just a few minutes and eat it right away! We didn’t believe it so we had to give it a try.

This single serving chocolate lava mug cake is extremely easy to make, only takes 5 minutes, and is perfect for dorm life! Also the rich chocolate center is guaranteed to satisfy your sweetest craving! This specific mug cake combines coco powder and semisweet milk chocolate chips to produce the chocolatey filling. We played around with the ingredients a little bit and found that adding Nutella or peanut butter instead as the filling works just as well.

All you need is a microwave, a mug and a few ingredients to enjoy this sweet treat.

Ingredients/Supplies

¼ cup Flour

¼ cup granulated Sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon of salt

3 tablespoons (1 ½ oz) melted butter

3 tablespoons milk (any type, e.g. skim, 2%, whole, almond at room temperature)

1 egg (any size)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 oz (28 grams) semisweet milk chocolate chips (substitutions can vary depending on what you like)

1 tablespoon water

½ teaspoon of baking powder

Mug
Microwave

Optional: Cooking spray

Notes:
-The middle (chocolate-y) filling must be 1 oz.; but it may vary based on your liking (ex. Peanut butter, dark chocolate chips, Nutella)

-The sizing of mug varies cook time; the mug we used for this recipe was tall and skinny. It measured 4.5 inches in height and 4 inches in diameter

-The voltage of microwave also varies cook time; the microwave we used was 950 Watts

1. Lightly grease coffee mug with cooking spray or butter (This will prevent the cake from sticking at the end)
2. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt.
3. Whisk together with a fork.

1. In microwave, melt butter to a liquid consistency, stirring frequently. (This should only take a few seconds)
2. Add butter and milk to mug.
3. Whisk together with a fork.

1. Add egg and a splash of vanilla.
2. Whisk together with fork.
3. Make sure that everything is stirred in very well, and there isn't any ingredients left at the bottom of the mug.

1. Add in your chocolate-y center, placing the filling directly in the center of the batter.
2. Top the batter off with a drizzle of water (this will help with the moist-ness and also the chocolate center)

1. Place in microwave and microwave on high for 1:15 to 2 minutes. Although this is a HUGE range, each microwave and mug is different. For our specific mug and 950 W microwave, the secret time was 1:30 seconds. It's very important to not over-bake the cake, because this will take away from the moist and chocolate-y center. So we recommend taking your cake out frequently and checking for completion for your first trial.
2. When you believe the cake is complete and has risen to the top of the mug, remove the mug from the microwave, and simply press your finger on the top off the cake. The consistency should be "sponge" like, with some residue coming off onto your finger. It should also seem a little wet, but not raw!

1. Let mug and cake cool! Although this might seem obvious, we promise the bottom of the cake is hotter than you think!
2. ENJOY!!!