Chocolate Lava Mug Cake

Name: Chocolate Lava Mug Cake
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 2 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp butter (softened); 2 tbsp boiling water; 2 tbsp cocoa powder; 55 g (1/4 cup) caster sugar; 40 g (1/4 cup) self-raising flour; 30 g dark chocolate (melts or squares)

Jump to Recipe

This 6 ingredient molten chocolate lava mug cake is rich and fudgy, and filled with gooey dark chocolate... ready to eat in just 2 minutes!

Guaranteed to satisfy any late night chocolate cravings!

Chocolate lava mug cake served with a scoop of ice cream.

When a chocolate craving hits, you cannot beat a mug cake for a quick comforting dessert. This chocolate lava mug cake recipe, with its liquid chocolate centre, is SO quick and SO easy to make, you'll be sinking your spoon into a warm luxurious dessert in no time!

Like my microwave brownies and microwave fudge, this gooey mug cake is made in minutes, and is a quick sweet treat that doesn't require the oven!

For more chocolate desserts that will please any chocolate fan, have a look at my chocolate self-saucing pudding, chocolate torte and fudgy brownies, all guaranteed to satisfy even the BIGGEST chocolate craving!

A spoon holding up a spoonful of the chocolate lava cake.

Why You're Going To Love This Recipe

Quick recipe - ready to enjoy in just 2 minutes, this chocolate mug cake is so quick and easy to make, and is perfect for whipping up last minute!
6 ingredients - you only need 6 basic ingredients to make this mug cake.
Packed with chocolate flavour - with a dense cocoa sponge and dark chocolate centre, there is rich chocolate flavour in every spoonful!
No need to turn the oven on - this recipe is made in the microwave for ultimate ease!
No egg chocolate mug cake - this chocolate lava mug cake is made without egg.

What You Need

You need just 6 pantry and fridge staple ingredients to make this molten lava cake in a mug!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Ingredients needed to make the recipe weighed out and placed in individual bowls.

Butter - you can use either salted butter or unsalted butter in this recipe.
Boiling water - this adds liquid to the cake batter as well as melting the butter!
Cocoa powder - use the best quality cocoa powder for the richest chocolate taste and deepest colour. I like to use Nestle or Cadbury cocoa powder.
Caster sugar - also known as superfine sugar.
Self-raising flour - also known as self rising flour. Or you can make your own self-raising flour.
Dark chocolate melts - or use squares of dark chocolate.

Equipment Required

All you need is a large mug or ramekin and a microwave to make this lava chocolate mug cake - that's it!

A spoon in a rich chocolate mug cake with ice cream.

Step By Step Instructions

Making chocolate lava cake in the microwave takes just 1 minute to prepare - and there's only 1 item to wash up when you've finished eating!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Step 1 - Melt The Butter

Place the butter into a mug or ramekin and pour over the boiling water. Stir until the butter has melted.

Step 2 - Add The Dry Ingredients

Add the cocoa powder, caster sugar and self raising flour.

Flour, sugar and cocoa powder added to the melted butter.

Mix together until thoroughly combined.

The cocoa powder and flour mixed into the butter.

Step 3 - Add The Chocolate Melts

Press the dark chocolate melts into the centre of the mixture.

Chocolate melts added to the centre of the mug cake batter.

Step 4 - Cook

Place the mug or ramekin into the microwave and cook until the cake is firm on the top and yet still slightly gooey in the middle.

Step 5 - Serve

Serve while warm with a scoop of ice cream (optional but so good!)

Chocolate mug cake served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Expert Tips

Cooking time - all microwaves vary greatly with how long they will take to cook this mug cake. I recommend cooking it for 1 minute to start, and then in 15 second bursts if extra cooking is needed.
Don't overcook the mug cake! - you want it to still be slightly gooey in the middle. Stop cooking once the cake is cooked on top.
If you think it's still a little undercooked (all microwaves are different) - cook for a further 10 - 50 seconds on medium power, in 15 second bursts.
Watch the cake - watch it carefully in the microwave to make sure it doesn't overflow.
Make 2 portions - you can split this mug cake in two smaller mugs or ramekins rather than 1 large mug/ramekin if you want 2 share!

FAQ's

Why is my mug cake a bit rubbery?

Your mug cake can be rubbery for a couple of reasons, you may have over-mixed the cake batter, or cooked the cake for a little too long.

Why is my mug cake hard?

Cooking the mug cake for too long, or at too high a temperature can both make the mug cake hard. If your mug cake is a little undercooked after 1 minute in the microwave, you can reduce power to 50% and cook in 15 second bursts to avoid over-cooking.

Why is mug cake lumpy?

Make sure you mix the ingredients thoroughly in the mug before cooking, otherwise you could end up with lumps of flour that aren't cooked.

Chocolate mug cake with ice cream melting on top, and a spoon holding up some of the liquid centre.

I believe you can never have enough chocolate desserts! Am I right?! Here are some more of my favourite easy chocolate recipes:

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