1 Minute Microwave Gingerbread Mug Cake Recipe

I was given a traditional gingerbread cake recipe by a family friend about 20 years ago and have since adapted it to make a Christmas mug cake. A single-serving dessert, It’s quick and easy to mix together for warm gingerbread in no time!

This Gingerbread Mug Cake Recipe is an easy recipe that combines ginger and warm spices with brown sugar and maple syrup for a moist and fluffy gingerbread cake that tastes like Christmas! It’s a simple and delicious way to satisfy sweet cravings this holiday season! 

Most of the time, when I make a mug cake, I mix the ingredients straight into the cup. But there are times when there is a queue of kiddos, each wanting their own, and then I mix the ingredients in a separate bowl and divide it between cups before putting them in the microwave one at a time. 

The only thing with mug recipes is that they can get a little messy, which, I guess, is also their charm. Mixing the ingredients in a separate bowl makes getting a clean look easier.

The beauty of mug cakes is that they are designed to be quick and delicious, not necessarily picture-perfect! 

Gingerbread Mug Cake Ingredients

1 egg

4 tbsp softened butter or coconut oil

4 tbsp all-purpose flour  – you can use half whole wheat flour and half regular flour if you wish. 

4 tbsp dark brown sugar  

4 tbsp golden or maple syrup  

1/4 tsp baking powder 

Pinch of salt

1-2 tsp Gingerbread Spice mix – Using a ready made mix makes this a quick and easy cake. You can also add the spices individually, inthat case I suggest

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

optional: whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, candy canes

If using homemade gingerbread spice mix, use 1 teaspoon for a mild flavor, 1.5 teaspoons for a traditional gingerbread flavor, and 2 teaspoons for a strong, spicy flavor.

Method

You will need a microwave-safe mug that holds at least one and a half cups/ 400ml. Most large coffee mugs can hold about that. You can also divide the mixture between two small coffee cups.

1. In a small bowl, beat the egg, butter, maple syrup, and sugar together. Using a mini whisk can be helpful if you have one.  You want the wet ingredients to be well beaten. 

2. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly using a fork before transferring them to a large mug that is microwave-safe.

3. Cook on full for 1 – 1.5 minutes. Baking time will vary, depending on your microwave. You want the cake to rise and be firm on top but not dry out. 

Getting the microwave time right the first time you make them can be tricky. But with some practice, you can learn the perfect time needed to bake the cake to perfection. I've been making a lot of mug cakes recently and have learned to watch the cake through the microwave window. You want to catch it a few seconds after it has reached full rise. 

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Serving suggestions

Serve this sweet treat hot in your favorite Christmas mug with a scoop of vanilla ice cream right on top of the cake. Or allow it to cool and serve with whipped cream, sprinkles, or crushed candy cane. 

 I recently discovered that you can make whipped cream using an immersion blender, which takes less time and is more convenient than a whisk. If you have a piping bag, you can use that to make pipe pretty swirls on top of your cake for the perfect treat!

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Variations

We love to vary this recipe by adding raisins, dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and sometimes chopped nuts. 

 If you are on a low-sodium diet, use unsalted butter and omit the salt in this recipe. You can also use coconut oil, though it needs to be melted first. 

So far, I’ve made this recipe using muscovado, granulated, and coconut sugar. They were all delicious, but our favorite is made using dark muscovado sugar. 

Some syrup alternatives include dark corn syrup, golden syrup, and molasses.