2-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake with Nuts (Microwave Safe)

Written by Aarushi Agrawal | September 24, 2025

Craving something rich, chocolatey, and warm, but don’t want a store-brought or bake an entire cake? Enter the 2-minute chocolate mug cake with nuts, your new go to for a quick, single serve dessert fix. This mug cake is moist, fudgy, and packed with cocoa flavor, with the bonus crunch of toasted nuts folded in. Best of all, it’s made in one mug and takes just two minutes in the microwave. This quick chocolate mug cake with nuts recipe is perfect for late night cravings, study breaks, or when you just need instant dessert fix. There’s no need for a mixer, no eggs involved, and no special tools, just a microwave safe mug, a spoon, and a sweet tooth.

Ingredients:

¼ cup (30 g) all purpose flour
2 tablespoons (15 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon baking powder
A pinch of salt
3 tablespoons (45 ml) milk (dairy or non dairy)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil (such as canola, vegetable, or melted coconut oil)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix-ins:

1 tablespoon (15 g) chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1 tablespoon (15 g) chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts)

Optional toppings:

Additional chocolate chips
A scoop of ice cream
Nut butter drizzle
Pinch of flaky sea salt

Method:

Use a microwave safe mug that holds at least 12 ounces to avoid overflow. Ceramic or thick glass mugs work best. Avoid using metal or insulated mugs, which can interfere with heating. Lightly grease the inside of the mug with a bit of oil or butter if you’d like an easier cleanup or plan to remove the cake from the mug later.

In the mug, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt. Use a spoon or mini whisk to stir well, making sure no lumps remain and everything is evenly combined. This step is key to getting a uniform texture.
To the same mug, add the milk, oil and vanilla extract.

Stir until the batter is smooth, glossy, and evenly mixed. Scrape the sides and bottom to ensure all dry bits are incorporated. If the batter seems too thick, add a splash more milk. It should be pourable but thick, like pudding before it sets.
Now gently stir in the chocolate chips or chunks and chopped nuts of your choice. For extra crunch, toast your nuts briefly in a dry skillet beforehand or use roasted varieties. Walnuts and pecans pair especially well with chocolate. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips or nut pieces on top if desired.

Place the mug in the microwave and heat on high for 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on your microwave’s power, typically between 900–1100 watts. Watch the cake as it rises. It's normal for it to puff up over the rim a bit and then settle back down. For a soft and gooey center, check at 90 seconds, and for a fully cooked, slightly cakier result, go up to 2 minutes. But avoid overcooking, as this can lead to a dry texture. Remember that mug cakes continue to cook for a few seconds even after the microwave stops.
Allow the mug cake to sit for 2 minutes before digging in. This gives the cake time to settle and prevents you from burning your mouth. The texture will be soft and slightly fudgy in the center, with a gooey melt from the chocolate chips and a bit of crunch from the nuts.
Your 2-minute chocolate mug cake is ready to eat straight from the mug. Nut if you’re feeling indulgent, you can add a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream for contrast, drizzle warm peanut butter, almond butter, or hazelnut spread over the top, top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder or cinnamon, dust with powdered sugar for a more elegant finish or sprinkle flaky sea salt on top to bring out the chocolate’s richness.

Mug cakes are best eaten fresh, but if you have leftovers, cover the mug and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Reheat for 20 seconds in the microwave before serving.

Tips:

Don’t overmix. Stir just until combined. Overmixing can create a tough cake.
Avoid overcooking. It’s better to have a slightly gooey center than a rubbery sponge.

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