Want a sweet treat without making a whole cake or dessert? Mug Cakes are the answer! Whomever first came up with this concept is right up there with the creator of Buffalo Sauce as far as I am concerned! If you enjoy pumpkin flavor, this Pumpkin Mug Cake is for you!!
I know some people are like why do “they” have to “pumpkin” everything?? I am all up for pumpkin bread, cupcakes, muffins, scones, cakes and cookies but that’s pretty much it. Leave my coffee alone ha!
This easy to make single serve mug cake recipe hits the spot! Especially in the fall when you crave pumpkin everything. However, it’s delicious all-year-long.
Don’t sleep on how delicious pumpkin in a savory recipe is. Many small pumpkins and gourds are edible and fantastic to use for more than just pies and cakes. Pumpkin is a fruit after all!
Tip: Roasting small gourds and pumpkins are wonderful for cheese boards too. Just slice into them and enjoy as is or spread onto breads, with a wedge of cheese, some chopped spiced nuts or as is. Roasted pumpkin is wonderful and good for you too!
Use a cheese spreader to cut into roasted pumpkins / gourds to spread the creamy roasted pumpkin.
How Do You Make A Pumpkin Mug Cake?
Making Mug Cake is simple! Grab the below ingredients, mix them up in a small bowl, spoon the batter into a microwave-safe mug and cook for 1 minute and 30 seconds! That’s it!
How Do You Cook A Microwave Mug Cake?
The magic when it comes to mug cakes is that they cook up beautifully in your microwave in under 2 minutes. No oven baking necessary. Microwaves excite the water molecules in the batter and basically steam cooks the cake into form. Bonus it’s such a fast way to get your dessert fix and bonus, the kitchen smells delicious!
Can You Make More Than One?
Sure, Just double the ingredients and spoon into two mugs equally. However, you will need to cook each mug cake separately.
- Use my Spiced Sugar instead of brown sugar and the added spices. I swear by this for baking in general and it makes the BEST holiday food gift or food gift in general!! See recipe card for swap measurements.
- Add in chopped nuts or mini chocolate chips (just a bit of either or both).
- Top with powdered sugar, additional Spiced Sugar, ice cream, whipped cream, my easy cinnamon buttercream or enjoy plain.
If you are making just one pumpkin mug cake, freeze excess pumpkin if you wont be using it in the next 5 days or so. Always remove excess from cake and store in fridge or freeze in ice cube trays for later use.
What Do You Top A Mug Cake With?
- You can enjoy a mug cake as is (especially if you cook it just a bit less an enjoy it gooey, mmm) or top it with Cinnamon Whipped Cream or Cinnamon Buttercream.
- I’ll show you below how to make just enough Cinnamon Buttercream for one mug cake in the recipe card notes. If you want to try it for something larger, I have a recipe here on my site for Chocolate Chip Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream that is so good and varies from the instructions below.
- If you are into ice cream on cake, you can also plop a dollop of your favorite on top as well.
Tips For Success
- So many factors go into making a perfect microwave mug cake. Every microwave seems to vary, the size of your egg, the moisture in your sugar, the size and type of mug you use, elevation, etc.
- I have found that when you use a smaller mug for this, which I like to do, you need to stop the microwave a couple of times. Just as the cake begins to pop up out of the mug.
- Stop it for a few seconds, restart the microwave, stop it again and then allow it to finish.
- If you are using a larger mug, you can just let it go, since it won’t be popping up over the top. For me 1 minute and 30 seconds work perfectly. I do however have a strong microwave. So for you, quickly insert a toothpick into the center of your cake 1 minute and 30 seconds in…If its wet, pop it back in for another 10-20 seconds.
Make this easy Pumpkin Mug Cake Recipe for one, two or more.
I hope you enjoy this! XO Colleen
Recipe originally posted in October, 2018. Updated September, 2025.
Pumpkin recipes to try
Pumpkin Mug Cake
When you have a sweet craving but don’t want to make a whole pumpkin cake, make this Pumpkin Mug Cake recipe in minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk
- 4 TBS brown sugar OR 2.5 TBS of my Spice Sugar, see notes
- ¼ cup canned pumpkin
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ TBS melted butter
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Dash or two of nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup flour
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
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In a small bowl, combine egg yolk and brown sugar and mix until blended. Add in pumpkin, vanilla, melted butter, spices, salt, and mix until combined. Add in flour baking soda and powder and mix until fully blended.
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Spray a mug with cooking spray (or grease with a little butter. Spoon batter into (see notes about mug sizes).
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Place mug in the center of your microwave and set cook time for 1 minute and 30 seconds at full power. if using an 8oz mug, stop cook time once cake pops over the rim. Wait 5 seconds and restart, once it puffs back up, stop, wait 5 seconds and restart until done cooking. Test for doneness.
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Top with Cinnamon Whipped Cream, Cinnamon Buttercream or Ice cream and enjoy!
Notes
If you plan on enjoying this Pumpkin Mug Cake with whipped cream or ice cream, cook it in a larger mug, like a 12 oz mug. That way you have room for your topping and run no risk of the cake spilling over while cooking.
For my Spiced Sugar recipe click here, it will change your baking game!!
Cinnamon Frosting
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 494kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 8gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 209mgSodium: 263mgPotassium: 271mgFiber: 3gSugar: 55gVitamin A: 9970IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 132mgIron: 4mg
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