This chocolate pumpkin mug cake is rich, fudgy, loaded with pumpkin flavor - and ready in 5 minutes! It's a single-serving microwave dessert made with pantry staples, and it's vegan-friendly and oil-free too.
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I debated whether to call this recipe a chocolate pumpkin mug cake or a pumpkin mug brownie. I landed on mug cake, but you can call it whatever you like. 😉
I had been obsessed with the Instructables eggless mug brownie for a few weeks, but with two tablespoons of oil in each serving, I just had to break up with it. In the spirit of fall, I thought a pumpkin-inspired mug cake would be delicious, and wondered if I could shave some calories off that brownie recipe by using pumpkin instead of oil. After a few tries, it finally worked!
I wouldn't exactly call this a healthy recipe. It's a dessert, after all. But it is healthy-ish, which means it's at least a little lighter than a traditional brownie. This pumpkin dessert is both vegan and oil-free, and you won't miss any of the flavor - the richness is replaced with pumpkiny-ness. (Sure, that's a word now!) And if that's not good enough for you, well, I threw in some dark chocolate chips too.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
You only need eight simple ingredients, and you probably have most of them in the pantry already:
- Sugar. Plain white sugar gives the classic brownie-like crackly top. If you keep the recipe vegan, choose organic cane sugar, since some conventional white sugar is processed with bone char. Coconut sugar or light brown sugar also work and add a slightly caramel flavor.
- All-purpose flour. Just a quarter cup holds everything together. For a gluten-free mug cake, swap in an equal amount of a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour.
- Pumpkin puree. This replaces the oil in a typical mug brownie and keeps the cake moist and fudgy. Canned works great, or use homemade pumpkin puree. Make sure it's plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
- Non-dairy milk. I've used both vanilla soymilk and unflavored coconut milk beverage with good results. Shelf-stable unsweetened almond milk is handy to keep in the pantry for recipes like this. If you're not keeping it vegan, regular milk works just fine. Our guide to non-dairy milks covers the options.
- Cocoa powder. Use unsweetened cocoa powder, not hot cocoa mix. Dutch-process cocoa gives a darker, mellower chocolate flavor if you have it.
- Dark chocolate chips. They melt into little pockets of chocolate. For a vegan mug cake, check the label for dairy-free chips, or use dairy-free dark chocolate chunks.
- Pumpkin pie spice. A half teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice brings the cozy fall flavor. No blend on hand? Use ¼ teaspoon cinnamon plus a pinch each of ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Salt. Just a pinch makes the chocolate taste more chocolatey.
Making the Pumpkin Mug Cake - Step by Step
Then it's time to get baking! Do we still call it baking if it's done in the microwave? Let's pretend we do.
Step 1: Combine. Add all the ingredients to a big, oversized mug. I used a latte mug, because they tend to be really big. A large microwave-safe latte mug (about 16 ounces) is ideal. If you don't have one, you can use a small microwave-safe bowl instead. I won't tell anyone that you made your mug cake in a bowl.
Unlike traditional mug cakes, this one doesn't rise very much, so it won't make a mess in the microwave.
Step 2: Stir. Stir the ingredients together with a fork or small spoon. The batter will be thick and a little hard to stir, but be persistent and keep going until there are no dry pockets of flour or cocoa left at the bottom of the mug.
Step 3: Microwave. Microwave the mug cake until the top looks dry. It takes a minute and a half in my microwave, but I'd check after one minute and cook 15 seconds at a time after that. The center should still be soft and fudgy.
Step 4: Top it. At this point, your chocolate pumpkin mug cake is ready to eat. But it's not the prettiest thing, I admit. So I topped mine with some dairy-free vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of extra pumpkin pie spice! That's better, right?
Step 5: Dig in. This pumpkin mug cake is best shared. It's pretty decadent, y'all. If you don't share it, you'll probably regret it in a few minutes. Believe me, I speak from experience.
Helpful Tips
Use a big mug. The batter doesn't rise much, but a wide, roomy mug makes stirring the thick batter much easier and helps the cake cook evenly. A narrow coffee mug tends to leave the bottom gummy while the top overcooks.
Start with less time. Microwaves vary a lot in power. Start with one minute, then add 15-second bursts until the top is dry to the touch. Overcooking is the fastest way to a dry, rubbery mug cake, and it keeps cooking a little as it cools.
Measure the flour carefully. With such small amounts, an extra tablespoon of flour makes a big difference. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping straight from the bag.
Let it rest for a minute. The mug will be very hot straight out of the microwave. Giving the cake a minute to rest lets the texture set and saves your tongue from molten chocolate chips.
Adjust the sweetness. This is a sweet, brownie-style dessert. If you prefer it less sweet, cut the sugar to 3 tablespoons. If you prefer a sugar-free version, you can use a granulated sweetener like stevia blend, or a bit of agave syrup (reduce the milk by a teaspoon or two if you use a liquid sweetener).
Variations
- Fully vegan. The base recipe is already vegan as long as you use organic (bone-char-free) sugar, dairy-free chocolate chips, and a plant-based milk and ice cream. Top it with vegan whipped cream instead of ice cream if you like.
- Gluten-free. Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend in the same amount. Oat flour also works; use about ⅓ cup, since it's lighter, and expect a slightly denser, more brownie-like texture.
- Mix-in swaps. Replace the dark chocolate chips with caramel chips, white chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips for a new spin on this mug cake.
- Nutty crunch. Stir in a tablespoon of chopped walnuts or pecans, or sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds on top after microwaving.
- Peanut butter swirl. Drop a teaspoon of peanut butter or almond butter into the center of the batter before cooking for a gooey middle.
- Mocha. Add ½ teaspoon of instant espresso powder with the cocoa to deepen the chocolate flavor.
Serving Ideas
A scoop of vanilla ice cream (dairy-free, if you're keeping it vegan) is my favorite way to serve this chocolate pumpkin mug cake. It melts into the warm cake and makes it taste like a fancy restaurant dessert. A dusting of extra pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon on top finishes it off.
You can also try topping your mug cake with coconut flakes, chopped nuts, a drizzle of maple syrup, or a spoonful of whipped cream. Yum! For a cozy fall night in, pair it with a mug of hot cocoa or a pumpkin spice latte. And if you'd like a mug cake for breakfast instead of dessert, try our pancake in a mug.
What to Do with Leftover Pumpkin Puree
This recipe only uses 2 tablespoons of pumpkin, which leaves most of a 15-ounce can behind. Transfer the leftover pumpkin puree to an airtight container (don't store it in the open can) and refrigerate it for up to 5 to 7 days.
For longer storage, freeze it. My favorite trick is to spoon the puree into an ice cube tray: most standard cubes hold about 2 tablespoons, which is exactly the right amount for one mug cake. Once frozen, pop the cubes into a freezer bag and keep them for up to 3 months. Thaw a cube in the fridge overnight, or microwave it for a few seconds, whenever a mug cake craving strikes.
Or put the rest of the can to work right away. A few easy ideas:
- Breakfast. Stir it into oatmeal or smoothies, or make vegan pumpkin pancakes or pumpkin baked oatmeal.
- Snacks. Roll up a batch of pumpkin spice energy bites.
- Dinner. Whisk it into a creamy sauce for vegan pumpkin pasta, or add it to soups and chili.
- More baking. Bake a loaf of one bowl pumpkin bread or a pan of vegan pumpkin bars.
Storing & Freezing
This mug cake is best eaten warm, right after it comes out of the microwave. If you do have leftovers, cover the mug and refrigerate it for up to 1 day. Rewarm it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds; it will be a little denser, more like a fudgy brownie.
We don't recommend freezing the cooked mug cake, since it dries out when reheated. Instead, make a few dry mixes ahead: combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, chocolate chips, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in small jars and store them in the pantry for up to 3 months. When you're ready, add the pumpkin puree and milk, stir, and microwave.
More Mug Cakes
And if you love this pumpkin mug cake, be sure to check out these other tasty ideas:
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- large microwave-safe mug about 16 oz
Ingredients
- ¼ cup white sugar (organic for vegan-friendly)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, or 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour
- 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoon pumpkin puree, canned or homemade (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 tablespoon non-dairy milk, such as almond milk
- 1 tablespoon dark chocolate chips, dairy-free for vegan
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus extra for garnish
- a pinch of salt
- vanilla ice cream, optional, dairy-free for vegan, for serving
Instructions
- Add the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, pumpkin puree, non-dairy milk, dark chocolate chips, pumpkin pie spice and salt to a large microwave-safe mug (about 16 oz) or small microwave-safe bowl.
- Stir with a fork until the thick batter is completely smooth and there are no dry pockets of flour or cocoa at the bottom of the mug.
- Microwave on high for 1 minute. Continue to microwave in 15-second intervals until the top of the cake looks dry (about 1 ½ minutes total in most microwaves). The center should still be soft and fudgy.
- Let the mug cake rest for 1 minute, as the mug will be very hot. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of extra pumpkin pie spice before serving, if desired.
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Oh my, it looks so delish! I need to add pumpkin puree in my mug cake recipe. Love the illustrations, so cute 🙂
Kiersten says
I love pumpkin puree! I'm always trying to think of new things to do with it and this is definitely my current favorite. 🙂
Jennifer H says
that looks so good!
Nicole says
Eating this right now--so good!!
Kiersten says
Yay, I'm so glad you like it!
Stephanie @ henry happened says
I have been wanting to try a mug brownie - and of course pumpkin makes it so much better!! 🙂 I pinned this last night and CANNOT wait to try it
Kiersten says
I hope you like it! I made it again last night. Chris isn't usually a fan of the whole mug dessert thing, but he loves this one too.
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says
Instant gratification, who doesn't love that!
Alaine @ My GF & DF Living says
It doesn't get much better than this! yum, yum!
Carolyn says
Okay, brilliant. I think I need to come up with a low carb pumpkin mug brownie (mine will inevitably include butter, though). Because I want. Bad.
Kiersten says
Ooh, I want to see it--you need to post that! 😀
edina says
oh, this looks so delicious! great recipe. i will have to try it, as my mouth waters just by looking at the pics. yet, wanted to check quickly with you, if you can do these in the oven? i do not use a microwave. any suggestions on how long they have to bake in the oven? thanks 🙂
Kiersten says
I haven't done these in the oven, so I can't say for sure. I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work, though. I'd try baking at 350 degrees and cook for maybe 8-15 minutes (watching closely, of course!).
Genevieve says
I tried a mug cake once but I didn't really like the texture. I'll have to give them another shot because I still like the idea of them, especially a pumpkin version! This one sounds like a decadent dessert and would be great with the ice cream on top...I'm not a big fan of brownies though, so if you come up with a non-chocolate version, I'd give that a try!
Kiersten says
This one definitely has a different texture too, although I think it's more from the fact that it uses pumpkin instead of oil! I was actually thinking of giving it a try without the cocoa. Maybe it would be like pumpkin cake?
Genevieve says
Sounds good to me - I would take pumpkin cake over chocolate cake any day!
Mary @ Fit and Fed says
Wow, nice graphics, and color and text coordinated with the photos, very pro! I have to admit I haven't tried the whole microwave baking thing, and probably won't until I get a microwave that rotates the food properly-- everything's a little dicey with it until then. But I have had the experience you describe of trying to get a baked good just a little more healthy and then having to back off. I was sort of infamous in the family for that-- only took me about a decade's worth of meh birthday cakes to learn when to try to make it healthier and when to just go with it.
Kiersten says
Thank you! I am more of a cook than a baker, so I have difficulty making baked goods healthier too. With cooking, you can operate more on instinct, so I'm comfortable with that. Baking requires precision! I have to say, the healthier brownie did taste good, but the texture was strange and the appearance was even worse!
Shirley says
Must . . . stay . . . away. Any brownie that can be microwaved and ready to eat in a flash is just bad news for me and my goal to keep fitting in my pants. Tempting, though! And the addition of pumpkin is intriguing.
Kiersten says
Yeah, it's definitely dangerous. Pretty much the only thing that keeps me eating brownies everyday is laziness. But now that I can microwave them? Game-changer. And not in a good way.
Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says
This looks so simple and I never would have thought to pair pumpkin and chocolate! Trying this as soon as I buy some chocolate. I usually avoid keeping the stuff on hand because I don't handle temptation very well.
Kiersten says
Yeah, I have to do that too. I have a bad day and eat a handful of chocolate chips from the pantry. I have terrible coping skills. Terrible!
Laura (GotChocolate) says
OMG, YUUUUUM!!! I want this NOW!!! BTW, I love all the new things you're adding to your site and how you present the instructions. Eye-catching and FANTASTIC.
😀
Kiersten says
Thank you! I'm trying to post tutorials and informational things on Tuesdays now. People seem to really like them and it's a nice change of pace from the recipe posts!
Lauren says
This was really good! I left out the cocoa powder. Next time I'll use less sugar. Maybe 2 tbsp agave nectar instead of 4 tbsp sugar.
Kiersten says
I'm glad you enjoyed it! Without the cocoa powder (which is a little bit bitter unsweetened), I definitely think that you could get away with less sugar.
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
This looks wonderful! I love mug cakes/brownies. I think it's probably impossible to make a truly healthy one but this looks perfect to me!
Kiersten says
I figure as long as I eat healthy most of the time, I can eat things like this some of the time. Right?! 😀
Kimmie says
I made this even healthier by using 1/2 the amount of sugar and a couple packets of stevia... still very good! Do you have an approximate calorie count for the whole thing? I DID share it (thank goodness!) and my 6 year old son loved it too 🙂
I think next time instead of pumpkin/(spice) I'll try it with coconut oil (still very healthy) and coconut flakes just for a fun variation !!!
Kiersten says
I love the idea of using coconut oil! I've also heard from people who have used mashed banana and applesauce instead of the pumpkin, with good results. I'm sorry, I don't have a calorie count, though. But it's definitely not a low cal dessert!
Ericka says
This was so good! Instead of 4 T of sugar, I used 2 T of agave nectar. This makes it a bit healthier without sacrificing much sweetness. Also, the agave nectar added a nice hint of molasses.
Kiersten says
Thanks for the tip! 🙂
mrsblocko says
I made this and wrote about it here. It was super good! I really love mug cakes, particularly ones that don't call for eggs. I'm playing around with the recipe to make a lower sugar version, and one with white chocolate instead of cocoa powder. This has become my go to version of a mug cake. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
Kiersten says
I'm glad you enjoyed it--thanks for sharing! 🙂
Daria says
I think that my microwave is a rebel! I made everything as instructed, put it in a microvawe for 1,5 minute, looked - still not dry. One more time to the microvawe for 1 minute - bottom burned, top stil wet! No idea what went wrong? Any ideas?
Kiersten says
With a mug cake like this, it cooks so quickly that microwaving it for an additional minute was probably to much. Next time, microwave it in 15 second increments after the first minute and a half until it's dry on top.
Alexa says
I've been on the hunt for cute ceramic measuring spoons - where did you get yours? They're adorable!
Kiersten says
They were on clearance at Anthropologie last year, so I'm afraid they probably don't sell them anymore!
Krystal says
Can I substitute the sugar with agave nectar?
Kiersten Frase says
I have no idea - I haven't made it like that!
Lily says
I love microwave mug brownies. They're so easy when I want something sweet but don't have anything on hand. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and use full fat and sugar...when you try to make it too healthy, it's just not a brownie any more! Everything in moderation.
Nora says
Oh wow, this seems to be super easy to do! I love chocolate brownies but I don't do them often because I don't want to a lot of them. I'll definitely save this recipe. 🙂