Chocolate Pumpkin Mug Cake

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.

Jump to:

• Key Ingredients & Substitutions
• Making the Pumpkin Mug Cake - Step by Step
• Helpful Tips
• Variations
• Serving Ideas
• What to Do with Leftover Pumpkin Puree
• Storing & Freezing
• More Mug Cakes
• 📖 Recipe

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:

• Easy Brownie Mug Cake
• Vegan Mug Brownies
• Sweet Potato Mug Cake
• Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake

📖 Recipe