Snickerdoodle Mug Cake
Snickerdoodle Mug Cake bakes up in the microwave in just one minute, yielding a warm, cinnamon-sugary treat that will satisfy any sweet tooth!
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How many times have you had a sugar craving, only to discover that there's nary a cookie nor a cupcake nor a candy bar in the house? Now that's not always a bad thing, mind you. Sometimes the only thing that prevents me from ingesting too much sugar is the fact that I made a point not to buy or make sweets in the first place. 😉
Mug Cake Love
But other times, IneedsomethingsweetandIneeditrightNOW! And in those instances, spending a few minutes throwing together a microwave mug cake seems a bit more refined than scarfing chocolate chips straight out of the bag.
Did y'all happen to catch the One-Minute Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake that I posted last spring? Because it is, to put it bluntly, awesome. In fact, I've had quite a few comments from people declaring it the best mug cake recipe they've ever tried. And while it's hard -- nay, impossible -- to top chocolate and peanut butter, sometimes I'm in the mood for something vanilla-based instead. So I decided to take my Chocolate Peanut Butter M.C. and attempt to remove the chocolate...and the peanut butter. And would you believe my efforts were a success?!
Cinnamon Sugar Mug Cake
I clearly have a thing for snickerdoodle treats, seeing as how I've already shared cinnamon-sugary variations of popcorn, candied pecans, quick bread, muffins, and coffee syrup. So what would be more natural than a cinnamon sugar mug cake that ends up tasting like a soft, warm, snickerdoodle cookie?
Snickerdoodle Mug Cake is just that...a moist, tender cake, spiced with cinnamon and layered with cinnamon sugar. And y'all...it can be crossing your lips in under five minutes from start to finish! Just a few basic ingredients are mixed, poured into a mug, and microwaved. And then, before your very eyes, the batter transforms into cake, rising up to the top of the mug and then collapsing a bit once the baking stops.
Most mug cakes end up having a less-than-desirable texture...dense and gummy and just kind of weird. But not this one! I feel like the secret to a light, tender, amazing texture in a mug cake comes from leaving out the eggs. That's right! No egg in this mug cake recipe (or any of my others). It's not only easier to make a mug cake without an egg, but it turns out so much tastier!
(Oh, and I realize that y'all are smart enough to figure out how to layer the batter with cinnamon sugar, but I was playing around with baking one of these in a clear mug...so you get a photo. It was actually fun to watch the batter transform into cake, like some nerdy food blogger science experiment.)
This recipe is perfect for those there's-nothing-sweet-in-the-house sugar cravings. But since making it does require minimal effort, it's easy enough to stop at one. And one batch can even be shared! I actually make a couple of mug cakes for dessert sometimes and split them between our family of five.
Tips & Tricks
- The strength of individual microwaves can vary, so the first time you make this recipe, you'll need to experiment a bit to make sure that 1 minute is the perfect length of baking time. The nice thing about this treat is that even if it is undercooked, you don't have to worry about raw eggs!
- My Snickerdoodle Mug Cake was done to my liking in one minute and 15 seconds. This is slightly longer than I bake my Chocolate Peanut Butter version, since I prefer that one to have a molten center.
- Unsalted butter will work just fine in this recipe, but I find that using salted butter (or adding a tiny pinch of salt) adds a small flavor boost.
- A tall, cylindrical mug with straight (not angled) sides will ensure that the cake bakes evenly. I found a 14-ounce mug (the same dimensions as these) to be the perfect size to allow the cake to rise up while baking without overflowing. (I filled my mug to the top with water and then transferred the water to a measuring cup to determine its capacity.) If you use a smaller mug, you may want to bake the cake on top of a plate or paper towel to catch any possible overflow.
- I also advise you to place a plate under your mug the first time you make this treat to catch any potential spillage.
The bottom line is that this recipe is pretty darn flexible. Experiment with what you've got and you'll quickly figure out the winning formula!
If you like cake...if you enjoy snickerdoodles...if you're a fan of instant gratification...if you own a mug...this Snickerdoodle Mug Cake recipe was made for you! Please say that you'll try it and let me know what you think? And then go ahead and try the chocolate peanut butter version and let me know which one you like better.
Because for me? Honestly, it's a toss-up at this point. They're totally different but equally scrumptious. Guess I'll keep making them both until I can decide a clear winner. <insert fake sigh> Food blogging is a tough job, but somebody's got to do it... 😉
More Effortless Mug Cakes
Snickerdoodle Mug Cake
Video
Ingredients
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup milk, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For layering/topping:
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon until thoroughly, completely combined, with no streaks of any ingredients remaining. Blend in milk, butter, and vanilla until batter is smooth. Into a 14-ounce (or larger) microwave-safe mug with straight sides, scoop a big spoonful of batter, then sprinkle with a spoonful of cinnamon sugar. Alternate layers, ending with cinnamon sugar.
- Microwave on high for 1 to 1 ½ minutes, or until cake is done to your liking. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before serving.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- A tall, cylindrical mug with straight (not angled) sides will ensure that the cake bakes evenly. I found a 14-ounce mug to be the perfect size to allow the cake to rise up while baking without overflowing. (I filled my mug to the top with water and then transferred the water to a measuring cup to determine its capacity.) If you use a smaller mug, you may want to bake the cake on top of a plate or paper towel to catch any possible overflow.
- The strength of individual microwaves can vary. The first time you make this recipe, be prepared to experiment a bit to make sure that 1 minute is the perfect length of baking time. The nice thing about this cake is that even if it is undercooked, you don't have to worry about raw eggs!
- Unsalted butter will work just fine in this recipe, but I find that using salted butter adds a tiny flavor boost.
Nutrition
Adapted from One-Minute Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake
Originally published on January 15, 2015
I am excited to try this. But one question: do I spray the mug with baking spray first? I know it seems like a dumb question but usually when that is required in a recipe, it is stated. It seems common sense to me to spray it but I want to make sure….thank you!
Hi Denise! It's not necessary to spray the mug but you can do so if you like. 🙂
I added about 3 tbsp hummus to the batter and used honey instead of sugar and it turned out like a cinnamon roll, so good!
Wow this was really good! Even though mine only rose a little above halfway up the mug so it was a little dense, it was delicious and moist. I added a bit of cream of tartar to get the snickerdoodle taste, a small pinch of salt, and sprinkled a little Himalayan salt on top and tasted like a good coffee cake. Will definitely make again
I’ve never made a mug cake before, but it is raining out and I had a sweet tooth. Found this recipe and now I’m a believer. It was so delicious. I did 1min 15secs and it was perfect.
I was so excited to try this recipe until I realized that I did not have any milk. I decided to use water instead, and I must say that I was very impressed with how well this turned out! Still a great recipe even if you don’t have milk! Definitely will make again (hopefully with milk) haha 🙂
This recipe is the perfect amount of cake. I had to microwave for 1:30 minutes. I’ve made this 3 times already! Definitely a keeper!
It was good for a mug cake. I used whipping cream and brown sugar cause it’s what I had, not bad subs. Texture is melt in your mouth but in just a very airy and soft way, not very chewy like real cake.
Really strange consistency, almost gooey
Sorry to hear that, Danielle. It sounds like it was underdone and needed a bit more baking time. 🙂
best mug cake ever!
Absolutely delicious! We tried it in a standard 10 oz coffee mug. Did 3 layers of the cinnamon sugar mix (more of it ended up on top) 1200 watt microwave for 1 minute and 10 seconds. Perfection! Thanks for sharing! 🌺
OMG. This is the best mug cake I’ve ever put in my mouth!!!
Omg!!!So easy and absolutely delicious. Pinned it to make it again.
love this recipe and i will defo make it again!!
i had a craving for cinnamon rolls and i came across this recipe for a snickerdoodle mug cake! this had a very dense and fluffy texture and it's perfect for an after school or work snack. tip: microwave this for 1 minute 5 seconds, it turns out perfect 🙂
Absolutely amazing!!! I tried this a little skeptical. I followed the instructions just right and voila! Literally the best mug cake I've ever had. Not gummy, gross, or a weird texture. It was light, fluffy, and soft. Thanks so much for this!
Good Day, Can I make 12 mugs of this ahead of time for a party, transport and microwave at the destination? One at a time of course. Thank you.
Hi Donna! Sounds like a fun idea, but I haven't tried anything like this to tell you for sure whether it would work or not. 🙂 If you decide to try it, my one caution is that the baking powder could lose its rising power if too much time elapses before baking, resulting in flat mug cakes. If you could chill the mugs of batter during transport, that might help maintain the rising. However, I would suggest perhaps testing the timing with one mug cake before the party, just to see how it goes before you attempt 12 of them (in other words, prepare the mug cake, let it "sit" for as long as it would during transport to the party, and then microwave it as directed and see how it turns out). Good luck!
I added caramel and chocolate chips to the top and used brown sugar instead of regular for the topping and it was heavenly, little bit dry and could’ve used more milk or butter and I added a teaspoon more of sugar but was perfect other than thay
I don’t make a lot of mug cakes but this is the best mug cake I’ve made. Medium density but cooked all through & delicious. I used cold milk & warm butter (impatience). As a topping I cut up some apple into really small pieces & microwaved them in cinnamon sugar & a touch of butter. It came together to taste like a German apple cake. I ate it all a la mode & I will 100% make again.
Ok, this was delicious! 1 min 15 sec was the win for me. I added cold milk to warm butter and had to reheat it. So, don’t do that. 🙂