Chocolate zucchini mug cake is a quick dessert treat to make when your sweet tooth strikes. Filled with simple baking ingredients and shredded zucchini, this fluffy, rich mug cake is ready in only 60 seconds in the microwave.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Moist, fluffy chocolate cake with melty chocolate chips throughout.
What is a mug cake? A single serving of cake that's cooked in a coffee mug in the microwave.
Mug size: 12 ounce coffee mug
Similar to: Apple Spice Zucchini Mug Cake, Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Zucchini - I recommend using finely grated zucchini, which has a less noticeable texture in your finished cake. You'll also want to squeeze out as much moisture as you can from your zucchini, otherwise your cake can turn out gummy.
- Wet ingredients - Vegetable oil, granulated sugar, vanilla, and milk add moisture and flavor to your mug cake. Vegetable oil could be substituted with melted butter. Milk can be any milk you have on hand, like whole milk, almond milk, or skim milk.
- Dry ingredients - All-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder balance with the wet ingredients and add structure to your cake. I haven't tested this recipe with anything other than all-purpose flour, so I can't say for sure how it would turn out with other types of flour.
- Chocolate chips - Chocolate chips turn into tiny melted chocolate spots throughout your mug cake. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but these can be substituted with any baking chips you have on hand. Peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, or milk chocolate chips all work.
How to make chocolate zucchini mug cake
- Squeeze the liquid of your shredded zucchini. This helps prevent your cake from turning out wet and soggy.
- Add wet ingredients to a mug and stir to combine.
- Add dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Microwave until cake springs back in the middle and looks set.
Variations
Mix-in ideas (add 1-2 tablespoons per mug cake):
- White chocolate chips
- Peanut butter chips
- Chopped walnuts
- Sprinkles
- Milk chocolate chips
Topping ideas:
- Whipped cream
- Buttercream frosting
- Peanut butter
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Caramel sauce
- Hot fudge
Frequently asked questions
A 12 ounce coffee mug works best. The tall cylindrical shape of a standard mug helps your cake rise more. This cake takes up about 8 ounces of space when cooked (and puffs up a little more in the microwave), so using a smaller mug may result in some cake batter spilling over the edges as it cooks.
Mug cake can turn out dry from overcooking, omitting some of the wet ingredients, or adding too much flour.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Zucchini Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons finely grated zucchini, liquid squeezed out
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or melted butter
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon natural cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a 12 ounce coffee mug, add grated zucchini (with the liquid squeezed out first), sugar, oil, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
- Add dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir until just combined. Add chocolate chips and stir until incorporated.
- Microwave for 50 seconds, check your cake, then continue cooking in 10 second increments until the top of the cake no longer looks wet and springs back when gently pressed. Cooking time depends entirely on the wattage of your microwave and will vary model to model (I used a 1000 watt microwave oven).
- Allow cake to cool for 5 minutes before enjoying - it will be very hot straight from the microwave!
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- A pinch = about 1/16 of a teaspoon
- Mix-ins: Chocolate chips can be substituted with your favorite baking chips, like peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips.
- Mug size: If using a smaller mug, place a paper towel under your mug before microwaving to catch any potential batter overflow. Cake will rise while cooking, and will take up about 8 ounces of space once cooked.
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