Gingerbread Mug Cake

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A quick and easy gingerbread mug cake that will give you a cozy wintery feeling without all the work! This moist mug cake is seasoned with molasses and an assortment of warm spices.

gingerbread mug cake with saucer and spoon on the side

Note: this post was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2021 with new photos and improved instructions.

This gingerbread mug cake recipe will bring the holiday cheer in a flash! All you need are some basic (mostly pantry!) ingredients, a mug, and a few minutes. This delicious gingerbread dessert will have you feeling oh-so-cozy on a cold night, and without a whole sink of dishes to wash!

This mug cake has all the warm cozy flavors of more traditional gingerbread: molasses, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground ginger. But it's really easy to make and in a convenient singe serving size. So you can make it any time you are craving a delicious holiday dessert!

(If you love mug cakes as much as I do, be sure to check out my chocolate berry mug cake and strawberry shortcake mug cake recipes too!)

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Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

Butter: unsalted if you've got it. If not, just don't add the extra pinch of salt the recipe calls for.

Milk: I've made this with both whole milk and low-fat milk and they both work well, so use whichever you prefer.

Salt: as mentioned, omit if you want to use salted butter.

Step by step photos

1. The first step is to melt the tablespoon of butter in a large, microwave-safe mug. This should take about 30 seconds on high.

2. Next, add in the molasses, granulated sugar, and milk to the melted butter in the mug. Whisk everything together with a fork, or use my favorite mini whisk! (Affiliate link.)

collage of adding molasses to the mug and whisking wet ingredients in mug

3. Mix together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt in a separate small bowl. Then, gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, until the batter is fully incorporated and mostly free of lumps.

collage of adding dry ingredients to wet ingredients in mug and whisking batter together

4. Finally, microwave the mug cake for 1 minute 15 seconds on high. Check the top of the cake; if it's still a little wet, microwave again in 10 second increments until the top of the cake is just set.

finger touching top of cooked gingerbread mug cake

Tips and tricks

If you want to unmold your mug cake after it's cooked, swirl the melted butter around the sides of the mug before adding the other ingredients. This will help it from sticking as much!

If your baking powder is a little pebbly, break the lumps apart with your fingers or a fork before adding to the other ingredients. Any unmixed chunks of baking powder will taste bitter in the finished cake.

To avoid a lumpy batter, add the dry ingredients into the wet gradually, whisking with a fork (or mini whisk) in between. I had good results by adding in 1 tablespoon of the dry ingredients first, whisking until most of the lumps are gone. Then I added the second tablespoon and whisked again. After that, I just added the rest of the dry ingredients and whisked until everything was evenly combined. You may still have one or two little lumps, but that's ok.

If the bottom of your mug is narrow, tilt the mug a little to the side when mixing. This will give you more space to maneuver the fork or mini whisk around so it's easier to mix.

Recipe FAQs

What kind of mug should I use?

You will need a microwave-safe mug that holds at least 12 ounces (355 ml). This will ensure there is enough space for the cake to expand without overflowing!

If you're curious, the exact mug I'm using here is the 13 ounce Gladelig mug from Ikea.

What if I don't have all of the spices? Can I make substitutions?

Yes, you can make a couple spice swaps if you don't have or don't like some of the spices in the cake. To recap, this recipe calls for ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. If you don't have all of these spices, here's what you can do:

- If you don't have ground ginger or cinnamon: try pumpkin pie spice instead! I would avoid just doubling up on the cinnamon or ginger though, because it may overwhelm the cake, resulting in a bitter aftertaste.

- If you don't have nutmeg: this recipe only calls for a pinch of nutmeg, so you can just leave it out. Or, substitute a pinch of allspice or cloves.

Alternatively, you can create your own spice blend with whatever warm holiday-type spices you have in your cabinet. This recipe calls for a total of ½ teaspoon (plus a pinch) of spices. So, throw together whatever warm spices you have to equal that amount. You can try cloves, allspice, mace, and pumpkin pie spice.

How do I serve gingerbread mug cake?

This mug cake tastes great on its own, but if you want to make it an even more indulgent experience, try the mug cake topped with powdered sugar and/or an extra dusting of cinnamon, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or festive sprinkles!

gingerbread mug cake with scoop taken out and spoon with cake on it on the side

mocha mug cake with raspberries and spoon — **Mocha Mug Cake**

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If you’ve tried this recipe, please leave a star rating and/or review in the comments section below, I would love to hear from you! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. And sign up for my weekly newsletter to get recipes delivered straight to you!