Red Velvet Mug Cake

Prep Time 4 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 5 minutes
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Red Velvet Mug Cake is so easy to make, with a moist crumb, and that chocolatey, tangy flavor we all love. The super easy cleanup is a bonus!

A Perfect Mini Dessert That’s So Easy to Make!

Remember when we all went crazy over mug cakes? These mini, one-serving microwave desserts were all the rage, and it’s easy to see why – who wouldn’t love a cake you can bake in just minutes? That trend brought about this Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake, my Easy Pumpkin Mug Cake, and this unforgettable Red Velvet Mug Cake!

Well, get ready to meet your new favorite cake in a cup – red velvet mug cake! If you love classic red velvet cake with its light, moist texture and more-ish chocolate taste, this recipe is for you.

Now, some people (cough, cough – my mom – cough, cough) don’t love red velvet. And that’s okay – it’s just that I think those people are absolutely crazy. Homemade chocolate cake, with a little tang to it, and a bright, fun color? I’m in, every single time.

A cake for one, baked in a microwave mug.

What Makes Red Velvet Cake Taste Different?

Hold on to your hats, because this one might throw you off a bit. The secret ingredient in red velvet is… vinegar.

Don’t lose me, now! This cake does not taste sour. Red velvet cake was historically made with tangy buttermilk and a little extra vinegar for additional acid. Acid can help cakes rise, especially if you’re using some baking soda in the recipe. That additional acid also gave the cake its color, by reacting with the cocoa powder to create a reddish tint.

These days, whole milk and a bit of vinegar give the cake that slightly tangy flavor (think cream cheese tangy, not salad dressing tangy). Red food coloring gives it a lush, genuinely red color that’s perfect for holidays.

Cocoa powder, flour, red food coloring, vinegar, sugar, salt, milk, baking powder, oil, chocolate chips.

Ingredients

Let’s take a look at the ingredients you will need to make this cake. They are basically ordinary pantry staples, so you probably have most of them around:

  • Milk: I like to use whole milk in this recipe.
  • Vinegar: Plain white vinegar thickens the milk and gives the cake its signature tangy taste.
  • Flour: You want plain, all-purpose flour, not self-rising flour.
  • Sugar: Granulated sugar. Brown sugar would also work, but I think granulated is better here.
  • Cocoa Powder: You can use regular, Dutch process, or raw. Regular is what I typically have and use.
  • Baking Powder: For a good rise and a light cake.
  • Salt
  • Oil: A small amount of vegetable oil gives the red velvet mug cake a moist, swoon-worthy texture, without weighing it down.
  • Food Coloring: Red food coloring isn’t strictly necessary – you can have a yummy mug cake without it. But if you want the real red velvet experience, you’ll need to add a few drops of red food coloring.
  • Powdered Sugar, Mini Chocolate Chips, or Frosting: For decorating. These are totally optional! I do like to sprinkle a little something extra on top, though.
Spooning a bite of red velvet mug cake out of the cup.

How to Make a Red Velvet Mug Cake

So how do you pull together this cute little dessert? It’s actually very similar to making real cake – you mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately, and then “bake.” It only takes a few minutes to do this:

  • Make the Sour Milk. In a large mug, whisk (with a small whisk or large fork) together the milk and vinegar. Set aside.
  • Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt).
  • Combine the Dry and Wet Ingredients. Add to the milk mixture and add the vegetable oil and red food coloring. Whisk until smooth.
  • Pour into the Mug. Scoop the cake batter into a microwave-safe mug.
  • “Bake.” Cook in the microwave on high for 1 minute and 10 seconds. This recipe will rise and then deflate slightly since it’s being cooked in the microwave.
  • Enjoy! Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Helpful Tips for Success

Making mug cakes like this is fun and easy, and it can be quite addictive, too. (I mean, it’s honestly a little dangerous to know that you can whip up something this luxurious, this fast. Right?) These helpful tips will make your mug cake baking even more successful.

  • No Egg: My top tip is that mug cakes are better without eggs. I know, I know – eggs are essential in most cake recipes. But for a serving this small, cooked in a microwave, egg creates a spongy, unpleasant texture. Skip the eggs, and your cake will be much more luxurious.
  • Stirring: Confession time: in the directions, I say to mix the dry ingredients separately (a mini whisk makes this much easier) and then add them, because that is what you should do. But honestly, sometimes I just dump all the dry ingredients into the milk mixture at once and stir the batter a ton. It still works just fine!
  • Filling: There’s a fine line between having a nice big serving of cake, and having a red velvet volcano oozing all over your microwave – so be careful not to overfill your mug. You’re welcome.
  • Serve Immediately: With most cakes, you must let them cool before frosting and serving. Not with these little guys! Serve your red velvet mug cake right away for the best texture and flavor.
Cake in a cup with frosting and chocolate chips.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

If you have a few leftover bites of your red velvet mug cake, you can cover the mug tightly with foil or plastic wrap, and keep it in your fridge for 24 hours or so. If you keep it longer than that, it will probably dry out. Uncover the mug and heat the cake briefly in the microwave before serving.

Two mini red velvet cakes on a tray with a small dish of chocolate chips.

Can I Freeze This Mug Cake?

Like most cake recipes, this one can be frozen – although it may dry out in the freezer. I really recommend making them fresh, but if you want to freeze, just wrap the whole mug tightly in a couple of layers of foil or plastic wrap, and freeze it for up to two months. Before serving, let the mug cake thaw out in your fridge, and then heat it in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it back up.

A clear glass mug with a single-serve red velvet cake baked in it.
4.6 from 96 votes
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Yield: 1 mug cake

Red Velvet Mug Cake

This decadent Red Velvet Mug Cake is one of the easiest chocolate cake recipes you'll ever make – you only need the ingredients and your microwave!
Prep Time4 minutes
Cook Time1 minute
Total Time5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • ½ teaspoon white vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 5 drops red food coloring, optional
  • powdered sugar for dusting on top, optional
  • mini chocolate chips, optional
  • pre-made frosting, optional

Instructions 

  • In a large mug, whisk (with a small whisk or large fork) together the milk and vinegar. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt). Add to the milk mixture and add the vegetable oil and red food coloring. Whisk until smooth. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top, if using.
  • Cook in the microwave on high for 1 minute and 10 seconds. This recipe will rise and then deflate slightly since it's being cooked in the microwave. Dust with powdered sugar or top with frosting, and serve immediately!

Notes

Add Ins: I like to add white chocolate chips to mine. You could also add milk/dark chocolate chips depending on your mood! And for all you cream cheese addicts, add a tablespoon of cream cheese to the center of the batter.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 889kcal, Carbohydrates: 172g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 281mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 143g

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Recipe Rating




53 Responses
  1. Emily

    5 stars
    This was very good for a mug cake! The texture of the cake was delicious. I topped it off with a quick vanilla glaze and it really hit the spot.

  2. Sarah

    I tried this recipe keeping 1 tbsp flour/coca pdr = 8g and it turned out really well. iI also added white chocolate chips to the mix. Definitely recommend serving with slightly sweetened whipped cream for the best dessert binge!

  3. Jade

    Dang this is good thanks for the recipe, Ive never made one of these before and if u add some white choco chips snd extra dugar it is certainly so bomb

  4. T

    Tried the recipe. It was awful. I’ll stick to Cakeman Raven’s recipe for a large batch and just freeze the cake because this just isn’t real red velvet.

  5. Are Mug Cakes The Next Best Thing? – The Jetstream Journal

    […] cakes come in numerous flavors, including red velvet which has been recreated by The Novice Chef. Their list contains about ten ingredients, significantly less than the traditional red velvet cake […]

  6. Kyrah E

    I love mug food, they’re so easy to make and so delicious. I LOVE red velvet, it is sooooooo good. I am going to make this, I hope it tastes as good as it looks.

  7. P

    Usually in comments it rates the recipe after trying it, not impressions of recipe. Wow this looks awesome if you haven’t tried it yet? 
           I tried this recipe and it was awful. Came out like sawdust. Not at all like picture. 
           Waste of ingredients. And I’m a pro baker.
               
            

    1. Annabel

      Um I’m confused. You’re a ‘pro baker’ and this mug cake from this AMAZING TRUSTWORTHY blog didn’t work? I under measured my flour and it was not sawdust, in fact it was very moist. Hmmmm

  8. Anonymous

    I haven’t had red velvet in much too long. 
    I’m also very thankful that you cut my recipe reading in half by including how to make the buttermilk.

  9. Melody

    WOW! So moist and PERFECT! Really hit the sweet tooth spot. I do make a full red devil’s food/red velvet cake for special occasions; this has all the flavor and none of the leftovers LOL!

    *Used buttermilk for the milk/vinegar because it was here and skipped the food coloring because I couldn’t trust my pour to not make a mess of 5 drops. Cook time worked for my microwave.

    Great recipe and thanks!

  10. brenda poplin

    I just want to know what size mugs. I tried random ones I had, and some did not fill up, and others ran over the side. Thanks. Very good.

  11. Jacklyn

    Hey! Looks very delicious. Moreover, it’s not too difficult to make so I will try soon. Thanks for your sharing!

  12. Sue V

    Very good, fluffy not gooey! I wanted more “chocolatey” so added semi-dark choc chips and a few drops of vanilla flavor. Extra buttercream frosting I had in the fridge was yummy on top!

  13. Andrea

    I tried this but the batter was turned out to resemble bread dough, i could even knead it! I followed the instructions perfectly twice. Nevertheless I still baked it and it tasted good but the look wasn’t all that good. Do you have any pointers?

  14. Ty

    I spent hours baking red velvet cup cakes for my mother in law two nights ago and I only had 2 to taste. So I was left with a craving and left over cream cheese frosting. I didn’t feel like making a dozen of cupcakes so this mug cake was perfect! I used buttermilk instead of regular milk and added 1/2 tsp of vanilla flavor…yummy

  15. Jae

    It was my first time baking a cake and I thought it will be epic but it turns out good! Thanks for the recipe ^^ Yummmmeh.

  16. Kena R

    hi!!! i have being a follower for so long no.. and this me i was looking if you have a great and amazing red velvet cake recipe, but you dont, specificalle for cake, i saw the mug and i will try it, andy ints??

    thanks!!!

  17. Sarah M.

    I was craving red velvet and I couldn’t help but try this recipe. And god, is it good. After I microwaved it, I put it straight into a bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was fantastic.

  18. Valerie | bubbles and gold

    I subbed the vegetable oil with coconut and microwaved for an extra 10 seconds, and this is totally delicious!! And dangerous at 10pm.

  19. Salamanda

    This turned out really well. We added cinnamon and a smidge vanilla to the cake portion and then topped it with vanilla ice cream. Thanks for the recipe!

  20. Sitapa

    first thing I saw this, I made it. I had to microwave it for 1 min 50 sec because my microwave a bit weaker than yours, but this turned out soooo goooood!

    It was moist and fluffy, and it actually tasted like red velvet! I actually went and made my own cream cheese frosting for this cake and put it on top after I finished it. (I really just did the frosting by eye and basic knowledge).

    Thank you so much for this recipe! I’m definitely trying it again

  21. Tina | My Life as a Mrs

    UGH! If only I wasn’t on a diet… Why can’t all the yummy things be calorie free?!!!! These look AMAZING.

  22. Stephanie

    OMG!!! This looks like an absolute success, can’t wait to get home and try it!!! I see white stuff mixed in with the cake (not the powdered sugar) are those marshmallows, white chocolate chips or the milk and vinegar mixture?

  23. Joanne

    Things just got very dangerous around here now that this red velvet mug cake is in my life! I see many a light night microwave adventure in my future.

  24. Dianna

    I’m one of the weird ones who is on your mom’s side! It’s not the flavor {I’m all about anything with any amount of chocolate & cream cheese frosting. Yum.} but I just can’t get past all that darn food coloring! I’d be totally into it without the red. I’ve also never actually tried to do the mug cake thing {gasp!!}, so I may give it a spin… minus the food coloring. haha!

  25. Maria

    I tried this tonight and it was perfection!!! Thank you for making a mug cake that doesn’t suck…and that a single girl can make and not feel too guilty about! ;-)

  26. Dena

    I tried this last night. Only thing I did different was that I didn’t add the red food coloring. It was Awesome……….especially with some baileys frosting I had leftover all melting on top…. my daughter and I shared :) Thanks… Can’t wait to try the chocolate pb one.

  27. amanda @ fake ginger

    I’ve been obsessed with mug cakes lately! Definitely trying this one after the kids are in bed tonight!

  28. Shira G

    OBSESSED. LITERALLY. I can’t understand people who don’t like red velvet- what’s not to like?!?! It’s so neutral and unoffending! It’s like the middleman between chocolate and vanilla. Can’t wait to make this :)

Welcome!

Jessica
I'm a trial & error, self taught, sugar addict who thankfully learned how to survive in the kitchen! I am also a wife, mama of 3.