Name: Easy, 5 Minute Gluten-Free Vanilla Mug Cake
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 2 min
Ingredients: ¼ c gluten-free flour blend (gluten-free, rice-free flour option); 4 tsp sugar; ¼ tsp baking powder; 2 pinches salt; ¼ milk or dairy-free milk sub; 2 Tbsp oil (avocado, sunflower, canola); ½ tsp vanilla powder, extract or bean paste; ⅓ c gluten-free flour blend; 2 Tbsp sugar; ½ tsp baking powder; 2 pinches salt; ⅓ c milk or dairy-free milk sub; 2 Tbsp oil (avocado, sunflower, canola); ½ tsp vanilla powder, extract or bean paste

4.7 from 7 reviews

Janet Harlow

Microwave Baking

This mug cake bakes in the microwave in less than 2 minutes. I wouldn’t normally bake cake in the microwave – it’s not the ideal way to bake a cake if you’re picky about cake texture. But as a very impatient person who loves cake, the idea of making a cake from start to finish in 5 minutes is irresistible. And because it’s single-serve I don’t have to share! Just expect that the cake will not be as tender as an oven-baked cake, but it will still be moist, fluffy and so satisfying!

2 white mugs with gluten free vanilla cake topped with frosting and sprinkles. Spoon standing up in one mug. Red napkin in background.

Ingredients

This recipe has just 7 simple ingredients and mixes up with a fork directly in the mug!

Gluten-Free Flour Blend – My go-to for gluten-free flour is King Arthur Measure for Measure. It works well in many of my recipes and is available at most grocery stores. It is the most affordable of the one’s I’ve tested. Be sure to check out more of my recipes with King Arthur gluten-free flour.

Pamela’s All Purpose Artisan Blend is a similar gf all in one flour, and works well too. Both of these flour blends are vegan and certified gluten-free.

2 white mugs with gluten free vanilla cake. Fork with cake and frosting in front. Rainbow sprinkles scattered on table. Gray napkin in back,

Sugar, salt and baking powder round out the dry ingredients – so simple right?

I prefer oil over butter for adding moisture to gluten-free cakes. Avocado, sunflower, extra light olive oil, canola. vegetable or any other neutral flavored oil will work.

Milk or a non-dairy substitute like hemp, coconut (not the canned stuff), soy, rice or almond milk will work in this recipe.

And finally vanilla gives this cake its flavor. My preferred vanilla is Cooks Vanilla Powder. I love that it’s in powder form and that it has no alcohol. Vanilla bean paste is also a good alcohol-free option. Unfortunately vanilla has become crazy expensive lately, so if real vanilla is not in your budget, definitely use imitation vanilla.

close up of spoon with gluten-free vanilla mug cake with buttercream frosting and sprinkles. Blurred view of 2 white mugs with cake below.

How Much Batter?

The only complicated thing about this recipe is determining how much batter you’ll need for the mug you’re using. If you want just a small, single serving of cake, regardless of your mug size, go with the first version in the recipe card. If your mug holds 1 1/2 cups of liquid or more, and you want a full mug of cake, use the second version.

If you use too much batter, the worst thing that will happen is it will spill over the sides of the mug during baking. The cake will still be fine!

2 white mugs with gluten free vanilla cake topped with rainbow sprinkles. Spoons in front and red napkin in background.

Mug Cake Toppings

You will likely want to devour this cake as soon as it comes out of the microwave. It will be steaming HOT. So most toppings will melt pretty quickly. Here are some topping options that are good for a hot cake:

Marshmallow Cream (Fluff)
Hot Fudge or Chocolate Syrup
Strawberry Sauce
Caramel
If you don’t mind melting toppings, ice cream or frosting is so good with this cake