Gingerbread Mug Cake with Caramel Syrup is bursting with wintery flavors! Satisfy your seasonal sweet tooth with a 1 minute microwave cake mix mug cake full of spicy holiday ginger and plenty of sweet caramel!
Why you'll love this recipe
Anyone with access to a microwave can experience the spicy aromas and sweet flavors of the season in 1 microwave minute with this Gingerbread Mug Cake with Caramel Syrup.
This gingerbread/spice cake version of 3-2-1 mug cake is made with the magic mixture of one box of spice or gingerbread cake mix plus one box of angel food cake mix.
Three tablespoons of this cake mixture is combined with two tablespoons of water. Toss in a sprinkling of crystallized ginger bits for extra spicy zing.
No patience is required. After one minute in the microwave, drizzle with caramel sauce and indulge.
I experimented making 3-2-1 Gingerbread Mug Cake with spice cake mix and with gingerbread cake mix. The flavor results were very similar, though the spice cake texture was a little lighter.
The gingerbread tasted a bit more like ginger. The spice cake tasted a bit more like clove. By adding the crunchy, crystallized ginger, the taste of either mix is definitely gingerbread. Drizzling caramel sauce on top after cooking, provides a creamy sweet finish.
3-2-1 Gingerbread Mug Cake can be eaten right from the mug or paper cup it is cooked in, or turned out onto a plate and decorated for an impressive presentation! If cooking in a mug, spraying with cooking spray before adding the ingredients makes removing the cake possible and clean-up much easier.
Please note that aerosol cans are not allowed in international care packages. To mail internationally and/or for no clean-up, I highly recommend adding microwave safe paper cups to your military or college care packages.
Ingredients
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a gallon sized ziplock bag, combine the two boxes of cake mix. Shake the bag to mix thoroughly.
- If using a microwaveable mug, lightly coat the inside with non-stick spray or use a microwave safe paper cup.
- In the prepared mug or paper cup, stir together 3 tablespoons of cake mix and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir in the crystallized ginger.
- Microwave on high for 1 minute.
Storage
Microwave mug cakes are intended to be eaten immediately after cooking. Make only the amount of cakes needed right away. Stored mug cakes have an unappealing texture.
Related recipes
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This Apple Mug Cake is full of fall flavors! The fluffy cake has chunks of cinnamon spiced apples and gooey, melted caramel.
Mandarin Orange Mug Cake has pieces of sweet mandarins in a fluffy cake.
Strawberry Lemonade Mug Cake is the delicious combination of strawberry cake with sweet-tart lemon curd.
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3-2-1 Gingerbread Mug Cake with Caramel Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 box Angel Food Cake mix
- 1 box spice cake or gingerbread cake mix
- Non-stick spray not for international mailing
- Water
- ½ cup Crystallized ginger about 1 teaspoon per mug to taste
- 1 ½ cups Caramel sauce about 1 tablespoon per mug to taste
Instructions
- In a gallon sized ziplock bag, combine the two boxes of cake mix. Shake the bag to mix thoroughly.
- If using a microwaveable mug, lightly coat the inside with non-stick spray (without the spray the cake will not transfer out of the mug.) or use a microwave safe paper cup.
- (Here comes the 3-2-1 part) In the prepared mug or paper cup, stir together 3 tablespoons of cake mix and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir in the crystallized ginger.
- Microwave on high for 1 minute.
- The cake can be eaten right out of the mug/paper cup. If you want to transfer the cake onto a plate, run a knife around the edge between the cake and the mug to loosen, then dump out onto a plate. Drizzle caramel syrup over the cake.
Notes
Nutrition
First Published: December 15, 2013. Last Updated: July 29, 2023. Updated for additional information and better reader experience.
Malou Perez-Nievera (@malou_nievera)
hi wendy,
it's me malou. i haven't been blogging in awhile, not that i wasn't cooking but i got busy with the fundraisers and all. so surely yes it's me who needs this easy as pie 3-2-1 sweet treats of yours. send them over. i need a care package hahah.
happy holidays.
malou
themondaybox
I have been thinking about you and your fundraisers, Malou! I hope they all went well and that your culinary skills were appreciated! I know that the funds raised will have an impact on many lives.
You know I would hand deliver a care package any time! 🙂
I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and a healthy, peace-filled New Year!
shannon
because when i want ginger cake, i want it NOW! 🙂 and honestly, chances are this is about how much free time i have right now to make cake, so it works perfectly for a "me" treat.
themondaybox
Breathe, my friend. 🙂 Make sure you pause,momentarily but often, to absorb how wonderful everything you are doing really is. I am in awe of all you create and accomplish. Really! If 3-2-1 cake can fill the gap between your culinary masterpieces....go for it! 🙂 Happiest of holidays and a healthy, peace-filled New Year!
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain
Sending this over to my college compadres right now! They would love a recipe like this for when it's snowing and they can't/don't want to leave the dorm! 😀 YUM.
themondaybox
Thanks, Jess! Dorm bound, study frazzled, midnight oil burning, munchie driven college students are the main target audience for 3-2-1 cakes! Lots of military have access to microwaves too. A care package of 3-2-1 makings is great for all of the stresses in life! 🙂
Ashley
I love all your microwave cakes Wendy! They are so perfect to send to someone or really just if you want something quick! Like for a late-night craving ... not that I know anything about that : )
Plus, the caramel sauce doesn't hurt either!
themondaybox
Thanks, Ashley! I agree. 3-2-1 cakes really are the perfect dorm room snack for late-night cravings! With all of the possible add-ins, there is a way to make a reasonable facsimile of many baked favorites in 3-2-1 microwave style. The caramel sauce doesn't hurt at all. 🙂
noyomoco
Ohh - this looks amazing! Love that it is so quick and easy 🙂
themondaybox
To be honest, Jennifer, I wasn't convinced that 3-2-1 cakes would go over when I posted the first "recipe" for the basic mix. But I was clearly wrong! The more I play with the basic mix, adding this and that, the better I like the results. There are a lot of people looking for quick and easy, it appears! I'm sold due to what fun it is to create care packages with the ingredients.:)
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker
This looks so amazing Wendy! I love all that caramel syrup soaking into that cake. Totally delicious! Great post! 🙂
themondaybox
Thanks, Anne! The caramel syrup really made this work for me. It turns the spongy microwave cake into more of a bread pudding consistency with crunchy, chewy ginger bits. Yum!
Joy @ Yesterfood
Wendy, these are amazing! I had seen mug cakes here and there on Pinterest, but nothing like these! And you give such a great tutorial, not only for making, but for sharing and/or mailing. I really like how you decorated them with ginger and mmmmmcaramel! 🙂 I think this would be a fun project with my family.
LOVE this- thank you! ♥
themondaybox
Thanks, Joy! The 3-2-1 cakes are magic because you only need the mix and water! 🙂 They aren't exactly the same as baked cakes, but they are fast, easy, fun to make and there are so many add-in possibilities. Also, they are perfect for those without access to an oven!