Lava Cake in a Mug is an upgrade of the original Cake Mix Mug Cake! Rich, creamy, melted chocolate nestled in an individual chocolate dessert that bakes in just one minute in the microwave. The ultimate in instant gratification.
About this recipe
Microwave mug cakes are a perfect care package treat for anyone with a sweet tooth and access to a microwave, in other words, most college students and many military.
The Lava Cake in a Mug upgrades a plain snack and caters to the chocoholic. It looks and tastes fancy enough for company!
Recipe Ingredients
The magic mix is made of one box of angel food mix combined with one box of chocolate cake mix.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus, you’ll get more great recipes and tips from us each week!
Directions
- Use a permanent marker to label a gallon size ziplock bag with the name of the mix and the simple 3-2-1 directions.
- To make the mix, pour one package of chocolate cake mix and one package of Angel Food mix into the prepared ziplock bag. Seal the bag and then shake until the two mixes are completely combined.
- Mix three tablespoons of the mix and two tablespoons of water in a mug.
- Press three chocolates into the batter.
- Cook in the microwave for one minute in the microwave.
- Enjoy!
Tips
- For care package use, pour the two mixes into a gallon-size zip lock bag labeled with directions, add a bag of chocolates, a measuring spoon and a can of non-stick spray. For a special touch, include a mug and spoon.
- PLEASE NOTE: Aerosol cans can not be used for international air shipping (such as military care packages). I suggest including disposable microwave safe paper cups instead. These can be purchased at Dollar stores, Target, and party supply stores.
Lava Cake in a Mug
Rich, creamy, melted chocolate nestled in an individual chocolate dessert that bakes in just one minute in the microwave.
Print
Rate
Servings: 24
Calories: 92kcal
Ingredients
- 1 box Angel Food Cake mix
- 1 box chocolate cake mix I used devil’s food.
- Non-stick spray or disposable microwave safe paper cups
- Water
- 72 Chocolate squares 3 per mug
Instructions
- In a gallon sized ziplock bag, combine the two boxes of cake mix. Shake the bag to mix thoroughly.
- If using a mug,lightly coat the inside of a microwaveable mug with non-stick spray. (Without the spray the cake will not transfer out of the mug.) Paper cups do not need coating.
- (Here comes the 3-2-1 part) Into the prepared mug or paper cup, stir together 3 tablespoons of cake mix and 2 tablespoons of water. Push three chocolate squares, one on top of the other, into the center of the batter. The cake will rise around the chocolate pile, so don’t worry if some of the chocolate is not submerged.
- 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.
Notes
- For care package use, pour the two cake mixes into a gallon-size zip lock bag labeled with directions, add a bag of chocolates, a measuring spoon and a can of non-stick spray. For a special touch, include a mug and spoon.
- PLEASE NOTE: Aerosol cans can not be used for international air shipping (such as military care packages). I suggest including disposable microwave safe paper cups instead. These can be purchased at Dollar stores, Target, and party supply stores.
- Combine the two cake mixes into a labeled gallon-size ziplock bag.
- Include a measuring spoon, bag of chocolates and a can of non-stick spray.
- PLEASE NOTE: Aerosol cans can NOT be sent by international air. Send microwave safe paper cups instead. Write out directions on an index card or directly on the ziplock bag.
Nutrition
Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheMondayBox or tag #themondaybox!
Reeni
On the one hand these are way to easy to make - I can see myself whipping these up every night for my raging sweet tooth! And unpacking my stretchy pants haha. On the other hand I like that you don't have to bake a whole cake and therefore eat the entire cake - you can have your dessert and be done with it! Yay! Plus I can easily whip one up for my Dad when his raging sweet tooth hits. Yes, I blame him for my sweet tooth inheritance. Love the tunnel of chocolate in the middle too! Makes it extra delectable.
themondaybox
What a relief to hear something blamed on Dad instead of Mom!! 🙂 The stretchy pants are a major worry with dessert blogging, thats for sure!! 3-2-1 cakes in no way compete with "real" cakes, but they are tasty and quick, making them perfect for sudden cravings, people short on time or baking interest, and care package recipients. 🙂 I agree, the chocolate tunnel makes these (I love this word) delectable!
Monica
This is just wonderful, Wendy! I think almost everyone I know would be thrilled to get this in the mail! You know how much I love chocolate so I'm hooked and then I see how easy it is to make! I've never had chocolate angel food cake. I'm not a fan of the plain but I know chocolate would be a whole different story. And molten lava cake is possibly my favorite dessert of all time (my son too) and it's that gooey center, which is here in full force. Can you tell I want this?! ; )
themondaybox
Thanks, Monica! The angel food really just serves as the eggs in this mix, so no worries about it tasting like angel food cake. 🙂 For regular 3-2-1 cake the flavored mix can be any flavor at all. For the molten lava., the more chocolaty the better! The gooey melted chocolate center eliminates any possibility of this tasting like anything but chocolate. 🙂 Kids especially get a kick out of the "magic" when this turns into a cake in 1 minute. I think your son would have fun with it. 🙂
Ashley
Talk about instant gratification! haha I love it! I really should keep the ingredients for this on hand for my crazy dessert cravings! Although then I have a feeling I'll give in to those cravings a lot easier! I don't have much willpower when it comes to dessert : )
themondaybox
At least they would be portion controlled, Ashley! 🙂 You could make all 48 individual cakes, one after the other,.....but even with no willpower, its unlikely. 🙂
BruCrew Life
Microwave cakes are dangerous!! Dangerously good!! This looks so melty good!
themondaybox
Thanks, Jocelyn! They are perfect for sudden cravings or for students/military with a microwave. 🙂
Mama's Gotta Bake
Oh how I love anything with melted chocolate! This looks divine!
themondaybox
Thanks, Sheryl! These 3-2-1 cakes are the microwave answer to, "I need some melted chocolate asap!" 🙂 They are also perfect for students and the 3 am munchies. 🙂
noyomoco
Wow - this looks divine!!
themondaybox
Thanks, Jennifer! File this one under, "Can be made with one hand while walking a crying baby at 3 am" 🙂 Not that you will ever need such a thing.....but just in case. 🙂
gottagetbaked
Holy smokes these photos are making me drool! I've never tried a mug cake before and now I'm craving one like crazy. Love these!
themondaybox
Thanks, Nancy! These are instant gratification mugcakes. Have the cake mix mixture sitting in the cabinet and these are scary easy to throw together whenever a craving hits. 🙂
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain
I love 3-2-1 cakes! And I ADORE molten lava cakes. Now I can have both?!? *swoons* Wendy you have made my day. 😀
themondaybox
Thanks, Jess! Always happy to help! 🙂 These are fast and decadent at the same time.
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker
Microwave for 1 minute? And I can have a fabulous chocolate cake that quickly? SOLD! Looks amazing Wendy. 🙂
themondaybox
Thanks, Anne! I agree, amazing and possibly dangerous! 🙂
crazyforcrust
I love microwave cake!! This is a great recipe!
themondaybox
Thanks, Dorothy! Its a good quick chocolate fix!
Miss Messy
This looks super! great idea! We call dove chocolate galaxy in the UK and it's my favourite! 🙂
themondaybox
Thanks! I think the milky-ness of any Cadbury chocolate would work well in here too. When friends ask if we want anything from the UK we always ask for our favorite Cadbury bars. 🙂
Gina left the mall
Love this! Terrific idea. As for military, you might want to check with your Soldiers' Angel bakers about the Pam spray. I never send aerosol cans in care packages to Afghanistan or Iraq because when I first started, they said not to. But that was a long time ago.
themondaybox
As always, Gina, thanks for a heads up about the aerosol cans! It never would have occurred to me! I will definitely ask the Soldiers' Angels bakers. I wonder if baking spray comes in a pump bottle somewhere (the way hairspray comes in aerosol or non-aerosol)?
In the non-care package department: Sophia and friends would probably enjoy the magic of these. Actually, I am tickled every time I see it work. 🙂
kallen
You can occasionally get olive oil in a pump bottle, or you could send military members some coconut oil (not spray). The advantage is that it takes years to go rancid, even without refrigeration. And it tastes great with chocolate cake.
themondaybox
Thanks for the ideas, Kallen! I will be updating the 3-2-1 cake posts soon with the suggestion to send disposable microwave safe paper cups. That way there is no clean up involved and the oil can be avoided altogether! For those who still wish to send oil, a spray bottle or your coconut oil idea would both work!
beyondfrosting
This is such a cool idea! P.S. Dove chocolate is my favorite!!!
themondaybox
Thanks, Julianne! The Dove chocolate definitely brings this cupcake to a whole new level. 🙂
shannon
HA! i don't know why it struck me as hilarious to read that it makes "48 cups of cake." YES!!! 🙂 And oh my heavens, how pretty are those little cakes, too! What a great upgrade; seriously, it's one of those "a-ha" things that i would have never thought of, but that is absolutely perfect. Stunning photos, Wendy!
themondaybox
Agreed, Shannon. 48 cupcakes is a ridiculous amount for one person! You discovered my secret. Obviously, I am subliminally promoting world peace through the sharing of 3-2-1 cakes! 🙂 🙂 Luckily, the mix lasts for ages. My son ate (and shared) his care package cakes for awhile then forgot about the mix for a month or two until exams when he was hunting for anything edible in his room late one night. Apparently, these are especially good when you are sleep deprived and its 3 am. 🙂
Thanks so much for your kind words about the photos! The visual allure is so important. I know what I am trying to achieve but frequently don't have the skill to achieve it. A work in progress. 🙂
Jeanne (NanaBread)
I love the combination of angels food and devils food in this recipe. You should call it Good & Evil Minute Cakes. 🙂
themondaybox
Shoot, Jeanne! A missed opportunity! With all of that melting chocolate, I didn't pay attention to the divine struggle within the cake itself. 🙂 When my son makes this (over and over until he runs out of clean mugs) during exams week, he could call it "I Only Have a Minute, 3 am Chocolate Cravings Cake".:)