Snickerdoodle Mug Cake

Snickerdoodle Mug Cake bakes up in the microwave in just one minute, yielding a warm, cinnamon-sugary treat that will satisfy any sweet tooth!

Snickerdoodle Mug Cake collage with text

How many times have you had a sugar craving, only to discover that there's nary a cookie nor a cupcake nor a candy bar in the house? Now that's not always a bad thing, mind you. Sometimes the only thing that prevents me from ingesting too much sugar is the fact that I made a point not to buy or make sweets in the first place. 😉

Mug Cake Love

But other times, IneedsomethingsweetandIneeditrightNOW! And in those instances, spending a few minutes throwing together a microwave mug cake seems a bit more refined than scarfing chocolate chips straight out of the bag.

Mug Cake made with cinnamon and sugar

Did y'all happen to catch the One-Minute Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake that I posted last spring? Because it is, to put it bluntly, awesome. In fact, I've had quite a few comments from people declaring it the best mug cake recipe they've ever tried. And while it's hard -- nay, impossible -- to top chocolate and peanut butter, sometimes I'm in the mood for something vanilla-based instead. So I decided to take my Chocolate Peanut Butter M.C. and attempt to remove the chocolate...and the peanut butter. And would you believe my efforts were a success?!

Spoon digging in

Cinnamon Sugar Mug Cake

I clearly have a thing for snickerdoodle treats, seeing as how I've already shared cinnamon-sugary variations of popcorn, candied pecans, quick bread, muffins, and coffee syrup. So what would be more natural than a cinnamon sugar mug cake that ends up tasting like a soft, warm, snickerdoodle cookie?

Snickerdoodle Mug Cake is just that...a moist, tender cake, spiced with cinnamon and layered with cinnamon sugar. And y'all...it can be crossing your lips in under five minutes from start to finish! Just a few basic ingredients are mixed, poured into a mug, and microwaved. And then, before your very eyes, the batter transforms into cake, rising up to the top of the mug and then collapsing a bit once the baking stops.

Most mug cakes end up having a less-than-desirable texture...dense and gummy and just kind of weird. But not this one! I feel like the secret to a light, tender, amazing texture in a mug cake comes from leaving out the eggs. That's right! No egg in this mug cake recipe (or any of my others). It's not only easier to make a mug cake without an egg, but it turns out so much tastier!

Getting ready to dig in with spoon

(Oh, and I realize that y'all are smart enough to figure out how to layer the batter with cinnamon sugar, but I was playing around with baking one of these in a clear mug...so you get a photo. It was actually fun to watch the batter transform into cake, like some nerdy food blogger science experiment.)

Mug Cake Recipe showing snickerdoodle layers in jarThis recipe is perfect for those there's-nothing-sweet-in-the-house sugar cravings. But since making it does require minimal effort, it's easy enough to stop at one. And one batch can even be shared! I actually make a couple of mug cakes for dessert sometimes and split them between our family of five.

Tips & Tricks

  • The strength of individual microwaves can vary, so the first time you make this recipe, you'll need to experiment a bit to make sure that 1 minute is the perfect length of baking time. The nice thing about this treat is that even if it is undercooked, you don't have to worry about raw eggs!
  • My Snickerdoodle Mug Cake was done to my liking in one minute and 15 seconds. This is slightly longer than I bake my Chocolate Peanut Butter version, since I prefer that one to have a molten center.
  • Unsalted butter will work just fine in this recipe, but I find that using salted butter (or adding a tiny pinch of salt) adds a small flavor boost.
  • A tall, cylindrical mug with straight (not angled) sides will ensure that the cake bakes evenly. I found a 14-ounce mug to be the perfect size to allow the cake to rise up while baking without overflowing. (I filled my mug to the top with water and then transferred the water to a measuring cup to determine its capacity.) If you use a smaller mug, you may want to bake the cake on top of a plate or paper towel to catch any possible overflow.
  • I also advise you to place a plate under your mug the first time you make this treat to catch any potential spillage.

The bottom line is that this recipe is pretty darn flexible. Experiment with what you've got and you'll quickly figure out the winning formula!

Snickerdoodle Mug Cake Recipe with text overlay

If you like cake...if you enjoy snickerdoodles...if you're a fan of instant gratification...if you own a mug...this Snickerdoodle Mug Cake recipe was made for you! Please say that you'll try it and let me know what you think? And then go ahead and try the chocolate peanut butter version and let me know which one you like better.

Because for me? Honestly, it's a toss-up at this point. They're totally different but equally scrumptious. Guess I'll keep making them both until I can decide a clear winner. <insert fake sigh> Food blogging is a tough job, but somebody's got to do it... 😉

More Effortless Mug Cakes

 

Snickerdoodle Mug Cake ~ bakes up in the microwave in just one minute, yielding a warm, cinnamon-sugary treat that will satisfy any sweet tooth! | FiveHeartHome.com

Snickerdoodle Mug Cake

Snickerdoodle Mug Cake bakes up in the microwave in just one minute, yielding a warm, cinnamon-sugary treat that will satisfy any sweet tooth!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 mug cake
Calories: 500kcal
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ cup milk, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted and cooled
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For layering/topping:

  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon until thoroughly, completely combined, with no streaks of any ingredients remaining. Blend in milk, butter, and vanilla until batter is smooth. Into a 14-ounce (or larger) microwave-safe mug with straight sides, scoop a big spoonful of batter, then sprinkle with a spoonful of cinnamon sugar. Alternate layers, ending with cinnamon sugar.
  • Microwave on high for 1 to 1 ½ minutes, or until cake is done to your liking. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

  • A tall, cylindrical mug with straight (not angled) sides will ensure that the cake bakes evenly. I found a 14-ounce mug to be the perfect size to allow the cake to rise up while baking without overflowing. (I filled my mug to the top with water and then transferred the water to a measuring cup to determine its capacity.) If you use a smaller mug, you may want to bake the cake on top of a plate or paper towel to catch any possible overflow.
  • The strength of individual microwaves can vary. The first time you make this recipe, be prepared to experiment a bit to make sure that 1 minute is the perfect length of baking time. The nice thing about this cake is that even if it is undercooked, you don't have to worry about raw eggs!
  • Unsalted butter will work just fine in this recipe, but I find that using salted butter adds a tiny flavor boost.

Nutrition

Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 800IU | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 1.5mg
Made this recipe? I'd love to see on IG!Mention @FiveHeartHome or tag #FiveHeartHome!

 

Adapted from One-Minute Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake
Originally published on January 15, 2015

Snickerdoodle Mug Cake collage with text

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434 Comments

  1. Turned out to be very very soupy no sign of cake anywhere I did everything right. This is the second time I have tried it and I came out as a liquid. But still tastes good.

  2. We tried this tonight and doubled it and it was super yummy! I accidentally forgot the bp, so it didn’t rise. But, oh my, it was very good!

  3. Since I'm gluten free I used almond flour and vanilla almond milk. Very delicious. Didn't look good with the almond flour but OMG it sure tastes good!

    1. Thanks for sharing your substitutions, Keisha, and I'm glad they worked! 🙂

  4. Made this today with almond milk and dairy free margarine. I thought 1.5 minutes would be too little but it came out amazingly perfect. I didn't believe that a cake could taste so good in the microwave.

    1. I prefer almond milk as well. The first time I made this recipe I only had almond milk on hand but decided to try it anyway. Loved it. The second time I tried it with regular milk and it didn't seem as moist as it did with almond milk. Almond it is for me!

    1. Sorry to hear that, Vanessa. Sounds like it was overcooked...your microwave might cook things on the faster side.

  5. Yum! I’ve tried a lot of mug cakes but this one takes the cake! 😉 Very good. I’ll make it again thank you.

  6. This recipe is great even though I switched things a bit by using vegetable oil instead of the buyer and adding a caramel and chocolate syrup for the frosting. You can give that a try, definitely not regret it! Anyway, I loved it! Thank you so much!

  7. Beyond amazing! I stuck a little sliver of butter on the cinnamon sugar layers to add a little more moisture. Its like cinnamon roll meets snickerdoodle. Definitely my go-to late night snack!

  8. This was delicious! I am a vegan so I substituted in unsweetened vanilla almond milk and vegan butter. Turned out great!

    1. Thanks for sharing, Ella! Your tip will help someone else who would like to make this recipe vegan. 🙂

    1. I haven't tried this recipe with gluten-free flour, Phyllis, but I've had comments on some of my other (very similar) mug cake recipes that they did work with gluten-free flour. So it might be worth a shot!

  9. So at this point , my question is, how do I make a bigger batch?

    Should I just multiply the quantities?

    I'd love to make this so I can just grab a piece/ slice and heat it up!

    Soooo good!

    1. It would take some experimenting, Sara, but I bet you could multiply this recipe and turn it into muffins that you could bake in the oven? I haven't tried this so I'm not sure how or if it would turn out, but please report back if you decide to give it a go! 🙂

  10. I make this literally every day. I use wheat flour instead of all purpose, and water instead of milk, because I never buy milk or all purpose flour, and it seems to work fine. I've never tried the original version so I don't know how much of a difference it makes. Today I had a cup of coffee from earlier next to me and thought, what if I replaced the water... with coffee? I tried it and let me tell you, i t i s B O M B. It might be a little different if you're used to the milk, maybe try 1/2 milk, 1/2 coffee? Snickerdoodle turned into coffee cake. Yum.

  11. Wow! I have been trying my luck with mug cakes lately and this is beyond PERFECT! I put a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top and it couldn't have been any better. Thank you and I look forward to trying your other recipes:)

  12. First time I saw a mug cake was in the store. Your snickerdoodle is so much better! I love it?. Thank you for your recipe.