This Banana Mug Cake is moist and delicious, with great banana flavor topped off with dark chocolate chips. And ready in under 90 seconds!
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Why Make This Recipe
- Quick and easy: just mix ingredients together in a microwave-safe mug, and bake!
- Rich banana bread flavor in a single serving size
- Mostly pantry-friendly ingredients, and no egg required!
🥗 Ingredients
- Banana: Overripe bananas are the best to use for banana bread and banana cakes—they mash easily and add deliciously moist texture to baked goods.
- Vegetable Oil: Melted butter is a good substitute for the vegetable oil. You can also use a different neutral oil (stay away from a strong-flavored olive oil).
- Milk: Any type of milk will work for this recipe, including non-dairy milk like soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk.
- Flour: For a gluten-free banana mug cake, try replacing the all-purpose flour with almond flour or with another gluten-free flour alternative.
- Brown Sugar: Either light or dark brown sugar will work for this recipe. You could also replace it with granulated sugar, maple syrup, honey, or another sugar alternative.
- Chocolate Chips: These are optional but totally delicious in this recipe. We prefer semisweet chips, but you can choose your favorite kind.
🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions
Peel half a banana and mash in a small bowl. (You can reserve the rest of the banana to slice as garnish, if it is not too mushy.)
Scrape mashed banana into a microwave-safe mug, then stir in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon milk, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon salt.
Stir in 1 tablespoon chocolate chips. Scrape any batter on the sides of the mug down into the rest of the batter.
Microwave for 80 seconds on high. Let cool for at least a minute after taking out of the microwave.
Top with banana slices and more chocolate chips, if desired, and eat cake while it is still warm.
🧐 Recipe FAQs for Banana Mug Cake
The texture in mug cakes can be chewier than regular cakes, especially if they are overbaked. However, the banana and low flour content of this cake helps the texture remain moist but not chewy. Also, some mug cake recipes include a whole egg—that can also contribute to a chewy, or eggy texture. With this banana mug cake recipe, there is no egg required!
Making mug cakes in advance is not recommended. The longer they sit, the more the texture suffers. To shorten the time it takes to make this recipe, combine all the dry ingredients in advance and save in a ziploc baggie or airtight container. Then add the mashed banana and the liquid ingredients when you’re ready to bake.
To make this a vegan banana mug cake, just replace the tablespoon of milk with a non-dairy milk alternative. Soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk would all work fine. In addition, make sure your chocolate chips are vegan.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
The reason we include scraping down the sides of the mug before baking is so that that mug cake cooks and rises evenly. You can use a spatula or wipe the rim of the mug with a damp paper towel.
Note that you may need to test this recipe in your own microwave a couple of times before you get the timing right, since microwaves can be very different. When the mug cake is fully baked, the surface of the cake will look mostly dry with just a small area or two that looks a little wet. The cake will continue to cook as it is cooling. If you like your cakes more gooey in the middle, you may want to take a few seconds off the cook time.
We recommend a ceramic mug with straight sides and a narrow opening, which helps the cake build volume. But with a tall, skinny mug, it can be hard to make sure there is not a chunk of flour on the bottom. Make sure you mix the batter well so that all ingredients are incorporated.
If your chocolate chips fall to the bottom of your mug, try coating them in flour before stirring them in.
Wondering what to serve with this banana mug cake? It’s delicious with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, but you could also top your cake with whipped cream. And of course more chocolate chips or chocolate syrup won’t hurt. And to drink with it? How about our Oat Milk Hot Chocolate?
Got extra ripe bananas around? These Chocolate Chunk Banana Muffins are so good! Or try these Easy Banana Cookies that are soft, delicious, and so easy to make. You might also try this 3 ingredient protein powder mug cake for a big protein boost!
Fancy banana bread instead? Try this 4 Ingredient Banana Bread or this banana bread using cake mix. Finally, go the crispy route instead and make this banana fritters recipe. Seriously tasty!
Delicious Mug Cake Recipes
We love mug cakes for how easy they are to make. Try this Gluten-Free Chocolate Mug Cake or check out these favorites:
If you try this Banana Mug Cake recipe, we would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to us.
And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to our newsletter. We’d love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!
More Recipes To Try
- Basil Aioli
- Old Bay Shrimp Recipe
- Savory Crepe Recipe
- Baked Brie In Puff Pastry
- Recipe For Italian Wedding Soup
- Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
- Pickled Shallots Recipe
📖 Recipe
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Banana Mug Cake
Ingredients
- ½ overripe banana
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chocolate chips plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Peel banana half and mash in a small bowl. (You can reserve the rest of the banana to slice as garnish, if it is not too mushy.)
- Scrape mashed banana into a microwave-safe mug, then stir in vegetable oil, milk, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Scrape any batter on the sides of the mug down into the rest of the batter.
- Microwave for 80 seconds on high.
- Top with banana slices and more chocolate chips, if desired.
Notes
You may need to test this recipe in your own microwave a couple of times before you get the timing right, since microwaves can be very different. When the mug cake is fully baked, the surface of the cake will look mostly dry with just a small area or two that looks a little wet. The cake will continue to cook as it is cooling. If you like your cakes more gooey in the middle, you may want to take a few seconds off the cook time. We recommend a ceramic mug with straight sides and a narrow opening, which helps the cake build volume. But with a tall, skinny mug, it can be hard to make sure there is not a chunk of flour on the bottom. Make sure you mix the batter well so that all ingredients are incorporated.
Nutrition
Instagram Users: Now that you've made this banana chocolate chip mug cake recipe, tag us @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because we’d love to see your results!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
Natasha says
This was amazing! I added honey, used a whole banana and a lithe extra flour! Yummy! I also topped with butter pecan ice cream! Epic!
Molly Pisula says
Ooh, love that butter pecan ice cream on top!!
AS says
This was delicious! I doubled the recipe and cooked in a bowl for longer (started with 2 minutes, then cooked in 30 second increments until mostly cooked). It was still gooey in the middle but because there's no egg I dove right into the deliciousness. This recipe is a keeper
Molly Pisula says
So glad to hear that! Thanks for commenting and letting us know how doubling works!
Sharon says
Lovely! I found your blog today because of Feed the Need Friday and am so looking forward to trying this recipe. I have some ripe bananas in need of transformation!!
Molly Pisula says
Excellent! Thanks Sharon--this mug cake is one of my favorite things to make with a ripe banana!
Judy says
Yum!!
It was light and Fluffy. I only used 1 tablespoon of sugar. I cooked it for 2 minutes.
This recipe is a keeper. Thanks for sharing.
Molly Pisula says
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for commenting, Judy!
Deanette says
Yum! This banana mug cake was delicious!
Thank you
Molly Pisula says
Thanks so much for commenting and letting me know. I really appreciate it!
Sophia Trone says
This was incredible! I used a whole banana and some sweetened coconut condensed milk instead of brown sugar and just doubled the flour and it turned out great!
Molly Pisula says
I love those substitutions--so glad you enjoyed the recipe, and thanks so much for posting!
Alberta says
Delicious! Super fluffy and light, not too sweet, and it made the kitchen smell heavenly! Yum yum yum
Molly Pisula says
Glad to hear it! Thanks so much for letting me know.
Emily says
Omg.. BEST mug cake ever!!! I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil and it worked out perfectly. Topped with whip cream and I couldn’t be happier 😀
Molly Pisula says
so glad to hear that! great idea to sub in coconut oil--I'm going to try that next time!
Jen says
Happy is an understatement. I can't believe I FINALLY found a recipe that actually works because I've tried SO MANY mug/microwave cake recipes and the cake is always gummy and looks undercooked even though it's not. Thank you!
Molly Pisula says
So glad to hear that! You are right--so many are gummy and terrible. This one is a favorite of mine and my daughter's!
Alana Deegan says
This was SUPER good! I plan to make it for breakfast loads when I have lots of leftover bananas!