Craving a quick, single-serve dessert? This delicious lemon blueberry mug cake can be made in just a few minutes, and can easily be made vegan. This sweet treat tastes almost like blueberry cobbler!
If you're looking for other delicious lemon cakes, make sure to try our recipes for lemon pudding cakes and lemon poppy seed cake.
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Ingredients
This mug cake takes basic pantry ingredients that you probably already have on hand. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, and if you don't have a fresh lemon for the zest, that's okay. The cake will much taste better with the extra tang, though!
- Baking Powder: makes the cake rise in the microwave. (Tip: Use this simple test to make sure that your baking powder is still good.)
- Milk: adds moisture. (Feel free to use a non-dairy milk, like Silk Original Almond Milk)
- Blueberries: use fresh or frozen; don't defrost.
- Lemon Zest: adds additional lemon flavor.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Vegan: use non-dairy milk, such as Silk original almond milk, and a plant-based fat, such as olive oil or coconut oil.
- Gluten Free: use your favorite measure-for-measure gluten free flour instead of all-purpose.
- Extra Fancy: top the mug cake with ice cream, whipped cream, or cream cheese frosting.
How to Make
Gather the ingredients. You'll need flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt for the dry ingredients, and milk, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and melted butter (or oil for vegans) for the wet ingredients. Don't forget the lemon zest and blueberries for flavor!
- Mix together all the dry ingredients in a 16-ounce mug until well blended.
- Add the milk, lemon juice, butter or oil, vanilla, and the lemon zest.
3. Mix thoroughly, making sure to get all the flour from the corners of the mug.
4. Gently stir in the blueberries.
5. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
6. Let the mug cake cool for 10 minutes before enjoying, as it is very hot.
Recipe FAQs
Mug cakes cook very quickly, and if they are overcooked, they can become rubbery. Adding too much oil or simply measuring the ingredients inaccurately may also cause a failed mug cake.
Also, be sure you're not using expired baking powder, and mix the ingredients until they're well combined. Make sure your microwave power is set according to the recipe instructions, and use the same size of mug that the recipe recommends.
The most common cause of a rubbery mug cake is overcooking it. Make sure your microwave is set to the correct power to prevent overcooking. Overmixing the batter, using too much flour, or not enough liquid can negatively affect the texture. Using too much baking powder can cause the cake to rise too quickly and then collapse, resulting in a rubbery texture.
Mug cakes can taste bad for a number of reasons. Overcooking can cause the cake to become rubbery and tough, while undercooking can make them gooey and stodgy. Using the wrong ingredients or measurements can affect the taste and texture of the cake. Overmixing the batter can make the cake rubbery and tough.
This lemon blueberry mug cake isn't supposed to be gooey. Some mug cakes, like brownies or molten lava cakes, can be gooey, but this recipe shouldn't be. Make sure to use the right size of mug, microwave power, and cooking time to ensure a properly cooked mug cake.
Serve
Lemon blueberry mug cakes taste great on their own as a snack or pick-me-up. Here's some quick savory snacks to enjoy along with your mug cake if you're looking for something more well-rounded! You'll love a slice of crispy garlic toast, crackers with sardine salad, or creamy egg sandwich spread. Pimento cheese on crackers or toast is another great snack to enjoy with a mug cake!
Store
Make Ahead: It's best to make the mug cake fresh, and enjoy it once it's cooled. However, if you can't finish it in one sitting, see the question below on how to store leftovers.
Leftovers: Let the cake cool completely, then cover it with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge or at room temperature, than microwave briefly just before eating. Keep it away from heat to prevent spoilage.
Freezing: Scoop the cooked cake out of the mug and put it in a small freezer friendly container. Freeze for up to 1 month and defrost at room temperature.
Expert Tips
- Be sure that the batter is well mixed and smooth so it cooks evenly.
- Use a 14 or 16-ounce mug to prevent the cake from overflowing as it cooks.
- Adjust the cooking time based on the shape of mug (straight sides vs. slanted) and type of microwave you're using.
- Let the cake cool for at least 10 minutes before eating, so you don't burn your mouth.
- Making multiple mug cakes for your family? Press the 2x button in the recipe card to automatically double or triple the ingredient list. Mix up the batter in a bowl, then divide it evenly among the mugs.
Other Mug Cakes You'll Love
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Recipe
Lemon Blueberry Mug Cake
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
- 3 tablespoons milk, dairy or Silk original almond milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons light olive oil or melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, optional
Instructions
- Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and pinch of salt in a 14 or 16-ounce mug.
- Add the milk, lemon juice, fat of choice (either melted butter or oil), and vanilla extract. Stir the mixture together until well blended and free from lumps, making sure to scrape the bottom of the mug to make sure that all the flour is mixed in.
- Zest a fresh lemon with a microplane grater, then gently stir the blueberries and lemon zest into the batter.
- Microwave the mug cake on high for 2 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Realize that the wattage of the microwave and the shape and thickness of the mug will affect how the cake cooks, so you may need to decrease or increase the time.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before eating, as it is very hot. Enjoy while warm, or cover and refrigerate for later.
Notes
- Be sure to mix the batter thoroughly; no streaks or lumps of flour should remain.
- Depending upon the microwave and mug you use, you may need to experiment with the cooking time for the mug cake.
- Make this vegan by using a non-dairy milk (I recommend Silk original almond milk) and a plant-based fat, such as light olive oil or coconut oil.
- Make this gluten free by using your favorite measure-for-measure gluten free flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Axl
This mug cake was amazing! adding a dust of powdered sugar after baking is really good.
Emma
That's wonderful, Axl! We're glad you enjoyed the mug cake!
Kaley
It was really gummy and I did exactly what the recipe said.
Emma
I'm sorry to hear that, Kaley! Every mug/microwave cooks a little differently, so that could be it. Using fresh baking powder (newer that 3 months old) helps, too!
Mackenzie
This came out really gummy for me 😢
Emma
I'm sorry to hear that, Mackenzie! Mug cakes can be tricky to get right, so just keep experimenting. The recipe as written worked well for me, but the cake can turn out gummy if a differently shaped mug is used, too many blueberries were added, or the cake wasn't cooked long enough.
Beth
This mug cake smells zesty and fruity. It tastes like lemon with bombs of purple blueberry. The cake is delightfully stodgy, but it is comfortingly divine. This vegan version tastes no different than a non-vegan one.
Emma
Thank you for your kind words, Beth!
Alex
The smell of this cake is wonderful! It's light and fluffy and delicious. The blueberries are soft, and the lemon adds a sour punch. This dessert gives me a warm cozy feeling when I eat it!
Emma
That's sweet, Alex! Thanks for sharing your review.
Kelly
I’m looking forward to try this recipe. We have farm fresh strawberries in now, can you exchange them for the blueberries?
Emma
Yes, you can definitely exchange the strawberries for the blueberries! Just chop the strawberries into small pieces to make them easier to eat. Have fun!