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    Masala & Chai » Recipes » Cakes

    Published: Jan 15, 2021 · Modified: Jan 6, 2022 by Shweta Garg · This post may contain affiliate links

    Nutella Lava Mug Cake

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    Nutella Lava Mug Cake Pinterest

    Nutella Lava Mug Cakes are all kinds of fancy and easy for impressing guests! With only four ingredients and one mug, you can have this gooey indulgent eggless molten lava mug cake ready to enjoy within 15 minutes! Serve it with a simple dusting of powdered sugar or a heaping scoop of ice cream.

    Nutella Mug Cake with a spoon in the Molten Center

    I can now seriously appreciate how easy making lava cakes actually are. It's my go-to dessert at any restaurant because I just find the chocolate flowing out is so incredibly beautiful! ...and I love to play with my food. I thought they would be the most daunting dessert to make at home but I was unbelievably wrong.

    Jump to:
    • Easier than you think
    • How to make a Molten Lava Mug Cake
    • Toppings for a Lava Cake
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Cake Recipes to try
    • Recipe

    Turns out, most of them arrive frozen at a restaurant! They're then popped into a microwave for a quick blast to get the molten chocolate in the center? I'm good, luv. Lava cakes are so much better when made freshly at home and my frugal self is jumping in joy at the money saved! And let's not forget this isn't just any chocolate lava cake... It's a Nutella lava cake! So for all you chocolate hazelnut lovers, this is definitely for you.

    Easier than you think

    I cannot stress how easy this dessert is! Nothing about this is complicated. In fact, making a mug lava cake is less complicated than making a chocolate lava cake in a ramekin.

    Nutella Lava Mug Cake in a mug on a plate with a spoon
    • Four ingredients: This recipe only requires four ingredients which you most likely already have at home. This is less than the traditional lava cakes which have butter and eggs.
    • Dishes: All you need is a mug and a fork or small whisk. No mixer required!
    • Instructions: Just mix and bake, and you're ready to go!
    • Time: The bake time is extremely short, and there's no cooling period.

    Most mug cakes are made in the microwave by warming them up for a minute or two. While that works with this recipe to make a fully cooked mug cake, to get a true molten center it's going to need to bake in the oven.

    If you love Nutella, you should try out this Homemade Nutella or this Nutella Flourless Cake.

    How to make a Molten Lava Mug Cake

    Making a molten lava mug cake cannot get any easier than this! I hate saying anything is fool proof, but considering I've made this recipe a dozen times at this point it's probably fair to say this is hard to furk up.

    Any normal sized mug works for this recipe. Ensure that it's oven safe!

    1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. The only thing you have to do here, which is optional, is to give the mug a little bit of grease so that the cake doesn't stick to the sides. Since you'll be eating it out the mug, it's not really necessary unless you want it to pop out.
    2. Mix the ingredients. Dump the ingredients into the mug. Be careful to use a precise amount of flour, less is better, otherwise you'll end up with a molten center that tastes like straight up flour. Use a fork or a mini whisk to mix together the ingredients.
    • nutella lava mug cake batter in a mug
    • nutella lava mug cake baked in a mug
    1. Bake. Place the mug on to a sheet tray for easy removal from the oven. Bake for 13-15 minutes, keeping a close eye towards the end to ensure it doesn't overbake. The sides will be cooked, but the center will still look gooey.
    2. Serve with toppings and enjoy!

    You can also double the recipe for one mug, but if you do pay close attention to the bake time. It took about 22 minutes for mine to hit the right amount of molten batter in the center.

    Toppings for a Lava Cake

    While this dessert is already so decadent, you can easily decorate it with a few toppings! Make sure you have a large mug (about 16oz) to add bulkier toppings.

    • Fruit: I especially love strawberries! For an added touch, cut them into a fan.
    • Ice cream: Some hazelnut ice cream or plain vanilla ice cream is always the perfect addition.
    • Syrups: Chocolate syrup, added Nutella, or caramel would be wonderful
    • Powdered sugar

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why does the cake taste like flour?

    It's really important to get the amount of flour right here by using loosely packed flour. Even a few extra grams of flour can mean that the ratio will be off and result in a bad mug cake.

    Is molten lava cake undercooked?

    Even though the center is still liquid, what's important is that it reaches an internal temperature of 160ºF which makes it safe to eat. This isn't like eating raw cookie dough or batter, especially since this recipe doesn't use egg.

    Can I reheat a lava cake?

    Yes! I recommend freezing the cake first, and then popping it in the microwave at 30 second intervals.

    Can I remove the cake from the mug and serve it on a plate?

    You certainly can. Make sure you spray down the mug really well. After it's baked, invert it on to a plate.

    What can I use instead of a mug?

    You can use ramekins or even a muffin pan.

    Can I make this Nutella Lava Mug Cake in a microwave instead of an oven?

    Yes, but I would put it in the microwave at 20 second intervals and keep checking to make sure it doesn't fully cook through. Although it's just as good when fully cooked.

    Why are mug cakes crumbly?

    This is generally because there isn't enough moisture or it's overbaked, which is most mug cake recipes call for milk.

    nutella lava mug cake spooning up the molten lava center

    More Cake Recipes to try

    Looking for more cake recipes? Here’s a few to try!

    • Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
    • Lemon-Cardamom Olive Oil Cake
    • Amaretto Cherry Almond Cake
    • Persimmon Chocolate Loaf Cake

    Recipe

    Nutella Lava Mug Cake in a mug on a plate with a spoon

    Nutella Lava Mug Cake

    Nutella Lava Mug Cakes are all kinds of fancy and easy for impressing guests! With only four ingredients and one mug, you can have this indulgent molten lava cake ready to enjoy within 15 minutes!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 13 minutes
    Total Time: 18 minutes
    Servings: 1 mug cake
    Calories: 298kcal
    Author: Shweta Garg

    Equipment

    • Mugs

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 teaspoon melted butter, for brushing
    • 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
    • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
    • 2 tablespoon Nutella
    • 3 tablespoon fat-free milk
    Text Ingredients

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the edges of an oven-safe mug with melted butter. Add in the all purpose flour, baking powder, Nutella, and milk. Thoroughly combine it with a small whisk or fork.
    • Set the mug on a small sheet tray and place it in the oven. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the top of the mug cake has set but the middle still moves or jiggles.
    • Serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, drizzle of chocolate, fresh fruit, or a spoon full of ice cream.

    Notes

    • Measure out the flour as precisely as possible. Too much and the cake will taste like flour.
    • Whisk the mixture really well so that there are no clumps of flour or baking powder.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 92IU | Calcium: 162mg | Iron: 3mg
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    ABOUT SHWETA

    Shweta at the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland

    I’m Shweta, a self taught recipe developer and food photographer living in New York City. I’m a full time cloud consultant who also enjoys eating out at restaurants, discovering and supporting small business, and cozying up with a cup of chai.

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