Microwave Cocoa Protein Mug Cake
A dense, fudgy cocoa mug cake with a pinch of salt to sharpen the chocolate. It cooks in the microwave in about two minutes, so it is a fast sweet fix with a real protein lift from the egg and milk.
- Total
- 10 min
- Prep 5 · Cook 3 · Rest 2
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Whisking
- Sweet
- Quick
- Microwave
Instructions
-
Put 15 g butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 10-second bursts until fully melted, about 30 seconds total. Let it cool for 1 minute so it does not scramble the egg.
~1 min
Cooling melted butter prevents it from cooking the egg proteins on contact, which would cause curdling or scrambling.
-
In the mug, stir together 30 g flour, 10 g cocoa powder, 15 g sugar and 1 pinch salt with a fork until no cocoa lumps remain.
~1 min
Mixing dry ingredients first breaks up cocoa lumps, since cocoa powder clumps and resists blending once liquid is added.
The pinch of salt is not optional here: it sharpens the cocoa and keeps the cake from tasting flat.
-
Crack 1 egg into the mug and add 45 ml milk and the melted butter. Whisk hard with the fork for about 30 seconds, until the batter is smooth and glossy and no dry flour is visible. It should be thick but pourable.
~1 min
Vigorous whisking disperses the egg and hydrates the flour, creating a smooth, even batter that cooks uniformly.
Whisking Whisk hard in a circular motion until the batter is glossy and no dry flour remains; a lazy stir leaves lumps and uneven pockets of egg.
-
Microwave on high for 90 seconds. Check the center: it should look set and slightly moist, not wet. If it is still liquid, microwave in 10-second bursts up to 30 seconds more. Do not overcook or it turns rubbery.
~2 min
Microwaving sets the egg proteins and gelatinizes the flour; brief bursts prevent overcooking, which squeezes out moisture and makes it rubbery.
Microwave wattage varies a lot. Judge by the surface: it should be just set with a slightly damp top, and it will firm up during the 2-minute rest.
-
Let the mug cake stand for 2 minutes to finish setting, then eat it warm straight from the mug with a spoon.
~2 min
The residual heat finishes setting the center and lets the crumb firm up so it is not wet or gummy.