4 Ingredient Molten Nutella Lava Mug Cake
This Nutella lava mug cake is rich, chocolatey, and easy to make. It’s a single-serving with only need 4 ingredients! It’s a baked mug cake that comes out soft with a molten center. It’s a great dessert for special occasions or whenever you want a special dessert just for you.
For me, my ideal chocolate lava cake has a very light, delicate cake shell, with a hot, molten, liquid center. This is exactly how this Nutella lava cake turns out, but it’s not your traditional molten cake. A traditional molten chocolate cake involves eggs and creating a chocolate pudding-like batter. This version has fewer ingredients and is easy to make.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- This mug cake is baked so it has the best lava cake texture. I usually microwave mug cakes, but for this one I wanted it to look and taste like a fancy chocolate molten lava cake you would get at a restaurant.
- It’s ready in about 20 minutes from start to finish.
- Once the cake is done, it looks like a traditional lava cake with a light and delicate outer cake shell. When you break through that layer, you get a molten Nutella center.
- It’s delicious plain or you can add a scoop of ice cream.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Nutella
- Milk
Flour: This recipe requires all-purpose flour so the cake has the right texture and structure.
Nutella: The base of the cake is Nutella as well as the molten center.
Milk: I use fat-free milk, but you can use whole milk or 2% milk.
How to Make It
Whisk
Whisk all the ingredients in an 8-ounce oven-safe mug cake until the batter is smooth. If you don’t have an oven-safe mug, you can use an 8-ounce oven-safe ramekin.
Bake
Place the mug on a baking sheet and bake the cake between 16 and 18 minutes at 350°F. The cake is done once the edges have puffed up and the center is almost set. The center will still look dark, but shouldn’t be wet.
Serve
Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes before serving it.
Expert Tips
- Bake the mug cake for the best results. It does take longer, but unlike microwave lava cakes this baked version doesn’t taste like an underbaked cake, or one with melted chocolate chips or a scoop of Nutella cooked in the middle. It really is like the fancy ones you get at restaurants.
- When the cake first comes out of the oven, it will look like a regular cake except for the slightly sunken center that is darker than the rest of the cake. After a minute or so, the middle will sink a little more and the edges will puff up. This is what you want.
- You can serve it plain or add a scoop of ice cream or sprinkle the top with powdered sugar. It’s also delicious with fresh fruit like sliced strawberries or raspberries.
More Lava Cake Recipes
4 Ingredient Molten Nutella Lava Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup Nutella
- 3 tbsp fat free milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In an oven-safe mug (it won't rise too high, so an 8-oz is fine), add all four ingredients. Mix with a mini whisk vigorously until batter is completely mixed and smooth.
- Place mug on a baking sheet and then place into oven. Bake for approximately 16-18 minutes (mine took exactly 17 1/2 minutes). Watch the cake carefully towards the end. You want the cake to have puffed up except the center, which should still look dark and not completely set (but no longer wet, like photo above). Let cake cool a few moments before eating. You can top with powdered sugar and eat with ice cream if desired.
amazing recipe will be doing it again
We’re happy you loved it!
All your recipes I’ve seen look amazing! We’ll be attempting to make this recipe and the bang bang noodles soon. Yum!
We hope you enjoy them!
I actually x5 this recipe and made it as a cake for my uncle’s 50th birthday. Everyone loved it and I was just 12 so this is really delicious, simple and easy to make.
I’m happy the recipe was a success
I made it for my uncle’s birthday by x4 the recipe.
Everyone loved it.
I also made it in the microwave though I used whole milk.
This is my go-to mug cake recipe now.
I’m so happy to hear that!
I made this and it’s delicious! It is very rich so I would probably make a smaller batch but I love it! Excellent use of Nutella.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Can I make this with no baking powder ?
the baking powder is needed so that the cake can rise
I just made this. I didn’t feel like waiting on the oven so I cooked mine in the microwave. Four tbsp. flour, 4 tbsp. Nutella, 1/4 tsp. baking powder and 3 tbsp. 2% milk. Fifty seconds in my microwave and it was perfect. While it was still warm, I spread the top with another spoonful of Nutella. Yum!
glad you liked it! this was originally based off of my microwave cake version. The microwave version is great, just not quite as good at achieving that molten center.
Can i make it in a muffin cup ????? And will i have to change the oven timings and temp?! ????
I have not tried making it in a muffin cup
Can I make this on stove in cooker? And 1/4 cup rounds upto only 2-3 tbs probably?
I have not attempted to make this on the stove in a cooker. Also 1/4 cup is 4 tbsp.
How can I make this with a gluten free flour?
You can try doing a direct substitution. I haven’t tried it myself yet but I think it should work.
I am making this for guests tonight. Can I make the batter and let it sit then put it in the oven later on? Do I leave it in the fridge or is countertop fine?
I’m sorry I couldn’t answer you sooner. You can probably let it sit for a while but it may need to be restirred before going in the oven. Countertop should be fine.
I made this last night because it was Father’s Day and there are only two of us – I wanted it to be as festive as I could without baking an entire cake. It works beautifully! I didn’t have oven safe mugs so I used Pyrex measuring cups. We gilded the lily and added a scoop of ice cream and a squirt of whipped cream. It’s nice to have a recipe that makes a small amount so I don’t have a whole tempting cake laying around the house.
Forgot to tell you – I found this recipe on a link from buzzfeed.com.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I have lots of single serving mug cake recipes if you’re ever looking for more
Hi
Can i use gluten free cup 4 cup all purpose flour
I haven’t tested it out on this particular recipe, but in general, I’ve had a lot of success with cup 4 cup so I think it should work
Hi
Is it ok to have this pregnancy as the flour is not completely cooked?
And can i use self raising flour?
Thanks.
Nisha, this is something you will need to consult with your doctor. I recommend you do not use self raising flour as it will change the recipe
Can I use an 8 ounce ramekin cup… they are ovenproof
that should be fine!
I am about to make these for my boyfriend and I for the second time. These are UNBELIEVABLE. So good. So easy. Thank you so much for sharing!
I’m so happy that you and your boyfriend enjoy this recipe!
Would this work the same with peanut butter, omitting the Nutella?
probably, but you’d also need sugar since pb isn’t as sweet as nutella
hi!!!!!! i absoulutly loveeee your recipes! but i made this and it was not quite gooey and i only baked it for 11 mins……. and it tasted quite floury?!? but overall i love your recipes!
Hi- that is very strange. is there anything you did different from the recipe? And did you cook it in a mug? If you cooked it in a very wide container it will cook much faster and that might explain why it cooked so fast
JUST MADE THIS AND I CAN’T EXPLAIN HOW GOOD IT WAS 😀 I GOBBLED IT ALL DOWN SO FAST OMG YUMMMM
AND SO QUICK
haha, so glad you enjoyed it so much!
Can I use self rising flour and no baking powder?
you’ll get similar results but I don’t know if the texture will be quite right because it’s not the same ratio of leavening agent.
How long do these last if you make multiple? And can you reheat them?
these are best enjoyed soon after making if you want the molten center.
Do you have to use fat free milk or can I use normal milk?
i recommend fat free milk because the cake is a little dry with whole milk
This recipe looks great! I don’t think I have an oven-safe mug; can I use a cupcake pan instead?
A cupcake pan might be slightly too small. You can probably use a large ramekin or other similar individual sized baking dish
So this may be a dumb question, but how do I know if a mug is oven safe?
Usually it will say on the package it comes in or sometimes it’s written on the bottom or a sticker at the bottom. If it’s a brand name mug you may be able to find the information online as well
Can I use almond or soy milk?
I’ve heard from others that they were able to successfully use other milk substitutes, though it may not be as ideal in texture, it should still work.
Can I use normal full cream/ full fat milk?
Yes, but I found that full fat milk causes the cake to be slightly drier
What kind of flour? Can i use all purpose flour?
yes, all purpose! sorry i should have specified.
Can i use whole milk, or what milk can i use for this
i recommend fat free or low fat. the whole milk comes out a little dry
Hi!
Made this last night for my husband and he absolutely loved it!! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!! I was wondering if there is a way to substitute the Nutella with semi-sweet chocolate chips? I think my grandchildren would love this dessert but they are allergic to tree nuts, peanuts, dairy and eggs. Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated!!
Hmm, I have this chocolate mug cake recipe: https://kirbiecravings.com/2014/07/chocolate-bliss-mug-cake.html
I think if you bake it in the oven, it will have a similar texture
I actually just made it in the microwave! ! I put it for a minute or so…and the molten center was there!! It was really good!!
Now it obviously depends on the power of your microwave…so put it for a few seconds check up on it…and maybe add a few more seconds depending on what you get
glad you like the microwave version! It does work, but not quite the same. I like the oven because the cake is barely cooked, whereas it cooks a lot more in the microwave. Still good either way though =)
I also made it in the microwave. I found using only 1-2 tablespoons of Nutella and adding extra milk worked well. Ono up had to cook for 1:30 and still had gooey centre
Would it still be possible to make the recipe with low fat milk instead of fat free?
yes!
How about almond milk?
i have not tried, but I think it should work
I don’t have an oven. Can I take the same recipe in the microwave?
Unfortunately, if you make it in the microwave, it will cook all the way through and won’t have the molten lava center