Dive your spoon into this sweet Honey Mug Cake. A soft, sticky and gooey mug cake made with honey, then topped with a delicious buttercream frosting. A delicious cake in less than 5 minutes!
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Hi Hons! Get it, hons… honey?
Yup, lame I know – I just couldn’t resist! 😆
How was your weekend? I hear it was Mother’s Day yesterday for a majority of you guys. In which case, I hope you all had a wonderful day. For me, Mother’s Day was back in March, remember?
It’s kind of a pity that US Mother’s Day was yesterday. I mean, this honey mug cake would be the most quickest and easiest of gifts.
In fact, forget Mother’s Day because this cake can be made at any time of the year.
… and any time of the day. Hello breakfast honey mug cake. Or even a midnight feast mug cake.
See? Interchangeably good.
But seriously, there’s nothing more quicker and easier than a mug cake. Minimal basic ingredients, a mug, a fork and a microwave (obvis), and away you go.
Last week for #MugCakeMonday I posted a gooey chocolate brownie in a mug. And that was good. I obviously set the bar high there.
But could anything top chocolate?
I settled on a soft and sticky honey mug cake. This almost has the consistency somewhere in-between cake and sticky toffee pudding. The texture is quite pudding-like, but the sweet flavour of the honey really shines in this mug cake.
And if you thought that wasn’t enough, I topped the cake with a delicious buttercream frosting too.
Get your spoons at the ready!

Honey Mug Cake
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute 15 seconds
Yield: 1 mug cake
Dive your spoon into this sweet Honey Mug Cake. A soft, sticky and gooey mug cake made with honey, then topped with a delicious buttercream frosting. A delicious cake in less than 5 minutes!
Ingredients:
Mug Cake
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- 1 medium egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar
- 4 tbsp self-raising flour, see notes
- pinch of salt
Frosting
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 4 tbsp icing (confectioners') sugar
- (optional) runny honey
Directions:
- Add the butter to a mug and melt in the microwave for around 10-20 seconds.
- Add the honey, egg and vanilla and beat with a fork until combined.
- Add the sugar, flour and salt and beat again until fully combined and smooth.
- Cook in the microwave for around 1 minute 15 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds (depending on your microwave power), then allow to cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, to make the frosting, add the butter and icing (confectioners') sugar to another mug and use a fork to cut the butter into the icing sugar until it reaches a clumpy texture, then beat with the fork until fluffy, around 1-2 minutes).
- Spoon the frosting into a small piping bag or a ziplock bag fitted with an open star or plain round tip and pipe a swirl onto the top of the cooled cake.
- (Optional) Drizzle with extra honey and serve immediately.
Notes:
- If you do not have self-raising flour, substitute with plain (all-purpose) flour and add ¼ tsp baking powder.
- Don't fancy drizzling the honey? Just add between ¼-½ tsp runny honey to the frosting to taste. Hey presto, honey flavoured frosting!

What cake would you love to see get a mug transformation?

So gorgeous. And ready in five minutes? Wow. I’m having that for breakfast tomorrow.
Just how cute is this mug? 🙂 It makes me wanna eat honey like right now 😀 good for you you put a delicious looking honey cake inside 😉 I know what I iwll be testing this weekend… 😉
Thanks Rebecca. If you make the mug cake, let me know how you get on. 🙂
I LOVE THAT MUG!
LOL The mug is getting more attention than the cake!! I bought it especially for this cake.
The mug is from Wilkos, of all places! As is the Kilner honey pot. 😉
ooooh so pretty! I love how simple and lovely honey is and this mug cake showcases it perfectly!
Oooh magical mug cake! I love this one, it reminds me of Winnie the Pooh with his honey pot. Gorgeous piping too!
I tried this recipe and it was delicious, thank you. 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Vicky. Thanks for stopping by and letting me know. 🙂
Since I don’t eat egg, I subbed it with 1/4 cup of applesauce and it’s really yummy!
I had to microwave it for a bit longer (maybe 1: 45) but it’s still gooey and delicious.
Thanks for the recipe!
Made your cake tonight for my husband, it looked delish, just waiting for his comments.
PS_You have a Think Thin add that keeps popping up and won’t close and forces us to their site if we try to close?
I hope your hubby enjoyed the honey mug cake, Milena? I have quite a few mug cake recipes here, if you fancy treating yourself to something different. 🙂
I apologise about the full page ad. The ads aren’t controlled by me, so rather frustrating when they force redirect readers away – ugh! I will contact my ad provider to let them know.
Most people wouldn’t bother talking to their ad provider. Props for caring enough about your readers to do it. 😊
This was the only mug cake that went successful! Thanks alot! Very yummy ?
So glad you enjoyed it, Sammy. Thanks for letting me know. It is so yummy. 🙂
What issues have you been having with other mug cakes? I have quite a few mug cakes recipes here which all work great. Feel free to take a look.
However, if you’re having issues with the batter spilling over the mug, it might be that the particular recipe you’re using has a little too much batter. If that’s the case, you can use an oversized mug to combat that problem.
The best mug cake I’ve ever eaten. My 12-year old made it for dessert this evening 🙂
I just made this and it was absolutely delicious!! I’ve tried many mug cakes and this is by far my favourite!
So happy you loved it so much to be a favourite! That’s great to hear, thank you for letting me know. I love comments from readers that have tried my recipes.
I’m sure it’ll now become a staple in your house, like it has in mine – my kids constantly pester for this mug cake (that, and my chocolate brownie in a mug, too). 🙂 Thanks again for the feedback.
I’ve tried quite a few mug cakes and really liked this one. Had to cook it a couple of seconds longer but I loved the texture and taste!
Nice to hear you enjoyed it, Lianne. Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, too. Have a sweet day.
hi!!!!!!!!! your recipe is amazing.. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 5 min is enough actually, but a little too sweet for my test. i am enjoying my 5 min cook now and made some modification like adding dried coconut in the mix to make a little crunchy and spread custard on it instead of the frosty…. awesome, 5 stars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aww, thank you Julia. Thanks for the 5 start rating, you’re so sweet! 🙂 I like your suggestion of coconut and custard. Sounds yummy. There’s endless options to switching things up, like adding a little lemon/orange,etc. extract, zests, nuts – anything your imagination desires!
I think the sweetness is perfect, but we all have different tastes – I have a sweet tooth, lol. You could definitely reduce the amount of brown sugar next time to suit your taste. Thanks for stopping by. Have a sweet day.
Yum! I added a fourth a teaspoon of earl grey to the melted butter and some lemon juice and baking soda because i dont eat egg and it was amaaazinnggg. loved it!
I love that you added some Earl Grey to the honey mug cake, Jennifer. That sounds delicious. I have a recipe for Earl Grey Cupcakes here on the blog and they were amazing too, but sounds even better with both the Earl Grey and honey.
So happy you enjoyed it, and thanks for stopping by. 🙂
MMmmmmmmmm! 🙂 Delish! Thanks so much for the recipe! I made a few changes of my own:
– 2 tablespoons of sugar -> put in a dab more honey
– a small pinch more of baking powder -> make sure to use a big cup!
– and I baked it for 2:30 mins because I thought it didn’t bake completely! 🙂 -> turned out like a subtly -honey tasting delicious honey bread!
2 thumbs up! 🙂
This was the best mug cake I have ever made! In the past they have always been dry or really dense. It’s the perfect texture and tastes amazing too!! I will definitely be using this recipe again soon.
So happy you enjoyed the mug cake, Kate. 🙂 I know what you mean about some mug cakes being dry or dense. They can be hit or miss sometimes. I have quite a lot of other mug dessert recipes, if you fancy something different.
Thanks for stopping by. Have a sweet day.
I’m going to be honest I had my doubts about this recipe, but I was willing to take the risk! I am amazed at how good this tastes! It is my new go to recipe! Thank you so much!
I’m so glad you tried it, Candace. It is utterly delicious, isn’t it? 🙂
I have quite a few other mug recipes from cookies, cheesecakes, muffins, and a brownie in a mug that you might also like too. And you’re more than welcome.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a sweet comment.
Thank you for the yummy recipe, I added the rind from 1/3 a lemon for a lemony honey flavour, delicious!!
That sounds like a delicious adaptation! Will have to try that myself. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by. Have a sweet day.
I am 11 and even i can make this. I love how sweet and sticky it is this is my firsy mug cake and i was expecting it to fail but it turned out sweet and moist. Thank you for this delightful recipe.
You’re welcome, Hayley. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by.
I am 15, dont let the age fool you, I am always looking for more sweet stuff to try, my cake came out moist and a little unsweet but I added a few extra drops of honey and sugar. Hands down best recipe I’ve ever tried, will definitely come try this agian, I have tried several recipes and they have all come out as unsweet or dry, this cake however just needs a few tuch ups and its delicious, thank you!
Me and my boyfriend have just been dreaming of cake, so I googled cake in a mug and this cake up…..O.M.G!!
This is incredibly delicious and so easy to make. Yum!
So glad you both enjoyed the honey mug cake, Stacey. 🙂
I have quite a few mug recipes from brownies, cookies, cake, and cheesecakes all done in a mug, if you fancy something different next time.
Thanks for stopping by. Have a sweet day.
I just made the cake and I flipped the cake out of the mug and it had a really nice running caramel glaze over it. I had added 1/4 tsp of baking powder as I used Unbleached No Additive flour. Baked for 1.30 sec Made another one and increased the baking soda to 1/2 tsp and it came out more like a cake and there was no runny glaze on the bottom. Made the icing only used 1/2 of it and put it on the cake while it was still warm and it melted on the top and down the sides both cakes tasted really good, I kept going back and forth to see which one I liked best.
sorry I used Baking Powder in the second cake not the baking soda as i said
So happy you enjoyed the cake(s), Carol-Anne. I’m pretty sure I used self-raising flour in my recipe, which I realise some people don’t have to hand (which is why I added the notes section).
I haven’t tried adding more baking powder to this recipe, so it’s nice to know that increasing it from ¼ tsp to ½ tsp still works well – thanks for that. 🙂 I like the way it’s sticky and moist but still a cake. However, I’m curious to know whether the one you made with the extra baking powder ended up still being moist and not dry out the cakes texture?
I’d love to know which version you prefer too, if you don’t mind coming back and updating.
Have a sweet week.
Hi Lisa thanks for getting back to me I like both of the cakes. I just made 4 cakes trying different things with it. I haven’t been able to get it to come out of the mug like the first time which has a lot of sauce that poured over the cake when you flipped it out I think maybe I made a mistake then but increasing the baking powder dose not dry out the cake at al it just makes the cake a little bit bigger and lighter. In fact I can’t make my mind up which one I like better. Have served both version to three other people and they like the cake either way.
Have a nice day
Delicious cake!!! I think I needed a bigger mug because mine overflowed in the microwave 😂
Oh wow…I couldn’t just make this and leave. I had to leave a comment. This mug cake is DELICIOUS!! And so easy and quick! Thank you!!
So happy you enjoyed it too, Caroline. 😀 Thanks for stopping by.
I was just looking for a quick honey dessert to satisfy my craving. This recipe is amazing! I have never made a mug cake that smells this good. I didnt do the frosting but I did put a pad of sweet cream salted butter with an extra drizzle of honey and it was perfect.
That was delicious. Best mug cake I have ever had. I want another one! Thank you for the recipe!
This is the best mug cake I have ever made. Do you have a recipe for a larger cake?
This is the first mug cake I’ve ever made that did NOT come out rubbery, I love it. I tweaked it a little because I am just a honey freak in general, and used 4 tbsp of honey total, leaving the brown sugar out, and then added a pinch of dried lavender flowers. It’s awesome. <3
Do you happen to know the amount of calories this has? This looks amazing but I need to know before I make it!
The mug cake has a total of 945 calories (with frosting), or 617 calories (without frosting) in total. However, I’d say there are 2 servings per mug cake, which would make it 472 (with frosting), or 308 (without frosting) per serving.
I hope this helps. Thanks for stopping by.
When I read this recipe, I was worried it would be insanely sweet. I added a pinch of cayenne to cut the sweetness and some pumpkin pie spice for a more balanced flavor, and it is now one of my go-to sweet snacks. I will say this…I’ve had issues with mug cakes having clumps of raw flour in them that ruin the experience, so I’ve taken to using a beater to make sure they’re mixed. Doing this, I almost needed a second mug for the overflow. Not a thing I’d complain about by any means. Just a caveat.
I was looking for a sweet treat but I’m trying to avoid refined sugar and gluten. I added one more tbsp honey, left out the brown sugar, substituted oat flour and baking soda for the cake flour. I tried letting it cool but the smell was too overpowering. Oh my goodness. Sweet, warm, satisfying, so yummy! My new go to cake. The next time, I’m going to use it for shortcake with strawberries. Thanks for this guilt free treat!
Yum!, although a little sweet it is a good recipe that you can make in a few minutes.
Very delicious, my 5 year old enjoyed helping me make it too!
Love this recipe. Simple ingredients. So delicious with a strong flavour of honey. Made this a few times already.
I use baking soda with a bit of vinegar for it to raise. The first time I added too much baking soda and it gave a strong taste, but the honey was strong as well so it still turned out yummy, not like the other time when I tried another recipe on the Internet…that was just baking soda-flavoured lol
Today I replaced one tbsp of oil (butter) with milk and microwaved it for 15sec extra (so, 1m25s). The original recipe is moist enough. But I love it this way, even moister and softer. Though I would share this.
I’m excited to try more recipes from this site.
Me and my friend wanted a quick sugar fix and this was perfect! So tasty even without the butter cream! X
One of the best mug cakes I’ve made, I have to say. I’m not a fan of frosting so I substituted it for a cinnamon-sugar topping and let it crystallise in the microwave. Too bad I overcooked it, but I’ll definitely make it again
Hi! Thank you for posting this recipe. I tried it for my husband and myself. We both thoroughly enjoyed it. It turned out perfectly.
This was genuinely so tasty! Never thought making a cake in the microwave would taste so good! I couldn’t help but eat it warm though 🙂 Thank you for this recipe!
I loved the cake overall. It had an amazing texture, but I cooked it a little bit longer. I also think that the cake and frosting are overwhelmingly sweet. I would recommend reducing the sugar, and maybe using brown sugar for a better taste.
This mug cake was delicious!! It had my family begging for more (literally lol) but since I have a big family I was wondering if there was a way to make a lot of it in one “batch” without having to make it in separate cups (i hope that makes sense) I know that kind of defeats the purpose of a “mug cake” but I’m kinda lazy to make 5 of them lol
in and out the kitchen in ten minutes. beautiful recipe , so beautiful i even left a review.
I’ve made this 3-4 times now and it’s come out a perfect soft fluffy cake every time. I’ve tried tweeks like 1 tsp of pumpkin spice added to the cake, and 1 tsp of banana milkshake powder added to the icing, when I wanted slightly different flavours, both are good!
Happy to hear you’re enjoying the mug cake. 🙂
The adaptations to the icing sound fab, too. Thanks for stopping by!
The cake was nice, but with the icing it was too sweet for me. I recommend skipping the icing, adding fresh fruit, or both.