I am going to go right out and say it. I can’t take complete credit for this recipe. EEK! I know! There’s a successful YouTube videographer that’s from my area named Lisa Nguyen and she posts really great content. Not just cooking, but delicious food from restaurants, other food bloggers’ videos, food challenges, lots of awesome stuff. She posted a video of a cake hack she learned that is just combining a can of pumpkin puree and a box of cake mix. Mix it together and bake, and you have cake. I LOVED this simplicity and thought it would be an awesome way to do a single serve mug microwave cake! So I set out to make one and this recipe was born.
2 ingredient cake and it’s ready in 90 seconds!? Sign me up! And I know what you’re thinking…can you taste the pumpkin? NO. Once the batter is cooked you absolutely would have zero idea it’s made with pumpkin. It’s microwave magic. I like to add mix-ins like chocolate chips, toffee bits, fruit, sprinkles, so many ideas. To me nothing is off limits. I’ve tried this recipe with chocolate and yellow cake mixes and both were fabulous. I also have a box of spiced cake mix I want to try with cinnamon chips. OH MY DELICIOUS. Or red velvet with white chocolate chips. Or chocolate with peanut butter cups. I can go on and on and on! Of course these add-ins are optional but they definitely add fun to the cake!
Here’s what you need:
- 1/4 cup boxed cake mix
- 2 heaping TBSP canned pumpkin puree
- 1-2 TBSP water until mixture is cake batter consistency
- (this is a freebie ingredient in my mind!)
- Optional mix-ins like chocolate chips or sprinkles
In a microwave safe ramekin or mug combine the cake mix, pumpkin puree, and water until it is all incorporated. If you have any mix-ins, add those as well. For easy cleanup you can spray the mug with non-stick spray but it’s definitely not required. Pop in the microwave and cook for 1:15-1:45 depending on your microwave strength. Mine is perfect at 90 seconds. Fluffy, Moist (ick the word, yum the texture lol), Perfection!
Cook. Clink. Chaos. 