One-Bowl Lemon Poppy Seed Mug Cake
A quick, moist lemon poppy seed cake that cooks in the microwave in under 5 minutes, perfect for an individual dessert. This American-inspired recipe, ready in about 7 minutes, layers all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 1, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
- 3 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: In a microwave-safe mug, whisk together 4 tbsp all-purpose flour, 3 tbsp granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp poppy seeds until combined.
- Step 2: Add 3 tbsp milk, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth and free of lumps.
- Step 3: Microwave the mug cake on high power for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, watching closely after 90 seconds; the cake should rise and be set but moist.
- Step 4: Let the mug cake cool for 2 minutes before eating directly from the mug or inverting onto a plate.
