Name: Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake
Prep time: 4 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons applesauce; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon milk (or buttermilk); 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract; 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 2 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar (packed); 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg ((optional)); 1/8 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons powdered sugar; 1 tablespoon cream cheese (softened); 1 teaspoon milk

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A warm, rich Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake with a silky drizzle of cream cheese icing – a super fast recipe to satisfy your sweet tooth right now!

When you need a scrumptious, single-serving “something sweet,” this Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake is the short-cut recipe to satisfy your craving! Featuring a few pantry staples like flour, brown sugar & cinnamon, applesauce, and milk, and glazed with a light cream cheese icing, this decadently delicious, individual-sized dessert will not disappoint!

cinnamon roll mug cake topped with cream cheese icing with recipe name at the bottom

In a Hot Minute, You Can Make a Microwave Mug Cake!

Instant gratification mug cakes are what microwaves are all about! Fluffy, little one-serving cakes you can make in just about any flavor (usually chocolate fudge or vanilla, but think apple pie, blueberry, s’mores, funfetti, caramel nut…you get the idea!).

This super moist, egg-free Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake recipe is fantastic for after-school snacks or late-night munchies because it’s so quick and easy! There’s no waiting for yeast to rise…no waiting on a cake to bake…and no leftovers to tempt you tomorrow! It’s a one-and-done deal that’s designed to be a simple, special, sweet treat!

Other Single-Serve Mug Cake Recipes

Chocolate Covered Cherry Mug Cake – chocolate cake, maraschino cherries, whipped cream, ready in 5 minutes. Need I say more?
Brownie in a Mug is fudgy and delicious, especially when topped with ice cream and berries!

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients: The dry ingredients in this cinnamon roll mug cake are pantry staples like all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, nutmeg (for extra flavor), baking powder, and salt.

Wet Ingredients: Because this microwavable mug cake doesn’t require eggs, the wet ingredients are applesauce, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.

Cream Cheese Icing: The frosting glaze puts this dessert over the top! It’s simply made from softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk.

How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Mug Cakes

STEP ONE: Add the applesauce, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg (if using), and salt to a 10 or 12-ounce mug. Use a fork to mix everything together until it’s smooth and combined.

applesauce, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a bowl

STEP TWO: Microwave the mug cake batter on high for 1 minute and then check for doneness. (You can add an additional 15 seconds of cooking time if the cake’s not quite done yet, but don’t overcook it!)

cinnamon roll mug cake batter in a glass mug

cinnamon roll mug cake in a mug after being cooked

STEP THREE: While the cake is cooking, in a small bowl, mix the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar and milk with a fork until smooth. Transfer the icing to a sandwich Ziploc bag and cut off one corner.

STEP FOUR: Remove the mug cake from the microwave and pipe the cream cheese icing on top in a spiral. Grab a spoon (or fork) and dive into the deliciousness!

cinnamon roll mug cake topped with a spiral of cream chees icing to look like a cinnamon roll

Tips for Success

Use a mini whisk to be sure you’re getting all the ingredients mixed together. (A regular whisk is too large for most mugs.)
Don’t overfill your mug – about ⅔ full is optimal.
Grease the mug with butter to keep the cake from sticking.
You can substitute half a beaten egg or ⅓ of a mashed banana in place of the applesauce.
Toss in a few pecans for added yumminess!

spoon digging into a mug of cinnamon roll mug cake

Why Didn’t My Microwave Mug Cake Turn Out Right?

Microwave mug cakes are small and simple, but there’s still room for mistakes to happen! If your mug cake was dry or powdery, chances are the ingredients didn’t get mixed well. Try using a fork or mini-whisk to be sure everything is well incorporated. Did your mug cake have a bitter edge? You may have used baking soda instead of baking powder – be careful, they aren’t interchangeable. Was your mug cake rubbery? The most likely culprit was not measuring ingredients correctly or letting it microwave too long. These are all easy remedies! Just because this one wasn’t perfect, don’t give up! Correct the mistakes and try, try again!

spoonful of cinnamon roll mug cake over the cup

How Do You Make Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls?

Cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a little milk are the three ingredients that make the absolute BEST cinnamon roll frosting, and there’s no cooking involved! Start with room-temperature cream cheese before you whisk the three ingredients together. Use less milk for a thicker frosting and more milk for a light, sugary glaze. This cream cheese cinnamon roll icing is also delicious on coffee cakes, gingerbread cookies, bundt cakes, and muffins of all kinds.

close up of cinnamon roll mug cake with a bite taken out to show the texture

Other Simply Spectacular Cinnamon Roll Recipes!

*This post originally posted on 11/30/2013.