I am a total sucker for an easy recipe, and it doesn’t get much better than this single-serve banana bread mug cake for that. 1 banana, 5 minutes, and like magic, a personal cake just for you.
The best and most effortless healthy mug cake banana recipe is here! A light and fluffy bread recipe that’s made in one mug, primary pantry ingredients, super healthy, and lastly, so delectable.
Ideal for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a late-night dessert, this healthy banana bread in a mug is the perfect little individual little cake to cook when you’re on the hunt for something sweet but healthy at the same time.
Y’all, banana bread is one of my favorite comfort foods. And I don’t think I’m alone on this one. Maybe it’s because we all end up with a semi-past due to banana from time to time and want to come up with a way to use it, like my favorite, Banana Bread with Nutella Swirls, or maybe it’s cuz we all secretly want to feel healthy while eating cake. 😉
Either way, this single-serve mug cake recipe is now my magic trick for when that one banana is begging to be used or if you don’t have the energy to make a whole loaf for yourself, this single serving, sweet dessert will gratify your sugary cravings for sure.
What is a Mug Cake?
Mug cakes are single-serve cakes in – you guessed it – mugs, prepared in the microwave. They are fast and easy! Like, my own personal cake in under 5 minutes easy. And, this one happens to be a great way to use up that last ripe banana.
Plus, being single serving, they are great portion control for those of us who lack the will power to keep an entire cake nearby without nibbling. This Banana Bread Mug Cake is one of my favorites to make.
What you need to make a banana bread mug cake
- Cooking spray
- Flour
- Sugar and brown sugar
- Baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- Vegetable Oil
- Milk
- Ripe Banana
How do I bake a Mug Cake?
For a few years, I have seen recipes floating about for ‘mug cakes’ – where you mix the ingredients in a cup and plop it in the microwave. The idea is pretty neat, I just don’t do a whole lot of microwaved anything. So, I was skeptical…
I didn’t have a microwave at my parents’ house growing up, so I rarely think to use it now that one sits there taking up valuable counter space. But guys, cake for one in like, 5 minutes. Magic. That is a mug cake.
A friend’s mom gave me a recipe for a chocolate mug cake a while ago and I meant to try it, but the paper got shuffled in with life and there went that. It wasn’t until I saw this recipe over at Vittles and Bits that I was reminded of wanting to give the whole baking in a microwave oven idea a try again. And this one was banana bread.
How to Make a Healthy Banana Bread in a Mug?
This one is easy. If you have a ripe banana, chances are you have the rest of the ingredients to make a banana mug cake. Gather them up and stir them together in one mug. Pop in the microwave and a few minutes later, enjoy!
So, this small portion, quick fix banana bread is the perfect excuse to give the old microwave, and mug cakes, a try. And a perfect portion for myself. Because I lack self-control.
Who doesn’t love banana bread? Ok, maybe unicorn hating Commies, but everyone else, we love banana bread.
Oh… and that boyfriend that one time. He hated bananas too. But for the rest of us, this little mug cake has proven to be a mighty winner.
Can I bake a mug cake in the oven?
We get this question a lot, and the short answer is no. Microwave mug cakes are quick and easy single-serve cakes in microwave-safe mugs. In my opinion, it’s best to keep mug cakes in the microwave for safety.
Go on and get wild and bake a full cake or banana bread in the oven if you are feeling wild.
However, if you were to have an oven-safe mug, you could bake a mug cake in the oven. You would need to adjust the temperature to 325 and the cooking time, according to your oven-safe mug and, wait. Tho, filling a single, or even two spots in a cupcake tin would be the best bet, 20-22 minutes for doneness.
Also, if you like this idea, steaming a cake in an aluminum can in the oven is also a beautiful way to create a small cake.
This particular banana bread mug cake has been pinned thousands of times and I know I have made it more than a handful when I require a quick snack! This IS not the best “banana bread” I’ve ever had, and trust me, I know freakin’ fantastic banana bread.
But it’s a great quick fix, the “I have an overly ripe banana on the counter that I could toss in the freezer or use right now,” kind of bread. Perfect for a single serving or to impress an unexpected guest!
More banana dessert recipes
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Coffee Cake
- Banana Bread Scones with Maple Cream
- Banana Bread with Nutella Swirls
- Banana Peanut Butter Swirl Bread
If you’ve tried this Banana Bread Mug Cake recipe or any other recipe on passthesushi.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also follow along for more good eats and travel tips on Instagam@passthesushi & @girlcarnivore, Twitter & Facebook.
Banana Bread Mug Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- Non-stick cooking spray
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 ripe banana mashed
Instructions
- Spray a microwave safe mug with cooking spray.
- In a bowl, or right in the mug, whisk flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add egg and combine until just incorporated with dry ingredients. Mix in vanilla, oil, milk and mashed banana.
- Pop into the microwave for up to 3 minutes, with no fear to stop and check after 90 seconds for doneness.
- Like all magical things that come out of the microwave, the inside of this will be hotter than the surface of the sun when you first remove it from the microwave. Give it a few minutes.
- Seriously, that easy.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional informations provided as a courtesy and is only an approximatation. Values will changes based on ingredients used.
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How adorable are these. I love mug cupcakes, and who can resist banana bread?
i dont think i did anything wrong because i carefully read it but it came out like rubber and i even did less time, it tatsed like bread, and it was way less sweet than i thought it would be, but I guess you just have to add more butter and liquid was still kind of good though.
I had that same problem first time cake in a mug. My problem was the microwave timing. Next attempt cake in a mug i got it right. I slowly built the timing. time, stop, time stop. checked with a tooth pick. I hope this helps
I had the same problem, very rubbery depsite following directions. I’ve been making mug cakes for years and this has never happend with a recipe before. Maybe it’s the addition of the banana? I don’t know. I even checked it periodically ended up adding an extra minute and it didn’t help.
@Joanne Tran,
That’s exactly what I did. After 1.5 mins, I checked it every 30 sec intervals to make sure it was cooked fully.
@Kayla, I think the egg made it rubbery. Mine turned out the same way. I’ve made other banana mug cakes with no egg and it was fine.
I put less banana butttt I love this recipe ❤️
In my opinion banana bread tastes better after a day.. so I personally feel like banana bread and mug cake are not the best combo. It was still pretty decent though!
Such a fun idea!! Love this.
Love it! I’ve yet to try a mug cake.
I’m still trying to get the Athletic Shoe Shepherd’s Pie and Juice Box Creme Brulee to work. (The box keeps catching on fire).
you really can’t beat banana bread.. It loos great!.. and it’s in a CUP!
You have NO idea how happy I am to see this!!
I love a mug cake, but have never seen bread made in a mug! Deliiiicious.
Oooh I have a banana that is waiting to be used for this! Love it! So cute.
I love single servings treats – it’s portion control for those of us who are terrible at it alone. 🙂 Great idea!
My hubby won’t eat banana bread either…what is it with these guys? So this is a perfect recipe for when I need that quick bread fix 🙂
That is just TOO much fun! Thank you for sharing it.
I have seen coffee cake and done chocolate cake, but this banana bread is a new one. I like it. Frankly, I think I completely under-utilize my microwave!
What a great idea! I have a couple bananas on the counter that would be perfect for this!
Great idea! I pinned it.
You just made my heart skip a beat. I’m doing it, and I’m doing it tonight!!
Added walnuts. Really nice. Used Walnut oil. Bit of a soggy bottom but never mind.
I haven’t tried my hand at a microwave mug cake yet but it’s probably only a matter of time. Saving this recipe for some evening when I’m in desperate need of a sweet treat.
I actually learned about mug cakes recently (maybe that tells I’m not much of a baker?), and have been wiling to give a try. You are right – there are great banana bread out there and cooking in a mug may not be the perfect result…but when I crave for banana bread any time of the day, I think this is a great recipe to go to, or if I only have a single banana left…. 🙂 Thank you for the recipe, Kita!
I’m so excited with this! I can’t tell you how much … will jumping up and down do?
Single serve, microwave, easy …. magic!
Oh lawdy. This looks amazing.
I haven’t tried this yet, but definitely enjoying the banana bread version idea the most so far.
Kita, this is pure genius, I love it!
This is a great idea for a new mug treat! Love banana bread, but I always eat too much so this is a better option!
Mmmm, sounds tasty. I love banana bread. I think I’ll try this and add a few chocolate chips to the mix. And maybe peanut butter. And sprinkles.
Holy crap I have to make this for my sweet toothed boyfriend. He’s love me forever then beg me to tell him how to do it so he could have more when I wasn’t there. So I’ll never tell him hahaha 🙂
Mug cakes are never the same as the real deal but you just cannot beat the instant gratification of a quick dessert.
This just looks fun to try out. I’m going to have to give it a whirl. 😉
So glad you liked it, Kita! Definitely a good quick fix 🙂
Thanks for the idea-I made one and was pleasantly surprised!
I did this and mine just didnt taste good. When i read the ingredients i realized i didnt have a large enough mug so i used a bowl instead idk if that effected it but overall wasnt to good.
made some adjustments: used quinoa flour. added nutmeg and used applesauce instead of oil.
Freaking amazing! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I added a handful of chocolate chips to the batter, and spooned some homemade caramel sauce over the top when it came out of the microwave. It’s WAY to easy to be this delicious!
Great idea!!! Loved it! I added a little cinnamon & it tastes just like my banana pancakes. I might just makes these at work, slice them up & add syrup. Very yummy!
i made this right now, and it didn’t turn out good. It was very eggy and too moist. It didn’t taste great either. but good idea!
You do NOT need an EGG!! Banana acts like an egg in quick bread recipes. My full-size banana bread recipe doesn’t even call for an egg. Eliminate the egg and this will be perfect. I sprinkled mine with cinnamon and sugar before microwaving, and also used a bigger “mug” (gravy boat).
OMG I just made this and OMG…. great great great! genius!
It looks so easy to do and delicious
I made this, it rose out of the mug I used by about 5″, it did eventually sink back down. It was VERY spongy and chewy. Not to bad as far as taste though, if I made it again I would eliminate the egg and I would definitely use some nutmeg.
This is good, but add more banana, take out the egg and add cinamon or nutmeg or something as it is quite bland otherwise, but nice for a first try at it. x
I tried this recipe, and it came out real tasty but super chewy. No bread texture. But that could probably be because I substituted spiked egg nog for the milk. It was supremely tasty, though! Sprinkled some cinnamon and sat back to enjoy. Kind of enjoyed me of this asian delicacy because of its texture. You should try the substitution! Don’t use an egg or vanilla or milk. Just add the equivalent in spiked egg nog. DEEEELICIOUS.
I just made this and it turned out great. I added 2 tbsp of milk chocolate chips cos I love the combination of banana and chocolate. It had great texture and the perfect amount of sweetness. Beware, it is ridiculously hot and needs to be cooled for a bit. I ate it with a glass of cold milk. Next time, I would divide it between two mugs as the one serving was quite filling.
Awesome Made my day…….i made one for the whole fam!
Hello. Thank you for the recipe. I tried making it. It turned out ok. I didn’t have brown sugar so I substituted with white sugar so maybe that was the difference. Also, I think adding a bit of cinnamon would make the recipe better because it really just tasted like a hot banana.
Hmm, I did 90 seconds, then 60, then 30, then 30, then 40. Still too moist. In total I did 4 minutes and 10 seconds. I think 4.30 or even 5 would have done it. Not sure what microwave I use, but other mug cakes take only a minute and a half. Guess it’s the banana that really affects the cooking time.
This tastes AMAZING!!! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
That was absolutely amazing!! added copious amounts of chocolate and some honey instead of the white sugar!! worked great!! potentially the best and easiest banana bread i have ever had!
Tasted terrible! Lesson learned, never make bread in a microwave
I make banana oatmeal, it takes a little longer to cook than the recipe above – I microwave it ‘slowly’ for 10 minutes on the very lowest setting and stir in the mashed banana at the end – but it tastes great with a little sprinkle of brown sugar. 🙂
Just tried this recipe! Love it, tastes great, mine was done in 90 seconds also! The hardest part for me was finding the ingredients scattered all around the kitchen, haha! Can’t wait to try this again when I get back to college. Thanks for sharing!
Banana bread!!! Awesome idea and a great (quick) fix before heading off to uni at crazy hours of the day ie. too early. Thank you 🙂
Will try this without egg next time, but there certainly will be a next time! Frost with Nutella for an extra treat.
I only microwaved it for 90 seconds, then 40, then 20. The bread kept rising from the mug like a monster from the deep and I needed to pause frequently so that it wouldn’t explode.
I just tried ths recipe and It is ok. Mine didn’t turn out to be bread, it was more of a dense bread pudding type of consistency. That was dissaponiting. I added less sugar as I don’t like very sweet foods. I added blueberries and a pinch of cinnamon. The blueberries were a great addition. Next time I will make it with a walnut streusel I think it needs texture. And maybe les time in the microwave.
Added a little bit of cinnamon and used whole wheat flour. Absolutely delicious, and aromatic to boot.
tried this; great for tea time. thanks for the recipe
Tastes A-MAZE-ING with cinnamon and drizzled in maple syrup!!
so I was rreallyyy craving something sweet late at night and the only thing I had was a much too overly ripe banana, so I searched this recipe up and was delighted!! problem was that I didnt have any baking powder or soda but no problem I did without anyways (yes I was that desperate). it turned out amazing! without the baking powder it was more like a wet banana bread pudding (in a gooood way) it was the bomb! I added some walnuts in the mixture as well and topped it off with a little chocholate spread I pinched off my housemate 😛
Don’t forget to add the chocolate chips!!!
Tried this, and isn’t very good… I think it could possibly use more flour, as the cake itself is very mushy and gel-textured even after cooking it for three minutes. (I’m pregnant and the consistency is getting to me…) This isn’t very banana bread like, but maybe baked pudding or something? Sorry, not a fan of this mug recipe!
this was a great recipe it was easy fun and delious
i made this and it didnt work at all. it smelled wierd and barely even baked. it was practically goo in a mug and i put it in for an extra minute.
Hi Haley,
It totally stinks that the recipe didn’t work out for you. I know temps and power levels can very from microwave to microwave, but a whole minute longer and still no luck. 🙁
I gave this recipe a try and couldn’t get it to look like the photo. How do you get the top nice and brown? Mine ended up looking spongy.
My texture was spongy – not bad – but definently not a warm cake like texute that I would get with a homemade banana bread. It was good – but certainly just a quick fix and not a full on cake.
Mug cakes are so awesome for those late nights “I really want cake!” moments
YUM!
I love these easy mug cake recipes!! Thanks for sharing!!!
This looks delicious!
This recipe worked real well for me. All I did different than what it said was a few walnut pieces.
So easy to make and looks delicious!!
What a good idea! I love mug cake
I love these Banana bread, they are good for breakfast!
First time I decided to try making a mug cake it’s insanely easy and good. Was laughing my ass off watching it in the microwave rising up out of the cup.great recipe I added honey and crushed almonds turned out relish?
SO good! Perfect dessert for one person! I topped it with a little powdered sugar icing, decadent!
I have made a few mug cakes. This one was pretty good. A little too sweet for me, but overall pretty good. I prefer the chocolate mug cakes (even though I love banana bread). A piece of advice. Always eat mug cakes warm. They do not taste the same when room temperature.
Just made this and It was delicious! So quick and easy! Perfect quick-fix for a banana bread craving!
You’re wonderful! I’m a monster so I added cinnamon, peanut butter and chocolate chips. This is a great recipe, thank you for sharing!
This is such a fantastic recipe. Made it for my GF this morning. She loved it
So easy to make with my girls!
It was so scrumptious!!
This was probably one of the worst recipes I’ve ever made in my life. It was mushy, more like a very bad banana bread pudding.
I subbed applesauce for vegetable oil and halved the amt. of sugar to try to make it healthier. Turned out too wet and unsatisfactory. Don’t be like me and try to cheat your way around the recipe!
The egg pretty much ruined it for me… Omit the egg and this will be great. Was too eggy without a bread/cake texture. You could also probably cut back the sugar and use apple sauce instead of oil 🙂
Hi,
I tried this recipe today and it was horrible. It tasted like scrambled egg with bananas.
The texture was light and spongy.
But definitely not worth making.
I must have done something wrong! This was a hot sticky, horrible tasting mess. I followed instructions, made sure I added everything but it was sticky and mushy. Any ideas? Used a very ripe banana like what you use for real loaf banana bread? Is that it?
Thanks so much for this. We’re in lockdown, during the Covid-19 epidemic. And I’ve got extra bananas. This was so easy. I found that the top cooked more quickly. So I sliced that off, and put the bottom back for the last minute. Came out great. But I’ll try it on a little loaf pan next time.
Wonderful! My oven broke down and we’re in confinement. This is just what I needed! The second time I added some cinnamon and used slightly smaller tablespoons since the 1st time it all overflowed. Great! Very tasty. Next time I might try grated apple… Thank you so very much 🙂
Is it one tablespoon or one teaspoon sugar? It has both in the ingredient line. Thanks
Thanks for the catch Laura, it’s supposed to be 1 tablespoon – not sure why it doubled up there ><
Delightful! I’m gonna experiment with flax, because it turned out awfully eggy. But still good!
Do you eat it out of the mug with a spoon or can you remove it from the mug and eat it off a plate?
Wasn’t a fan. Didn’t taste much like bana bread.
It sounds like some of you are having problems with the rubbery ness. What I recommend doing is not adding the egg, and replacing it with butter. If you use egg in any microwave recipe, your product is more likely to come out rubbery.
Leave out the egg and do 2 minutes and 25 seconds, add some semi sweet chocolate chips, amazing!!! The egg makes it a little too rubbery for me.
“Who doesn’t love banana bread? Ok, maybe unicorn hating Commies, but everyone else, we love banana bread.” What an unnecessary comment randomly in the middle of a recipe! This inappropriateness was read out by my daughter while we were making these together… next time I want political commentary disguised as a children’s snack, I’ll be sure to unblock…
Thanks, Karen.
I just made this & it came out so good. Sweet lil fixing & quick to make. I threw in some white chocolate chips too.
I would recommend not putting in an egg, using only 1 tbsp sugar, and adding walnuts. The last two are personal preference, but I found with the egg it turned out rubbery and without the egg it was light and fluffy
Wow this has SO MANY ingredients, which is fine if you have the time and nerve. BUT if you’re like me and you don’t, I left out the egg, vegetable oil, and white sugar. I never add eggs whenever I’m baking with bananas since they both work as binding agents. I supplemented the white sugar with 1 tbsp more brown.
This is absolutely disgusting. Its like jellied and tastes nothing like banana bread. 1/10
So good! So cute, yummy, toasty, best after school snack… EVER! And, i added a few mini chocolate chips for some ya know… Chocolate! Tasted amazing although i added very little choc chips so… anyways, so good, definitely recommend it and no worries cleaning up: one bowl and a few measuring spoons! Thanks!!!
So this was my first ever attempt to bake, at all. I’m even surprised it turned out edible. So thanks!
Is there an alternative to eggs? How can I make this recipe vegan?
Eating this mug cake as I write. Delicious! It’s more like a cake than bread but I didn’t really expect a cake-like texture out of the microwave. It’s soft, sweet, and the perfect use for that banana that you didn’t want to just peel and eat! Thanks for the recipe!
Hello delicious! I just made it with less sugar and brown sugar ( watching my sugar) added a few stevia packets, walnuts and a few chocolate chips. Took 2 1/2 minutes.Love it!?
My cake jumped out of my mug…
like actually jumped? or just overflowed the mug?
It did not turn out well for me. It had a rubbery texture. I don’t usually make mug cakes with eggs, so maybe it was that? I might try again without the egg.
I don’t know what I did wrong but this tasted like an eggy pancake
how ripe was your banana?
I laughed hard at Step 4.
Day. Made ?
To make this WW friendly, I modified the recipe. Sub’d: 3T whole wheat flour, 1 T granulated monkey fruit, 1 T swerve brown sugar, 2 tsp unsweetened applesauce (only 1 tsp oil). MW 2 min. Loved it!???
This is an awesome tip! Thank you
It’s my last day of vacation. Trying to use up random ingredients that I can’t take home (very ripe banana, egg and milk), I Googled ‘microwave banana bread’ and found this recipe.
I had to make a few substitutions (a couple of crushed saltines for leavening, haha); Set MW for exactly 3 minutes and it came out great. As others pointed out, it was a little bouncy rather than bread or cake-like texture but it was delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Tasted like eggy rubber. Horrible gluey, rubbery consistency and flavor.
Delicious first try! Followed all directions as is and added a dash of cinnamon and a tablespoon of chopped pecans as a preference. Would recommend!
You can absolutely make mug cakes in the oven. Only, instead of putting the cake batter in a mug, I use a ramekin.
I bake it around 20 minutes at 350. No rubbery-ness. It’s light and fluffy.
Made this mine came out like banana pancakes not like banana bread not sure where I messed up or if that’s what its supposed to be like still tasted alright
So good!!! DEF recommend adding more ingredients tho: i personally used cinnamon, crushed almonds, and maple syrup and it turned out AMAZING. oh, and i didnt have baking soda so i just skipped that part lol + an overripe banana = best banana bread mug cake EVER
Hi, just wanted to say I absolutely love this recipe.. been making it every now and then for a month now and I’m in love. (Btw, I’ve started blending the ingredients together instead of just mashing up the banana and somehow it’s even better) 🙂
This is so satisfying Makes 2 portions, really. I added a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg, because I like them. Sweet enough to please me, because I used a very ripe Banana.
Will also try with walnuts, next time.
I used a large soup mug.
Would recommend leaving the egg out and going for 90 second in the microwave. It’ll be softer and moister. Egg makes it rubbery.
Made this tonight. It turned out great. I made it with gluten-free flour and a flax egg because I was out of eggs. I added chocolate chips. I actually divided the batter between 2 small bowls so my husband and I could each have our own. I checked it after 1 min. then gave it about 30 -35 more seconds . Perfect! Thank you.
it came out the texture of a bread pudding! something I haven’t had in a long while! I decided to add a pinch of cinnamon to compliment all that sugar. I’d double this recipe and keep the 1 egg though. hopefully it works out for others!
very easy. I added walnus and chocolate chips. used yogurt instead of milk. it was yummy
I’ve been hesitant to try any mug breads because of previous failures but I was pleasantly surprised to find what an easy recipe it was, nice texture and fantastic flavor! Thank you for sharing this!
I ended up cooking this for four minutes and it was still undercooked, I’m guessing due to discrepancies in size of banana. A cup measurement for the banana would be helpful.
Well that was.. an experience. When you’re broke and hungry and all you have is a banana and some baking ingredients..
I did switch the milk with chocolate milk, used olive oil instead of vegetable and added semisweet chocolate. But it turned out perfectly!
I have made this recipe probably 50 times over the last many years. It is my favorite bc it uses a whole egg and a whole banana, both of which are annoying to deal with half of, like most recipes. The drawbacks are that this is very, very sweet, and more custard-y then bread-y. My solution? I sub in 1 extra Tb of flour instead of the 1Tb white sugar, which helps with both issues. It’s a great easy way to get well rounded calories in the morning!
Added a splash of hazelnut syrup and it was amazing! Definitely needed the full 3 minutes of cooking. (Also sprinkled some chocolate chips, because why not)
I just tried your banana muffins in the microwave they turned out pretty good myself. I agree leave out the egg. I would add cinnamon and a little bit more sugar. Otherwise it turned out pretty good. I plan on eating these for breakfast with some syrup. Thank you so much and kill after fire