This Common Baking Ingredient Is Ruining Your Chocolate Mug Cake. Skip It

Chocolate mug cakes are the perfect personalized treat for those days when you want a little something sweet and chocolatey but don't feel up to making the ultimate chocolate cake. Most recipes include combining dry ingredients with wet before popping them in the microwave. However, to get the best chocolate mug cakes, Food Republic contacted Odette D'Aniello, baking expert and CEO of Dragonfly Cakes, to see which ingredient is ruining the texture of your cake. The surprising answer: eggs.

D'Aniello elaborated that "eggs can be tricky in chocolate mug cakes, especially because microwave cooking is so intense and fast. In a regular oven, eggs have time to slowly set and provide structure. But in the microwave, they tend to overcook almost instantly, leading to a rubbery, tough texture or weird, uneven pockets." After all, a fluffy, evenly cooked cake you can eat by the spoonful is the goal.

Additionally, baking ratios are yet another issue that can come up while making mug cakes with eggs. D'Aniello said, "It's easy to accidentally dry out a mug cake if there's too much egg relative to the small amount of batter, and often times, it's way too much egg for the small amount of cake being made." Realistically, often an entire sheet pan of cake uses two or three eggs, so "...making a small 2.5-inch cake with a whole egg can be quite [overpowering]." If too much egg is in the batter, it will create a mug cake that's more rubbery and dense than it is delicious. The solution to getting the perfect texture: Skip the egg.

Odette D'Aniello told us, "For small-batch and microwave desserts, I actually prefer leaving eggs out altogether. Ingredients like a splash of milk, a spoonful of yogurt, or even a little mashed banana can give the cake enough moisture and tenderness without the risk of overcooking." The bonus perk to using any of those ingredients is the positive impact on texture. Using ingredients like milk, yogurt, or banana always provides more moisture to the cake, translating to a softer, more luscious crumb. 

D'Aniello further explained that "these swaps help the cake stay soft and a little fudgy — more like a brownie than a dry sponge." This way, you're greeted with deeply decadent, cocoa goodness in every bite. In addition to skipping the egg and avoiding the biggest mistake you can make with mug cakes (not mixing them well enough), incorporate this simple addition that makes your chocolate mug cakes even richer: a dash of vanilla.

The final step to taking chocolate mug cakes over the top is to take a minute to customize the flavors to your liking. For example, stir in peanut butter chips or chopped nuts for pops of flavor throughout every bite. Another fun twist — after the cake is cooked and cooled, dollop on a bit of your favorite frosting for the yummiest bite with the most scrumptious crumb — all from your microwave.