Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake

by Beth - Budget Bytes
4.80 from 54 votes
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Watch out mug cake lovers, this might just become your new go-to! This Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake is like a short cut cinnamon roll with no kneading, no rising, and no rolling required! It’s the perfect quick fix for when you need just a couple bites of cinnamon-y sweetness without having a whole pan of cinnamon rolls staring you down all day. Or when you don’t want to pay $5 for a cinnamon roll the size of your head. Because while I love cinnamon rolls that big, I don’t need cinnamon rolls that big. 😅

Overhead view of a spoon digging into a Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake

What’s with Mug Cakes, Anyway?

Mug cakes certainly aren’t for everyone, but if you’re the type of person that doesn’t like to keep sweets on hand, but does have the occasional sweet craving, mug cakes are the perfect single-serving fix. They take just enough work that I’m not tempted to make them ever day, but they’re certainly easier than making a whole dessert or going out to buy a single portion of something. They do also require a pantry stocked with basic baking ingredients, like flour, sugar, baking powder, etc. 

Do I Have to Use a Microwave?

Yes, this recipe is designed specifically for the microwave. Ovens cook at a much slower pace, so this recipe would have to be tested and adjusted to compensate for the difference. Unfortunately I have not tested this recipe for conventional ovens.

Can I Use Non-Dairy Milk?

Because the milk is such a small quantity in this recipe, I do think you could get away with using a non-dairy milk, like almond or soy. You may also be able to use a non-dairy butter substitute as well, as long as it does not contain too high of a percentage of water. I have not tested this recipe with either of these non-dairy ingredients, so this is just my best guess.

Estimated Pricing

Take the pricing breakdown below with a grain of salt. This recipe uses super small quantities of ingredients that already cost pennies at normal volumes, so the calculations are definitely more in the range of a general estimate.

A spoonful of a Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake being lifted out of the mug.
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Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake

4.80 from 54 votes
This Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake is the perfect way to get a single serving cinnamon roll fix without any kneading, rising, rolling, or baking! 
Overhead view of a spoon dug into a Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake
Servings 1
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 1 minute
Total 6 minutes

Ingredients

Mug Cake Batter

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour ($0.03)
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.04)
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder ($0.01)
  • 1/8 tsp salt ($0.01)
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon ($0.02)
  • 1 Tbsp chopped pecans or walnuts (optional) ($0.16)
  • 1/2 Tbsp butter, melted ($0.03)
  • 2 Tbps milk ($0.04)

Cinnamon Butter Swirl

Icing

  • 1 Tbsp powdered sugar ($0.01)
  • 1/2 tsp milk ($0.01)
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Instructions 

  • In a small mug (about 1 cup volume), stir together the dry ingredients for the mug cake batter: flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and chopped pecans. 
  • Add the melted butter and milk to the dry ingredients in the mug and stir until a thick batter forms.
  • In a separate small bowl or mug, melt the butter for the cinnamon butter swirl (about 15 seconds in the microwave). Stir the brown sugar and cinnamon into the melted butter. 
  • Drizzle the cinnamon butter swirl over the mug cake batter, then gently fold them together until they are only about half mixed. There should be thick ribbons of the cinnamon butter swirl throughout the batter.
  • Microwave the mug cake for 45-55 seconds (for a 1100 watt microwave, cooking time will vary with microwave wattage). The mug cake will create quite a bit of steam as it cooks, so don’t be alarmed. Let the mug cake cool for 1-2 minutes.
  • While the mug cake is cooling, stir together the powdered sugar and milk for the icing, using the same small bowl used for the cinnamon butter swirl. The residual cinnamon in the bowl will flavor the icing.
  • Drizzle the icing over the mug cake and enjoy while it is still warm.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.


Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 367.3kcalCarbohydrates: 48.9gProtein: 4.7gFat: 17gSodium: 500mgFiber: 1.7g
Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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Love microwave mug cakes? Check out my Funfetti Mug Cake, “The One” Chocolate Mug Cake, Blueberry Mug Muffin, 5-Minute Microwave French Toast Mug, and 5-Minute Savory Microwave Breakfast Mug.

Overhead view of a close up spoonful of Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake with the full mug in the background

How to Make Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake – Step by Step Photos

Dry ingredients for cinnamon nut swirl mug cake in a mug

Start by adding the dry ingredients for the mug cake batter to a small mug (about 1 cup volume): 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, and 1 Tbsp chopped pecans or walnuts. Stir these ingredients together until they are well combined.

Add butter and milk to mug cake batter dry ingredients

Next, add 1/2 Tbsp melted butter (microwave butter for about 15 seconds in a separate bowl) and 2 Tbsp milk.

Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake Batter finished

Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until they form a thick batter.

Cinnamon Swirl Butter in a small bowl

In a separate small bowl, melt another 1/2 Tbsp butter (microwave 15 seconds or so), then stir in 1 tsp brown sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. This is the cinnamon butter swirl.

Cinnamon butter swirled into mug cake batter

Drizzle the cinnamon butter over the mug cake batter, then gently fold them together, only until they are about half mixed. You want thick ribbons of the cinnamon butter throughout the batter. 

Cooked Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake, no icing.

Microwave the mug cake for 45-55 seconds (this is the time for an 1100 watt microwave, your time may vary with the wattage of your microwave). The mug cake will steam quite a bit as it cooks, so don’t be alarmed. Let the mug cake cool for 1-2 minutes.

Cinnamon Icing

While the mug cake is cooling, make the icing. Use the same bowl used to make the cinnamon butter swirl. The residual cinnamon in the bowl will flavor the icing. Stir together 1 Tbsp powdered sugar with 1/2 tsp milk until a thick icing forms.

Drizzle Icing over the finished mug cake

Drizzle the icing over the Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake.

Front view of a spoon lifting a bite of Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake out of the mug.

Enjoy while still warm!

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Comments

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  1. You guys, 1/8 tsp of salt is way too much salt for this. You need to change it to be a pinch. It was legit salty. But otherwise, pretty good

  2. I made this with 1:1 gluten free flour, plant-based butter, and oat milk. I’m celiac and allergic to milk. I made it like cake batter, though. I mixed all the dry ingredients, added solid butter and incorporated it with a fork until the dry batter was course like sand. This takes a little more time but made the finished product lighter. I also used half a beaten egg with the milk.

    I’ve also doubled and tripled this recipe exactly as written, adding 1 min to cook time for each addition. I put a top over it in the microwave as well.

  3. Just tried the Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake and it is excellent!!! 😊👍. I used what I had on hand walnuts instead of pecans. My husband is diabetic and has a sweet tooth. I’m going to try it with his sweetner and see how it comes out. Thank you. Great recipe.

    1. Hi Melissa- I wouldn’t do two at the same time, as they might not cook evenly. But if you want to try it, then yes you should adjust the cooking time. Unfortunately, since we haven’t done it that way, I can’t tell you how much you should adjust the time. Let us know the results! XOXO -Monti