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All of the banana bread flavor and coziness…made right in a mug. With over-ripe bananas, good honey, and your favorite chocolate bar, this is sure to become your favorite banana bread in minutes. Perfect for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or a late-night dessert.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Warm, banana-y comfort in minutes.
- One mug, minimal dishes.
- Easy to customize with chips, nuts, or a cinnamon-sugar sprinkle.
The story
When you’re looking for something sweet, but you still need something healthy and quick to bake up? Make these cute little mug cakes.
If you’re on the healthy January trend and you still want something sweet to enjoy on a Friday night or over the weekend, this is 100% your recipe. I tend to avoid microwaving anything, but I make an exception for a mug cake.
The inspiration? Well, it came from a few sources. First and foremost, my go-to banana bread recipe. I made it a few years back and it’s one of the handfuls of recipes I actually make on repeat.
With brown bananas on the counter and my favorite banana bread recipe in the back of my head, a banana bread mug cake was the obvious choice.
So, here we are, and the verdict? Better than I’d pictured in my head. The banana within these cakes is the real secret. Well…the banana and all those chocolate chunks. Obviously. This banana bread cake comes together in five minutes tops, so the details are pretty darn quick.
Ingredient Notes
Banana: very ripe = better flavor and moisture. Mash until mostly smooth with a few small bits for texture.
Sweetener & fat: use what the recipe lists; slight sweetness can be balanced with a pinch of salt.
Leavening: fresh baking powder/soda is key for lift in the microwave.
Spices & vanilla: cinnamon/nutmeg amplify banana bread vibes—stay within your recipe’s amounts.
Mix-ins (optional): chocolate chips = gooey pockets; nuts add crunch but can make the crumb feel denser—use lightly.
The quick details.
Start with your wet ingredients. I like to use coconut oil for these cakes. Melt it in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl. Once melted, add a very overripe banana and give it a good mashing with a fork. The key to any sweet banana recipe is to use bananas that are way past their prime and pretty black all over. Black bananas create the best sweet recipes due to their natural amount of sweetness.
When you have the banana all mashed up, whisk in a squeeze of honey, a single egg, and a splash of vanilla. I personally like to use honey as my sweetener as I’ve found it creates a perfectly soft, tender, and moist banana bread cake. But maple syrup works well too.
Once the wet ingredients are combined. Stir in the flour, baking soda, a pinch of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. At this point, the cake is almost ready for “baking”.
Add the chocolate chunks into the mixture, transfer the mixture to the bug, and microwave
Tieghan’s Tips
Rest: let it stand briefly—carryover heat finishes the crumb and keeps it tender.
Mug choice: use a microwave-safe mug with headroom so the batter can rise without spilling.
Mixing: stir wet, then fold in dry just until combined—overmixing leads to a tough crumb. Instead of mixing the batter in the mug you plan to “bake” in, mix the batter up in a small bowl, then transfer to a microwave-safe mug. Yes, it’s one additional dish to dirty. However, I found this ensures that the batter is more easily mixed up and in turn bakes up nicer too.
Microwave variability: wattages differ, so cook in short bursts toward the end.
How to tell it’s done: top looks set and springs back to a gentle touch; edges pull slightly from the mug; center is moist but not wet. If glossy/wet spots remain, microwave in brief intervals.
Chocolate Chunks: And a generous helping too. You will fold them into the batter as the final ingredient. As the cake bakes, the chocolate sinks in, melting as it sinks. It leaves you with a puddle of warm melted chocolate throughout your cake. And with every bite, a little of that melted chocolate is scooped up.
Ingredient swaps and variations
- Add-ins: a spoon of chocolate chips, chopped walnuts/pecans, or a cinnamon-sugar sprinkle on top before cooking.
- Gluten-free: use your preferred 1:1 baking blend (texture shifts slightly).
- Dairy-free: swap in your usual plant-based milk/fat per the recipe’s structure.
- Extra cozy: a tiny pinch of espresso powder deepens banana + chocolate flavor.
But the real KEY to success?
Eat this mug of banana bread warm, just after cooking for two minutes. This isn’t a cake you want to eat leftover, it’s meant as a quick chocolate fix. It should be eaten right away and preferably with a small pat of butter, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkling of sea salt on top. Nothing is better.
Soo, have I convinced you that you need a banana bread mug cake in your life tonight?
This is the best afternoon pick me up…warm after-dinner dessert…or late-night treat while cozied up by the fire. It’s Friday, live a little. AND if you happen to have a snowy weekend in the forecast, you really need to bake this up. It’s great any day, but it’s best enjoyed on the coldest of days.
My mug cake turned almost rubbery – what went wrong?
Over mixing or over cooking is usually the culprit. Stir just until combined and microwave in short bursts, stopping as soon as the top is set and springy.
Can I bake this in the oven instead of the microwave?
Yes, use an oven-safe ramekin and bake until the top is set and a tester shows a few moist crumbs (time varies by vessel and oven).
How ripe should the banana be?
Very ripe with lots of brown spots. The softer the banana, the sweeter and more tender the cake.
Can I double the recipe?
Make two mugs rather than doubling in one—more batter in a single mug often cooks unevenly.
Looking for more simple, healthy dessert recipes to bake? Here are a few favorites:
One Bowl Chocolate Chunk Chai Banana Muffins
Salted Tahini Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
5 Minute Molten Chocolate Mug Cake
Lastly, if you make this 5 Minute Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Mug Cake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
5 Minute Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Mug Cake
Servings: 1 large mug
Calories Per Serving: 788 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 medium overly ripe banana, mashed (about 1/3 cup mashed)
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil (or butter)
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chunks
Instructions
- 1. In a bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, coconut oil, honey, egg, and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks. 2. Pour the batter into a (10-12 ounce) microwave-safe mug. Microwave on full power for 1 minute and 35 seconds to 2 minutes (I always do 1 minute 35 seconds, but it's better to under "bake"). Eat warm with a smear of butter and a drizzle of honey (you should do this!). Enjoy!
Notes
To Oven Bake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2 cup oven safe ramekin/mug or 2 muffin tins. Add the batter and bake 22-25 minutes.
Microwave: every microwave is very different, so results may vary slightly. I have a 1200 watt microwave and found 2 minutes to be the perfect cooking time. You may need to cook 1 minute 45 seconds or 2 minutes 15 seconds. Start with 2 minutes.
This post was originally published on January 15, 2021
Love it! I don’t have a microwave so I baked this in the oven and it was delicious. I think 22-25 minutes was too long for me (they might’ve burned a bit), I should’ve taken them out at around 18-20 minutes but that might just be my oven-check a little earlier if you are baking it just to be sure. I also added a sprinkle of sugar on top for a little extra crunch and sweeteness. Love how I can make this when I’m craving banana bread but don’t want to make a whole loaf, thank you for including oven instructions as well!
Hey Vive,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I hope you don’t find that I’m complaining about your recipes. I love them! I do find, however, that quite frequently your calorie counts are off quite a bit on many of them. I used Myfitnesspal to calculate the recipe and arrived at approximately 800 calories::
Banana: 105 calories
Flour: 92 calories
Coconut oil: 121 calories
Egg: 72 calories
Honey: 64 calories
Dark Chocolate Morsels: 300 calories
Hey Kerrie,
Thanks so much for your feedback, as noted above the nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. I hope this clears things up for you:) xTieghan
Hello! I was hoping you might be able to provide me info on your calorie count. I love your recipes but just can’t seem to make this one work. The banana (100 calories) and coconut oil (120 calories) alone are 220 calories. Any help you can provide would be appreciated. Thanks so much!
Hey Kerrie,
This is the count that we got from our online calculator. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Hello! Love all your recipes! Could you tell me how to make this mug cake without egg?
Hey Sanskriti,
So sorry I have not tested this recipe without the egg, but you could try a flax egg! I hope you enjoy the recipe! xTieghan
I microwaved mine for 2:30 and it is super tasty!
Thank you!!! Great recipe!!!! Approved by my very skeptical 5 year old who hates bananas ?
Hey Jenny,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Whole30/PALEO:
Substituted flour for half coconut flour/half almond flour
Took out maple syrup and added a bit extra cinnamon/vanilla
Took out chocolate chips and added walnuts and cut up blackberries (SO good)
Cooked 2:30
Added almond butter on top after cooking
Amazing! Thank you for the recipe!
Hey Colleen,
I am so glad that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Made this and I think the 1/4 teaspoon of salt is just way too much! Just add a pinch and taste before you add the full amount listed. Every microwave differs drastically I’ll need to try this again a few times to get the timing correct.
Hey Barbara,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, so sorry to hear this was salty for you. Let me know how I can help for next time! xTieghan
Oh my goodness!! This is AMAZING! Totally hitting the spot on this chilly Sunday night! Thank you!
Hey Jess,
I am so glad that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xTieghan
I just made this tonight cause I was craving banana bread, but didn’t have enough to make a loaf. This totally satisfied my fix, and I’m looking forward to making this again. I really enjoyed the texture and it was so easy to make. Next time I’m gonna use milk chocolate chunks because I just personally prefer those over semi or dark (I have a big sweet tooth)! Thanks for the easy and delicious recipe. Also, I have an 800 watt microwave and did it for 1 minute and 45 seconds.
Hey Sabrina,
I am so glad that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Made this for my boyfriend and me and we both loved it!! We followed the recipe (and used butter and semi sweet chocolate chunks).
Hey Teresa,
I am so glad that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xTieghan
When I made this the first time, I found the texture to be quite strange and slimey (could’ve been my GF flour). The second time I added some chopped walnuts and just under 1/4 cup of rolled oats to the 1/4 cup of GF flour to give it more substance and it was DELICIOUS. Thank you!
Hey Emma,
I am so glad that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Delicious! Super easy to make.
Thanks so much Melody! xTieghan
I’m 32 weeks pregnant and exhausted. This is just the pick-me-up I needed this afternoon! I whipped it up, topped it with a scoop of Haagen Das coffee ice cream and a drizzle of caramel, and enjoyed it in peace and quiet while my toddler napped. You’ve made my day. Thank you!
Hey Jess,
I am so glad that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xTieghan
It was delicious! Also for our 3 year little man. Yum!
Hey Olga,
I am thrilled that you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Have an awesome week:) xTieghan
Wow!! This turned out even better than I had hoped! I used butter instead of coconut oil and added extra chocolate chips to make it a little bit more sweet!! Can’t recommend this easy breakfast bread more!
Hey Tess,
I am thrilled that you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Have an awesome week:) xTieghan