Microwave mug cakes are the ultimate cheat for a restaurant-style souffle dessert at home.

Not only do they take minutes to make – sometimes even less, but they’re versatile and customisable to suit any cravings.

This molten recipe is perfect for chocolate fiends and relies largely on the rich flavour of cocoa powder rather than expensive chocolate.

Shared by BBC Good Food, the recipe creators claimed: “This chocolate cake is made entirely in a mug. It requires no weighing, takes 45 seconds to cook and has a melty chocolate centre, perfect for a quick treat.”

When done correctly, the result should entail a molten, gooey core and a firmer cake exterior that keeps the inside piping hot.

Chocolate mug cake recipe

Ingredients

Two tbsp sunflower oil

One medium egg

Two tbsp plain flour

Three tbsp light brown sugar

One tbsp cocoa powder

Dash of vanilla extract

One tbsp boiling water

One soft chocolate truffle of your choice (like Lindt Lindor)

Method

This recipe couldn’t be easier to follow with just three steps. First everything into one large, microwave-safe mug (around 350ml), excluding the chocolate truffle.

Now use a fork to whisk all the ingredients together and drop in a pinch of salt before stirring again. Now push the chocolate into the centre of the batter.

Microwave the cake on full power for 45 seconds until it’s cooked on the outside with a liquid molten centre. Enjoy as is or serve hot with ice cream or cream.