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Apricot and Almond Mug Cake

1 generous fully set apricot-almond cake in a 500 ml/17 US fl oz mug · Active 11 min · Cook 3 min · Total 20 min (warm service)

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Finely chopped dried apricot gives this cake a little fruit in every spoonful, while ground almonds make the crumb tender. A broad 500 ml mug leaves space for the batter to rise. The cake is fully cooked through and served plain; the apricot pieces are not a reason to stop with a wet flour center.

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Fully cooked apricot and almond mug cake.

Chop the fruit small

Large dried-fruit pieces can settle and make a deep cold pocket. Cut the apricots into 5 mm pieces and distribute them through an evenly mixed batter. The almonds are ground into the cake rather than scattered over it. No extra flakes or fruit are needed for a finished-looking portion.

Use the same center check twice

After the first heating interval, rotate the mug and continue briefly before checking the deepest center. It must reach 165°F/74°C and have a fully set crumb without a wet floury seam when cut. Once the covered stand is complete, check any doubtful area again. A few corrective bursts are preferable to a deliberately raw middle.

Ingredients

  • 30 g all-purpose flour (1 oz), for full cooking under its label guidance
  • 15 g finely ground almonds or almond flour (½ oz), to be fully cooked, not a replacement for the wheat flour
  • 20 g ready-to-eat dried apricots (¾ oz), cut into 5 mm/3⁄16 in pieces
  • 40 ml pasteurized milk (2 tbsp plus 2 tsp)
  • 1 large egg, 50 g/1¾ oz without shell, fully beaten
  • 15 g granulated sugar (about 1 tbsp plus ¾ tsp)
  • 5 ml neutral oil (1 tsp)
  • 1.2 g baking powder (about ⅓ tsp)
  • 0.5 g finely grated unwaxed orange zest (about ¼ tsp)
  • 0.2 g fine salt, a small pinch

Set out

1000 W microwave with turntable, Kitchen scale and measuring jug, Spoon, Fork or small whisk, Oven mitts, Food thermometer used outside the microwave, Broad microwave-safe mug, at least 500 ml/about 17 US fl oz measured usable capacity, about 9 cm/3½ in inside diameter and 9 cm/3½ in deep, Microwave-safe vented cover or loose microwave-safe saucer, Mixing bowl, Knife and board, Fine grater, Thin knife

Allergens

Wheat, Almonds, Milk, Egg. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Whisk the beaten egg, milk, sugar, oil and orange zest in the mixing bowl. Stir in all the chopped apricots. Add the wheat flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt, and stir until no dry pockets remain.
  2. Scrape the entire batter into the 500 ml mug. It should fill less than half the usable volume; use a larger microwave-safe vessel if necessary. Cover loosely with the vent open.
  3. Microwave at 1000 W baseline on 70% power for 2 minutes. Rotate the mug half a turn and cook 30–60 seconds more. Check the deepest center and another point for at least 165°F/74°C and a fully set crumb without a wet floury seam when cut. Use 15–20-second bursts if needed, and follow any longer minimum flour-label process. Do not taste raw batter or treat a molten center as the target.
  4. Stand covered for 2 minutes. Uncover carefully and rest for 3 minutes before eating the entire warm cake from the mug or a serving bowl. No extra apricot, almond garnish or sauce is included.

A large mug is required

The measured 500 ml capacity is deliberate. A 200–250 ml coffee cup is not a substitute for this whole batch.

Fruit stays inside

All 20 g apricot belongs in the batter. The finished serving does not need an extra decorative handful.

Ingredient labels

Apricots may contain sulfites; check their actual label. Ground almonds are a tree-nut ingredient. The soy-drink variation adds soy and does not remove wheat, almond or egg.

A useful detail

The 20-minute warm-service plan allows 8 minutes of measuring and chopping, up to 3 minutes of heating, the 2-minute covered stand, 3 minutes to settle the crumb and 4 minutes for center checks and serving. The baseline oven is 1000 W. Extra bursts are guided by the fully cooked center and can extend the total.

Another way

  • Replace 20 g/¾ oz chopped apricot with 20 g/¾ oz ready-to-eat raisins, chopped once if large. Keep the complete cake cook and stand.
  • Use 40 ml/2 tbsp plus 2 tsp unsweetened soy drink instead of milk. Soy becomes an allergen; egg, wheat and almond remain unchanged.

Keep it well

Best after the full cooked stand. If saving a cooked portion, refrigerate promptly in shallow storage within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below; use within 2 days. Reheat with 5 ml/1 tsp water under a vented cover in short low-power bursts, stand 2 minutes and verify 165°F/74°C throughout. Never save a partly cooked mug cake for later finishing.