Packed with the deliciously mellow flavours of autumn, this 5 minute pumpkin spice mug cake is sure to give you all the seasonal feels!

Amazing Autumn

Tis, the season to eat pumpkins!

Autumn is such a wonderful season. I just love to create new recipes inspired by this gorgeous time of year.

One of my most recent autumn themed recipes; this 10 minute creamy vegan mushroom soup was a huge hit in my house. Which got me thinking, what other yummy, seasonal recipes, can I create? That’s when I dreamed up this super quick 5 minute pumpkin spice mug cake.

I’m also a huge fan of mug cakes in general! They’re such a quick and easy way to create a yummy treat for one. All you need is a few basic ingredients, a microwave, a little imagination and just 5 minutes of your time.

How often do you find yourself wanting a sweet treat, perhaps as an afternoon snack or a dessert, but there’s nothing exciting to find in the house? That‘s when mug cakes come into their own!

Some people aren’t keen on the idea of making baked goods in a microwave. It feels a little uncomfortable to some traditionalists who prefer to rely on a good old fashioned oven. Of course, oven baking can be the best way (depending on what you are making), but I’m all about the quick cooking! And the humble microwave has the ability to create fantastically moist and spongey cakes in mere minutes. It really is the perfect appliance for a mug cake, when you just need a quick sweet treat for one.

Have a look at some of my other delicious mug cake recipes for further inspiration – including this 5 Minute Coffee and Caramel Mug Cake, this 5 Minute Banoffee Mug Cake and this 5 Minute Chocolate Fudge Mug Cake. So quick, so easy and so gorgeous!

Perfect Pumpkins

Pumpkin surely has to be the ultimate autumn ingredient?!

Many of us are now excitedly picking out pumpkins in preparation for Halloween and are seeking some some inspiration and on how to cook with this gorgeous ingredient. This 5 minute pumpkin spice mug cake recipe is a perfect example of how this ingredient can be used to make something so delicious and yet so quick and easy.

Pumpkin is also so versatile; it can be used in many different types of sweet and savoury recipes alike. It’s an inexpensive ingredient (especially when bought in season or when purchased in a can) so won’t break the bank.

Pumpkin is also very healthy! It’s packed full of nutrients including a hefty dose of vitamin A, plus vitamin C, vitamin E and fibre, amongst many other really important micronutrients.

For all of these reasons, I decided a 5 minute pumpkin spice mug cake would be the perfect autumn treat to create at this lovely time of year.

Ingredients

As with most of my quick recipes, simplicity is the key when it comes to creating your perfect quick mug cake.

The pumpkin is obviously a key ingredient here. I’ve chosen to use canned pumpkin rather than fresh, because, well, you guessed it – it’s super quick! All the prep work has already been done for you and canned pumpkin is inexpensive and easy to find in most supermarkets.

Of course, it’s totally fine it you prefer to use fresh pumpkin although this will involve more time consuming preparation. What I do when creating my own pumpkin puree from scratch is this; cut the skin-less flesh into chunks, drizzle a little olive oil over the top, season with a touch of salt then roast it in the oven for around 20-30 minutes. These cooked pumpkin chunks can then be popped into a blender or food processor and blitzed for a minute or so until you have a smooth puree.

I find that pumpkin puree freezes extremely well – whether canned or homemade. This is a perfect way to store it and use it whenever the fancy takes you! It’s a great way of ensuring food waste is kept at bay. Once defrosted, you can use your pumpkin puree for so many different things – for this 5 minute pumpkin spice mug cake to name just one. Pumpkin soup is delicious and warming. And don’t forget that all-time classic, the pumpkin pie!

Speaking of pumpkin pie, lets take a moment to appreciate the spices that go into making this classic autumnal treat. Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg are essential to bringing out the flavour of a traditional pumpkin pie and that’s exactly why I’ve included them in this recipe. It’s no coincidence that you’ll get all the flavours of a pie here, in one lovely little fluffy cake!

STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO MAKING THE PERFECT 5 MINUTE PUMPKIN SPICE MUG CAKE

Now lets take a look at this useful step by step guide to making a delicious and super quick 5 minute pumpkin spice mug cake, with some useful photos along the way to aid you…

STEP 1;

First off, get yourself a standard mug. Into the mug, put 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 3 level tablespoons of caster (superfine) sugar, 3 level tablespoons of pumpkin puree (either tinned or homemade), 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Stir it all together with a fork until you have a smooth, glossy batter.

STEP 2;

Next, add in 4 level tablespoons of self raising flour to the mug. Give it another stir with your fork until you have a smooth and creamy batter.

STEP 3;

Place the mug in a microwave and cook it on high power for around 90 seconds (at 800W). Add or subtract a few seconds if you have a more or less powerful microwave. You want to end up with a gorgeously golden and fluffy cake.

STEP 4;

Nearly done! Remove the cake from the microwave and dust the top lightly with a little more ground cinnamon and some icing sugar (this step is optional but makes it extra nice). Wonderfully tasty on it’s own or if you prefer, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. Mmmmm!