The 1-Minute Banana Bread Recipe I Make Every Day

Everyone knows that no evening is complete without dessert. And while I love a simple scoop of ice cream or rummaging through my emergency stash of Trader Joe’s sweets, sometimes I want to make something a little more special. 

But for a college student who lives alone, baking something just for me can often feel like a waste. All I want is a warm, single-serve baked good with minimal dishes or preparation. Is that too much to ask? 

Turns out it's not. Once I discovered this quick and delicious treat, it immediately became a staple. I simply cannot go to bed unless I cook up this dessert. Lucky for me, it takes practically no time at all and is the perfect size for one person. 

My Banana Bread Mug Cake Is My Favorite Easy Dessert

Mug cakes aren’t new, but they never worked for me. I never could get the right consistency, and I never found a recipe worth the trouble.

But, one day, I was craving a sweet treat after dinner and had a nearly empty pantry to work with. Enter banana bread mug cake. I researched my easiest options and put this recipe together. It was better than I could have imagined. I was officially hooked and haven’t gone a day without this treat since.

Warm and gooey, with melted chocolate chips and a drizzle of peanut butter. You really cannot go wrong with this recipe. My moist microwave “banana bread” is the perfect, soft consistency reminiscent of banana pancakes. 

This recipe has low ingredients and low effort. Plus, there are endless variations. While there are many excellent mug cake recipes, this one has only around five ingredients. Plus, there is practically no cleanup, and I bet you already have all you need to make it on hand. It truly is the best, laziest baked good you can find.

How I Make My Banana Bread Mug Cake

Like any good banana bread recipe, this dessert starts with ripe bananas. The riper the banana, the better, but even an unripe banana will work in a pinch. Unlike your typical banana bread, this recipe doesn’t require multiple bananas—you only need one. 

It's important to note that I still love a normal loaf of banana bread every once in a while. This recipe is not the same as a fluffy banana loaf with a crispy outside and gooey inside. What this recipe does have going for it, however, is convenience. It's exactly how you should use up that one random banana at the back of your fridge or scratch that itch for banana bread in a pinch. Finely mash your banana into a bowl or mug. 

While this recipe is called a “mug cake,” I prefer a microwave-safe bowl for this recipe. I realized after making this recipe for the first time that my biggest problem with mug cakes was the cooking vessel itself. A bowl helps me get a more even cook on my cake, make room for toppings, and easily spoon out every last bite. However, a mug will also work just fine if that is what you have on hand.

The next step is to mix in one egg until fully incorporated. Then, add the dry ingredients. If I’m being completely honest, I eyeball most of these measurements, which is proof this recipe is impossible to mess up. The remaining ingredients I add look are about 3 tablespoons of self-rising flour (or 3 tablespoons of flour and a little baking powder), a tablespoon (or two) of honey, and a dash of cinnamon. You can adjust these numbers based on how fluffy, sweet, and cinnamon-y you want your cake to be. 

That's it! Just microwave the bowl for two to three minutes until your banana bread is golden brown, and you will have simple, easy banana bread for one. 

But we aren’t quite done yet. Trust me when I say that the toppings are the best part. At first, I only mixed in a few dark chocolate chips in my batter before I cooked my banana bread and called it good. Now, my customizations have taken on a life of their own and are half the fun of this creation.

How to Upgrade Your Banana Bread Mug Cake

The possibilities for this recipe are truly endless. The most classic way I enjoy this banana bread is with some dark chocolate chips (can't go wrong here). However, I recently learned that fruit makes a great upgrade to this recipe.

I started tossing in some blueberries before I cooked the mug cake to make a blueberry muffin of sorts. I also added white chocolate chips, and it was the perfect combination. I also think cherries or raspberries would pair well with this recipe. You could also add a swirl of jam or cream cheese for a delicious upgrade, especially if you still added some chocolate chips. 

Finally, I always top my banana bread mug cake with a drizzle of peanut butter and a dollop of Greek yogurt. These two additions are non-negotiables for me—they just take this recipe over the top. Instead of Greek yogurt, I bet ice cream or whipped cream would also be a wonderful addition—it depends on your mood! With the addition of yogurt, I sometimes even consider this treat breakfast. It's the perfect day to start my day off right.

With the days getting shorter, this recipe is the secret to your winter blues. You can catch me making variations of this recipe all season long. It’s so good, it has me waiting for the sun to go down so I can make my evening dessert. Lucky for me, I don't have to wait very long.