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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHAT YOU GET: A soft, moist, sweet cake with just a hint of cocoa powder that will indulge your red velvet cake cravings in minutes — made all in the microwave.
Everyone loves red velvet cake, but I don’t blame them if they don’t always love all the time (and the number of dishes) it takes to bake one. But, if you ever find yourself in need of a red velvet fix and fast, this recipe has you covered.
I wanted my microwave red velvet cake bowl to taste as good as my traditional Best Ever Red Velvet Cake and my Red Velvet Sheet Cake, and I’m happy to say this one-person serving of moist velvety goodness does the trick.
This super-soft cake comes together in minutes, with just a few ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Whip it up and top it off with some Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting! (See my notes below for my quick cream cheese frosting that makes the perfect amount for this size cake!)
Have you tried my 2-Minute Microwave Banana Cake Bowl yet?
What Is Red Velvet Cake?
Although it’s a lot of people’s go-to order when they find themselves at a cupcake shop, it’s a difficult cake for many to explain. Essentially, red velvet is a chocolate cake, but a little different. The acid, in this case, the vinegar, breaks down the gluten in the flour and gives the cake a “silky” feel, and back when bakers used raw cocoa powder, the acid made it turn a dark red. Hence its name, “red,” for its coloring, and “velvet” for its texture.
Does Red Velvet Have Food Coloring?
When bakers used raw cocoa powder, the acidic reaction was enough to give the cake its iconic coloring. However, it’s a bit harder to achieve as most store-bought cocoa powder is treated with an alkalizing agent to negate acidity. All that scientific talk to say — yes, red velvet cake now has a touch of food coloring.
If you prefer to omit the food coloring, go ahead! Including it or not including it does not affect the taste of the cake — although it won’t have its bright color.
What Is A Microwave Cake Bowl?
I love crafting quick recipes so people can get their dessert fix at any time — and that includes everything from a midnight snack to the two minutes you may have in between nap time and carpooling. I love it so much I have 100+ Mug Cake & Mug Meal recipes!
Mug cakes and microwave bowl cakes are recipes meant to be baked in a cup or bowl using your microwave. They’re essentially foolproof too! Instead of drying out in the oven, the cake batter is steamed inside the microwave, leaving you with a delicious, moist cake.
Can I Make This Cake Bowl With An Oven Instead Of A Microwave?
No microwave? No problem! While this cake bakes up perfectly in a microwave, you can use your oven for baking it too. Bake this recipe at 350 °F (180°C) for around 10 minutes — just make sure your bowl is rated for that temperature.
Tools You Need To Make A Microwave Red Velvet Cake Bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Medium microwavable bowl
- Mixing bowl
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Microwave Red Velvet Cake
- I use milk and vinegar in this recipe; however, if you have buttermilk on hand, feel free to use that!
- Mixing this batter in a separate bowl might create more to wash, but it keeps your cake looking nice and neat.
- Every microwave is different — I made this cake bowl using a 1000-watt microwave, which took 2 minutes. You may need to adjust the timing depending on your microwave. Start out cooking this for 1 ½ minutes. Check the cake and cook in 30-second increments until your cake is done.
- To make a quick cream cheese frosting for this cake, combine ¼ cup (2 oz/57 g) softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar until smooth. If it is too thick, add a few drops of milk.
- You can divide this cake into 2 mugs if you prefer. Cook each mug for around 1 minute.
My Best Mug Cake Recipes
If you like this new Microwave Cake Bowl, you’ll love my Mug Cakes. Try these fan favorites:
- Best-Ever Vanilla Mug Cake
- Best-Ever Chocolate Mug Cake
- Best-Ever Mug Brownie
- The 5 Best Mug Recipes You Can Make In Minutes
Try These Recipes!
Microwave Red Velvet Cake Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup (2½ oz/71 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (2 oz/57 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup (2½ fl oz/71 ml) whole milk (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons red food color (or ¼ teaspoon red gel color)
- Cream Cheese Frosting or whipped cream and sprinkles(for decorating)
Instructions
- In a medium, microwavable bowl, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking powder and stir together.
- In a separate bowl, combine the milk, vinegar, oil and red food coloring.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until the batter is smooth .
- Microwave on high for 90 seconds. Check for doneness and continue to cook in 20-second increments, until cooked through. (It will most likely be done in about 2 minutes.) This timing is based on a 1200WATT microwave so check your wattage.
- Let cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting or whipped cream and sprinkles. The flamingo and umbrella are optional! Enjoy straight away.
Hello Gemma. I just ate half of my first bowl cake. I only use 2% milk, no red dye and put dark chocolate chips on top of the batter. The time was perfect for my MW. I loved e cake without frosting and quite enjoyed it while a bit warm. Thanks for this recipe. I’m sure I will be making it again.
I followed the directions & it turned out very moist which is good, but it was lacking favor of a red velvet cake. I also wish you had a small batch recipe for the frosting. All & all not bad for a small treat.
Brownie bowl, pleasedes…
Hi Gemma do you have a cream cheese frosting for one recipe?
I am sooooooo happy for this. 😁