Company’s Coming Dessert Mix in a Mug turns a boxed cake mix and instant pudding mix into giftable single-serve mug cake packets with a quick glaze. It is practical, inexpensive, and ideal when you want a small dessert without baking a full cake.
This version keeps the original build simple: mix the dry ingredients, portion them into bags, and attach the cooking directions. Vanilla, pineapple, lemon, chocolate, and butterscotch variations all work well, and if you like easy single-serve desserts, Cinnamon Honey Bun Coffee Cake Mix in a Mug and Butterscotch Cake in a Mug are worth keeping nearby too.
Stored airtight in a cool, dry place, the dry mix is best used within about 9 months for best quality, which is a conservative estimate based on standard cake-mix storage guidance and the shortest practical shelf life in the blend. The prepared mug cake contains egg white, so refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use them within 3 to 4 days, in line with USDA leftovers guidance explained by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Company’s Coming Dessert Mix in a Mug Recipe
You’ll Need:
- 1 boxed cake mix, any flavor
- 1 instant pudding mix, 4-serving size, any flavor
- For glaze mix: 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- For glaze mix: 1 1/2 teaspoons dry flavoring such as powdered lemonade mix, powdered orange breakfast drink mix, or cocoa powder
Blend the cake mix and pudding mix until completely combined. Measure 1/2 cup of the dry mixture into individual sandwich bags, then tie or seal them closed. In a separate small bag, combine the powdered sugar and dry flavoring for the glaze. Place one cake packet and one glaze packet in a mug if you are giving them as gifts, then add the cooking directions.
Expert Tip: Whisk the dry ingredients for a full minute before portioning. Pudding mix is finer than cake mix, so a quick stir is not enough if you want every mug cake packet to bake and rise the same way.
To Use:
Grease or spray a large coffee mug. Empty one cake-mix packet into the mug and add 1 egg white, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 tablespoon water. Blend with a fork until smooth. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. While the cake cooks, add 1 1/2 teaspoons water to the glaze packet, seal it, and rub gently until smooth. Snip a tiny corner from the bag and drizzle the glaze over the hot cake.
Serve the mug cake warm right from the cup, or let it stand 1 to 2 minutes if you want the crumb to set up slightly before eating. For a fuller dessert, pair it with fresh pineapple, toasted coconut, or a spoonful of whipped topping.
Store the dry mug-cake packets and glaze packets in airtight bags or jars in a cool, dry cupboard for up to 9 months for best quality. Mark the container with the packing date. Once prepared, refrigerate leftover cake within 2 hours and use it within 3 to 4 days. The dry packets are not freezer-dependent, but freezing can help preserve best quality in humid climates if the packets are well sealed.
Note: If you want to make each packet easier to use, add a couple teaspoons of dried egg white replacement powder to each cake packet and increase the added water by 1 tablespoon when mixing the mug cake.
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Company's Coming Dessert Mix in a Mug
Frequently Asked Questions about Company’s Coming Dessert Mix in a Mug
A standard 15.25-ounce cake mix plus one 3.4-ounce instant pudding mix yields about 18.65 ounces total dry mix, which is roughly 4 2/3 cups. At 1/2 cup per packet, that makes 9 full packets with a small amount left over, so 9 is the most practical yield estimate.
Yes, as long as both products are standard shelf-stable boxed mixes. Good pairings include yellow cake with vanilla pudding, devil’s food with chocolate pudding, lemon cake with lemon pudding, and pineapple cake with coconut pudding. Matching flavors gives the strongest result, while a neutral pudding like vanilla softens stronger cake flavors and adds a more tender texture.
Instant pudding mix adds sugar, starch, and flavor, which helps the cake stay softer and taste less flat after a short microwave cook. It also makes the crumb slightly finer, which matters in single-serve microwave cakes that can otherwise turn rubbery fast.
Use a large microwave-safe mug that holds at least 12 to 14 ounces. The batter rises quickly in the microwave, so a smaller cup can overflow even if it is only half full at the start. A straight-sided mug also helps the batter cook more evenly than a narrow-bottomed cup.
Absolutely. The glaze adds sweetness and a finished look, but the cake still works without it. If you skip it, top the warm cake with a dusting of powdered sugar, a spoonful of jam, or a few chocolate chips while the surface is still hot so they soften slightly.
Mix just until smooth and avoid overcooking. In many microwaves, 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes is enough, depending on wattage and mug shape. Start checking early if your microwave runs hot. Letting the cake stand 1 minute after cooking also helps the crumb finish setting without drying out.
Yes. One full batch makes about 9 packets, so doubling the dry ingredients gives about 18 packets. For cleaner assembly, mix each batch separately before combining, then portion by volume. That keeps the pudding mix evenly distributed instead of settling unevenly in a very large bowl.
For best quality, use the sealed dry packets within about 9 months if they are stored airtight in a cool, dry cupboard. That estimate is conservative for a cake-mix-based blend. Humidity is the real enemy here, so if your kitchen runs damp, pack the bags inside a tightly lidded container.
Yes. The original method suggests adding a couple teaspoons of dried egg white replacement powder to each packet, then increasing the added water by 1 tablespoon when preparing the mug cake. That makes the gift easier to use and removes the need for the cook to supply a fresh egg white.
Serve it as a quick dessert, tuck it into a care package, or pair a packet with a mug, whisk, and ribbon for an easy gift. Tropical flavors like pineapple and coconut pair especially well with fresh fruit, while chocolate versions fit right in with richer treats like Rich Chocolate Mug Cake.
Tag us on Instagram if you make Company’s Coming Dessert Mix in a Mug.
📌 Love this Company’s Coming Dessert Mix in a Mug? Pin it!
🖨️ Print-Friendly Company’s Coming Dessert Mix in a Mug
Company's Coming Dessert Mix in a Mug
Ingredients
- 1 boxed cake mix any flavor
- 1 instant pudding mix 4-serving size, any flavor
- For glaze mix: 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- For glaze mix: 1 1/2 teaspoons dry flavoring such as powdered lemonade mix powdered orange breakfast drink mix, or cocoa powder
Equipment
Instructions
- Blend the cake mix and pudding mix until completely combined. Measure 1/2 cup of the dry mixture into individual sandwich bags, then tie or seal them closed. In a separate small bag, combine the powdered sugar and dry flavoring for the glaze. Place one cake packet and one glaze packet in a mug if you are giving them as gifts, then add the cooking directions.
- Grease or spray a large coffee mug. Empty one cake-mix packet into the mug and add 1 egg white, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 tablespoon water. Blend with a fork until smooth. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. While the cake cooks, add 1 1/2 teaspoons water to the glaze packet, seal it, and rub gently until smooth. Snip a tiny corner from the bag and drizzle the glaze over the hot cake.
Recipe Size Alteration
💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.
