They've already been in a kiln. How hot does your oven get?

Temperature is not the problem. Sudden change of temperature will crack some ceramics which are not "oven proof". Unfortunately, the oven must be preheated for most cakes or muffins. Many ceramics cannot be placed cold into a hot oven without breaking.

One possible solution is to place the cups in the cold oven and preheat the oven and the cups together. Then fill the cups and return them to the oven.

Jim

Cups full of "stuff" put into a hot oven won't break....the "stuff" in the mugs keeps the temperature even and stops the shock effect.
But heating the mugs and putting cool batter in them will likely cause them to crack
Cooking a cake in a mug for about 12 to 20 minutes is fine. As Colleen says they have already been in a kiln.
Linda C

I have a friend who is doing cake in a mug with her kids as their "neighbor" and friend gifts this Holiday Season. She said the ingredient packet is poured into the mug and then the wet are added and mixed in the mug.
There is no preheating of the mug.

I stand corrected. What Linda and Terri said makes sense.

Jim

Our china is oven-safe. China without metal trim should be okay. Fiestaware is oven-safe I believe. But, I think the cake result is better cooked less tall in a ramekin or similar dish.

What a great gift! Do you use a regular cake recipe and divide it among mugs, or do you have a special recipe? I'm going to use this idea and if anyone has a recipe particularly suited to mugs, I'd love to see it.

Thanks!

~Amanda

There is a recipe using a mix and I think it fills 8 mugs.
Then I found these recipes which I haven't tried yet but they sound good.

CARROT CAKE IN A MUG (1 mug cake)
This carrot cake recipe makes a wonderful individual gift. It's also a two part gift because you present it in a mug. After the cake is baked and drizzled with glaze, place it in a small clear plastic or cello bag and tie it with raffia, twine, or curly ribbon. Tie a gift tag into the ribbon.
1 mug, oven proof and has the volume of 2 cups
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon shredded coconut
1 tablespoon raisins or walnuts
2 tablespoons grated carrot
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
GLAZE INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk

PINEAPPLE CAKE IN A MUG (2 cup mug) After the cake is baked and cooled to room temperature wrap it in a clear bag with ribbon or raffia tied above the mug to hold the bag closed. Another way of presenting this gift is to place the cake baked in a mug in a small wicker basket lined with a napkin or tea towel and include several bags of herbal tea or a small can of gourmet coffee. 1 oven proof mug with a volume of at least 2 cups 1 tablespoon melted butter 1/4 brown sugar, packed 4 ounces pineapple tidbits, drained 1/2 cup all\-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder pinch of salt 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature 1 egg 3 tablespoons milk Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray inside of mug with nonstick cooking spray. Combine melted butter and brown sugar in the mug until well blended, add pineapple tidbits, and set aside. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Cream granulated sugar and room temperature butter until light and creamy. Add egg and blend well. Stir in dry ingredients and stir until blended. Add milk and stir until batter is smooth. Pour into mug allowing room at the top for rising. Bake for 25\-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

PUMPKING BREAD IN A MUG (serves 1)
After the bread is baked and cooled, place the bread in the mug in a clear plastic or cello bag and close it with curly ribbon or raffia. Add a gift tag noting that it is pumpkin bread
1 ovenproof mug with a volume of 1-1/2 to 2 cups
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon currents or raisins
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons canned solid-pack pumpkin
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
GLAZE INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice or water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray inside of ovenproof mug with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, currents or raisins, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Add pumpkin, egg, and vegetable oil and stir until well blended.
Pour batter into mug allowing space at the top for rising.
Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Make glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and lemon juice; drizzle over the bread.

BANANA BREAD w/ choc chips in a mug (serves 1) 1 oven proof mug with the volume of 1\-1/2 to 2 cups 1/4 cup all\-purpose flour 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch of salt 1 tablespoon finely chopped walnuts 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips 1/2 ripe banana 1 egg 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil OPTION: additional 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips for glaze Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the inside of oven proof mug with nonstick cooking spray. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, walnuts, and 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips. Set aside. Mash banana, egg, and oil in small bowl to combine. Stir in mixture set aside; blend well. Pour batter into prepared mug (3/4 full for rising space) and bake for 25\-30 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. If you make any let me know how they turn out.

Thanks so much! I'll hopefully get to do some baking over Thanksgiving and let you know. I'm really excited about this. And those recipes on their own should make great gifts for my friends--many of whom are grad students who can't eat a whole cake alone (or afford to use up the ingredients at that rate) but love to bake.

Thanks again!

~Amanda