One of the BEST Chocolate Mug Cake Recipes out there. Made with a handful of ingredients in just 3 minutes and 100% gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free! This is a single-serving mug cake recipe will blow your mind!
Are you making “mug cakes” yet? I first saw this idea on Pinterest (of course right?) a couple of years ago and have tried my hand at it a bunch of times. Most of the recipes I’ve seen are based on regular flour so I set out to make a couple of grain-free versions and today I am going to share my chocolate mug cake recipe with you.
It’s gluten-free, grain-free, paleo-friendly and made with just a handful of real-food ingredients!
GET EXCITED (and be sure to read the comments – this is a reader fav!)
WHAT IS A MUG CAKE?
Mug cakes, also called microwave cake, are a single-serving dessert made with a few ingredients. You mix it up and pour into a mug, pop it in the microwave and a few minutes later, you have dessert!
CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE INGREDIENTS
- Blanched Almond Flour
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Sea Salt
- pure Maple Syrup
- Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Ghee or Virgin Coconut Oil
- Egg
Unfortunately, if you don’t have a microwave, you are probably out of luck on this one. You could bake the ingredients as a single serving muffin but it kind of takes away from the whole “Made in 3 Minutes” promise.
Even though this chocolate mug cake is beyond easy, I added a bunch of notes below to help you perfect this single serv treat for your taste and microwave power! Enjoy 🙂
CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE TIPS:
- Use whatever kind of non-dairy milk you have in the house. I have made this with coconut milk, almond milk, and hemp milk and didn’t notice any difference
- I like to mix the batter in a larger bowl and then pour into the mug as cocoa powder tends to be messy but you don’t have to. Yes, this does add an extra (and probably unnecessary) step but I just toss the bowl into the dishwasher.
- Microwave ovens vary and can significantly impact the cooking time. For reference, ours is 1000 Watts and 2 min 30 sec is perfect. Start slow and keep adding time to figure out the perfect formula for your microwave.
- Believe it or not, the type of mug you use can also impact the cooking time as material and thickness impact the transfer of heat. So once you find a perfect mug/cooking time formula, stick with it so you can ensure consistent results!
- You can substitute raw cacao powder for the unsweetened cocoa powder but you may need to increase the maple syrup a bit (or add a bit of liquid stevia) to counterbalance the bitterness.
MORE MUG CAKE RECIPES:
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
One of the BEST Chocolate Mug Cake Recipes out there. Made with a handful of ingredients in just 3 minutes and 100% gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free! This is a single-serving mug cake recipe will blow your mind!
- 3 Tablespoons blanched almond flour
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon pure Maple Syrup
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Ghee (or Virgin Coconut Oil)
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 large egg beaten
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Combine all ingredients except egg in a bowl or mug. Use a fork or whisk to mix ingredients together until well mixed and there are no clumps.
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Beat egg until foamy and add to chocolate mixture. Mix or whisk until well combined.
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Microwave for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes (depending on microwave wattage).
- Let cool for 1 to 2 minutes and Enjoy!
Recipe Video
- Microwave ovens vary and can significantly impact the cooking time. For reference, ours is 1000 Watts and 2 min 30 sec is perfect. Start slow and keep adding time to figure out the perfect formula for your microwave.
- Believe it or not, the type of mug you use can also impact the cooking time as material and thickness impact the transfer of heat. So once you find a perfect mug/cooking time formula, stick with it so you can ensure consistent results!
- You can substitute raw cacao powder for the unsweetened cocoa powder but you may need to increase the maple syrup a bit (or add a bit of liquid stevia) to counterbalance the bitterness.
- Use whatever kind of non-dairy milk you have in the house. I have made this with coconut milk, almond milk, and hemp milk and didn't notice any difference
- I like to mix the batter in a larger bowl and then pour into the mug as cocoa powder tends to be messy but you don't have to. Yes, this does add an extra (and probably unnecessary) step but I just toss the bowl into the dishwasher.
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
UPDATE NOTES: Please note that this recipe was originally published in September 2013, but was updated in May 2019 with updated photos, nutritional information, recipe tips, and more helpful information.
I tried this with King Arthur’s GF flour and 1 minute 30 seconds in the microwave. Yummy and just the right amount when I need something sweet but still healthy. Thank you for this recipe!
Perfect Lisa!!! 🙂
BEST Paleo mug cake I’ve ever eaten. It’s perfect!
Thanks so much MJ!!! That is so great to hear. I appreciate you taking the time to let me know 🙂
Wow….amazing! I’ve tried other mug cakes and nothing hit the spot. Your recipe was spot on! Thanks!
Thank you Sharyn!!! That is great feedback – I appreciate you taking the time to comment 🙂
This recipe says dairy free, but last ingredient is a large egg??? Just wondering.
Eggs are not dairy
Hi Tina, Eggs are not dairy. They are sometimes sold in the “dairy” section of the supermarket because that section is refrigerated but otherwise not related.
I tried this recipe but the mixture was so thick not runny at all as in the picture. are the measurements the same as Australia seems to me a tablespoon would be the same measurement as here. so it didn’t work for me at all .
Hi Ingrid! Did you convert the measurements to metric? Are you at a high altitude?
Mine turned out like Ingred’s, a very thick paste. I did use cassava flour instead of almond flour, but I’ve never had that make a difference in other recipes.
Try it with almond flour! Cassava is very different and would be really noticeable in this small serving size.
This is a great recipe and I love it! Now need to make it every night! It tastes so good, and worked perfectly. I have a 1200 watt microwave so I microwaved the cake for 1 minute and 30 seconds. I also added a few chocolate chips.
Yay!! So glad to hear it Sophie 🙂
This was so surprisingly good! I recently started a detox and was craving something sweet but without gluten, dairy, or refined sugar. And boy- this really hit the spot! For me 1:30 is the sweet spot. I definitely do think some sort of sauce would pair with this well, but if you’re craving a chocolate/brownie-like small treat, this is perfect!
Glad you liked it Liz!!