The best Vanilla Mug Cake recipe with dozens of 5-star reviews! Gluten-Free and Nut-Free with a Dairy-Free option and ready in just 3-minutes!
When it comes to Vanilla Mug Cake, I am not sure that you will find a better recipe! I spent so many hours perfecting this easy mug cake so that it would come out perfect every single time.
Initially, I used my Chocolate Mug Cake recipe as the base but quickly found that while almond flour works perfectly in that recipe, it doesn’t have the same desirable texture without the cocoa powder and a better base for this is coconut flour.
Which was a double win because so many of you had messaged me and let me know that you were looking for a vanilla mug cake recipe that was also nut-free!
VANILLA MUG CAKE INGREDIENTS
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- Coconut Flour
- Gluten-Free Baking Powder (this one is also corn free!)
- Sea Salt
- Ghee or Virgin Coconut Oil (for Paleo Mug Cake)
- pure Maple Syrup
- Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Egg
Once I got the ratio of coconut flour right, I adjusted the butter (you can sub Ghee or virgin coconut oil) and played around a bit more with texture.
I found that while the chocolate version doesn’t need baking powder, this vanilla mug cake does. If you are following a grain-free or paleo diet, make sure that the GF baking powder you use is also corn-free (I linked to one above!).
HOW TO MAKE VANILLA MUG CAKE
- Combine dry ingredients and whisk or stir until clumps are gone.
- Beat egg until foamy.
- Add remaining wet ingredients to the beaten egg.
- Combine with dry ingredients.
- Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes (depending on your microwave) and Enjoy!
I did include some modifications (that I tested) to make it sugar-free. And, also to use almond flour if you don’t do coconut or only have that in the pantry but I would be lying if I said they are as good.
VANILLA MUG CAKE TIPS:
- If you want this sugar-free, you can absolutely substitute stevia powder or monkfruit sweetener – just know that the texture will be a bit drier as the maple syrup adds moisture. If you are using packets, I recommend a little less than 1/2 packet. Liquid stevia or liquid monkfruit is a much better choice (if you have it!), start with 1/4 teaspoon and increase based on personal preference.
- You can make this with blanched almond flour instead of coconut flour, use 3 Tablespoons and 1/2 Tablespoon of additional milk to add moisture.
- Microwave ovens vary and can significantly impact the cooking time. For reference, ours is 1000 Watts and 2 min 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.
- 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.
- If you eat dairy, heavy cream or half and half is a great substitute for the non-dairy milk.
MORE MUG CAKE RECIPES:
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
The best Vanilla Mug Cake recipe with dozens of 5-star reviews! Gluten-Free and Nut-Free with a Dairy-Free option and ready in just 3-minutes!
- 4 teaspoons coconut flour = 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
- 1/4 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
- 1 pinch of finely ground sea salt
- 4 teaspoons melted butter = 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (can SUB Ghee or Virgin Coconut Oil)
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon non-dairy milk unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
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Combine coconut flour, baking powder and sea salt in mug (or other small mixing bowl). Whisk or mix with a fork until all lumps are gone.
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Add melted butter, maple syrup, milk and vanilla extract. Whisk or mix with a fork until incorporated.
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Finally, beat in egg until mixture is completely smooth. Pour into microwave safe mug and microwave for 2 minutes.
- If you want this sugar-free, you can absolutely substitute stevia or monkfruit sweetener - just know that the texture will be a bit drier as the maple syrup adds moisture. If you are using packets, I recommend a little less than 1/2 packet. Liquid stevia or liquid monkfruit is a much better choice (if you have it!), start with 1/4 teaspoon and increase based on personal preference.
- You can make this with blanched almond flour instead of coconut flour, use 3 Tablespoons and 1/2 Tablespoon of additional milk to add moisture.
- Microwave ovens vary and can significantly impact the cooking time. For reference, ours is 1000 Watts and 2 min 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.
- 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.
- If you eat dairy, heavy cream or half and half is a great substitute for the non-dairy milk.
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 June 2015, but was updated in May 2019 with new photos, nutritional information, recipe tips, and more helpful information.
Oh. My! This is a fantastic recipe. I used coconut milk. It doesn’t have a coconut flavor at all! Something that I have gotten tired of, so this is perfect! The results were wonderful! I topped with a few raspberries after baking. Yum! Thank you!
Hi Pam! So happy to hear it. Thanks for taking the time to let me know and raspberries sound like a perfect topping!
I made this for the first time today, and I have to say I think this is the best vanilla mug cake I’ve made! Keto is my WOE, so I made a couple of changes: I used Swerve sweetener instead of maple syrup, and I used heavy whipping cream instead of nondairy milk. I added a small extra bit of cream to make up for the moisture lost by not using syrup. It was beautiful—a nice texture and crumb, and the flavor was great. Thanks for this recipe!
Hi Yvonne! LOVE this feedback and so happy to hear you made it work for your WOE. Thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Hello! I just tried making this recipe for the first time (first mug cake ever in fact), but mine still tasted a bit like egg, is this usual? I used liquid vanilla stevia instead of maple syrup and coconut oil instead of butter, is there anything I should adjust to avoid this egg flavor? I’d rather not add too much stevia, as I still taste the bitterness despite the flavoring. Thank you! 🙂
Hey Lauren! I would try it with the maple syrup and butter or Ghee so you can see the original flavor and then start tweaking from there. That is a lot of substitutions and both stevia and coconut oil have very different, more mild flavor profiles than those two ingredients.