It’s the perfect keto chocolate mug cake – rich, chocolatey, gooey and ready in five minutes. It’s very easy to make, and it’s also gluten-free!
I’ve been working on this recipe for six months now. I wanted it to be just right – rich, chocolaty, gooey, and I also wanted it to be gluten-free.
I tried ten different recipes, I kid you not. I was sorely disappointed in all of them, mostly the texture. It was either very dry or too crumbly and not at all cake-like.
Achieving perfection, finally!
Then it dawned on me. These wonderful paleo chocolate muffins, deeply chocolatey and moist and so so good. Why not try to create a keto version and microwave it?
So I did, and OMG. This keto chocolate mug cake is heavenly. It’s ready in just five minutes (including mixing the ingredients). I think it’s one of my favorite keto desserts!
My only complaint is that it makes two servings, and it’s so good! So unless you have someone to consume the second serving immediately, you WILL eat the second one, I guarantee it, from shameful personal experience. 😳
UPDATE: Yay! I figured out how to make a single serving of this amazing cake. Scroll down to the recipe card (under “Notes”) for instructions.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty keto chocolate mug cake. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
Almond butter: I use natural almond butter. The only ingredient is almonds, and you need to mix it and then refrigerate to prevent oil separation.
Egg: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
Whole milk: You can also use heavy cream or simply water.
Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing – pure vanilla extract – and not the artificially flavored stuff.
Sweetener: I use stevia. You can use 2 tablespoons of a granulated sweetener instead.
Salt: Just a little bit to enhance the chocolate flavor.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: It’s best to use a natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed) that would react with the baking soda.
Baking soda: You can try replacing it with 1 teaspoon of baking powder (though I haven’t tested it myself), and then it’s fine to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
How to make a keto chocolate mug cake
It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl, in the order listed. I usually start with the liquid ingredients, then add the dry ones. The baking soda is added last, to make sure it doesn’t lose its potency.
2. Divide the batter between two small coffee mugs. Or use one oversized mug.
3. Microwave both cakes for 50 seconds (or the one big cake for 60 seconds).
Which nut butter to use?
I usually make this recipe with creamy almond butter. But I’ve tried creamy unsalted peanut butter and that worked too. If you use salted peanut butter, you should omit the salt.
If you try different nut butters, you might need to adjust the liquids, depending on their thickness. I once made this cake with tahini (sesame butter) which was very thick. So I had to add a tablespoon of water to the batter.
You’ll know it’s too thick if it’s difficult to stir. The batter should be thick but smooth and velvety and easy to stir.
Use natural cocoa powder
Since this recipe relies on baking soda as a leavening agent, you should use natural cocoa powder, and not Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
The Dutched cocoa powder is not acidic so it won’t react with the baking soda, and the keto chocolate mug cake will be flat rather than fluffy.
Can I use a different sweetener?
Yes! You can use 2 tablespoons of a sugar-free granulated sweetener instead of the stevia.
And if you’re unconcerned with carbs, you can sweeten this cake with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, omitting the stevia and the milk.
How long to microwave the cake?
As with all microwave cakes, you will need to experiment to find exactly how long to microwave the cake in your microwave and using your particular mug or ramekin.
I use two 6 oz cappuccino cups. Try to stick with a similar size mug or ramekin. Using a much larger container could dry out the cakes, unless you make one big cake instead of two.
As for how long to microwave this keto chocolate mug cake, I would start with 50 seconds for the two cakes, then check to see how they look. Your goal is to keep them soft and gooey, but not liquid.
It’s definitely better to err on the side of microwaving too little than too long. You can always keep microwaving in 10-second increments, but you can’t un-microwave a dry cake!
If you don’t mind eating the whole thing, you can also simply mix the batter directly in an oversized mug (14 to 16 oz). Microwave the cake for about 1 minute, then check to see if it’s done.
Instructions for making a single serving of this cake
- 2 tablespoons creamy roasted almond butter (32 grams)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon milk or water
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon stevia glycerite (equals about 1 TBS sugar)
- Pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Mix directly in an 8-oz mug or ramekin. Microwave on high until puffed and not liquid anymore but still very moist. Start with 30 seconds.
Make-ahead tip
One of the best things about this keto chocolate mug cake is that you can make it the night before, refrigerate, then quickly nuke it in the morning.
Other mug cakes that you might like
If you like cheesecake, you should definitely try this wonderfully creamy keto microwave cheesecake! And this peanut butter mug cake is AMAZING.
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Keto Chocolate Mug Cake
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup creamy roasted almond butter (64 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons whole milk or water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon stevia glycerite (equals about 2 TBS sugar)
- Dash salt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small bowl, whisk the almond butter and egg until smooth.
- Add the milk, vanilla, stevia and salt, whisking to incorporate.
- Gradually whisk in the cocoa powder, then add the baking soda.
- Using a spatula, scrape the batter into two small, 6-ounce cappuccino mugs, dividing it evenly. Each mug should be about half-full. The cakes will rise dramatically as they cook, so the cups need to accommodate that.
- You can also make one big cake by mixing the batter directly in an oversize mug (14 to 16 oz).
- If you’re making this the night before, cover each mug with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the next morning. Make sure to refrigerate immediately, so that the baking soda does not lose its potency.
- When ready to eat, place the two mugs in the microwave. Microwave them both together for 50 seconds. The batter will rise quite a bit while you microwave it. If you used one big mug for the entire batter, start with 60 seconds and go from there.
- Remove the mugs from the microwave and allow the cakes a few seconds to settle. They should not be liquid anymore, but they should appear very moist. Resist the temptation to microwave more (unless the batter is still liquid) – a chocolate cake is always better gooey than dry.
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NOTES
- 2 tablespoons creamy roasted almond butter (32 grams)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon milk or water
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon stevia glycerite (equals about 1 TBS sugar)
- Pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
More Recipes to Try:
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.