This very tasty pumpkin mug cake is keto and gluten-free. Without the frosting, it makes a great breakfast. With the frosting, a yummy dessert.
I adore mug cakes! They are fast and easy, and they give you wonderful built-in portion control. No temptation lurking in the fridge after you've had a serving!
I'm especially enjoying this pumpkin mug cake. It's the perfect fall dessert (or breakfast!). Made with coconut flour and sweetened with a sugar-free sweetener, this cake is keto and gluten-free.
The ingredients you'll need
Here's an overview of the ingredients you'll need to make this tasty cake (the exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below):
Unsalted butter: I love using creamy European butter, but any butter will be great.
Canned pumpkin: Make sure you buy pure pumpkin puree and not sweetened pumpkin pie filling.
Sweetener: I use stevia glycerite. You can probably use a granulated sweetener instead.
Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing - pure vanilla extract - and not the artificially flavored stuff. There's a difference.
Cinnamon: You can also use pumpkin pie spice in this recipe.
Egg: I use large eggs in almost all of my recipes, this one included.
Coconut flour: An excellent flour substitute. Since it's so extremely absorbent, it's best to measure it by weight and not by volume. Every gram counts!
Baking powder: Make sure it's fresh. And if needed, also make sure it's gluten-free.
For the frosting: Cream cheese, canned pumpkin, sweetener, cinnamon, and vanilla.
How to make a pumpkin mug cake
This delicious cake "bakes" in the microwave for just 90 seconds. In fact, I got the idea for this cake from this 90-second bread recipe.
What would happen, I wondered, if I added pumpkin, a sweetener and cinnamon? I increased the amount of coconut flour just a little - it is so absorbent that too much means a very dry cake - and loved the result!
The frosting is lovely, and just as easy to make as the cake. I simply mix the ingredients by hand. The cake is nice without frosting, but it's really good with it.
Since this recipe requires a small amount of pumpkin puree, it is a good recipe to make when you have leftover pumpkin from another recipe.
The detailed instructions for making this cake are listed in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
1. Mix the frosting ingredients by hand. Set aside.
2. In a ramekin, mix the cake ingredients thoroughly, in the order listed.
3. Microwave the cake for 90 seconds.
4. Allow the cake to slightly cool, then slice it crosswise and frost, as shown in the video below.
How to sweeten this cake
I use ½ teaspoon of stevia glycerite to sweeten this pumpkin mug cake. This should equal about 2 tablespoons of sugar.
I haven't tested this recipe with any sweeteners other than stevia glycerite, but please feel free to experiment with your own favorite granulated sweetener.
How to serve this cake
It's a big cake, and when it's frosted, it makes two generous, filling servings. When I make it without the frosting, I have all of it for my breakfast. But when I frost it, I either share it with my husband, or I save half of it for later.
How to store pumpkin mug cake
You can keep this cake in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before enjoying. If unfrosted, you can also freeze this cake in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
More mug cake recipes you might enjoy
Like the convenience of mug cakes? Try this incredible, gooey chocolate mug cake! Another good one if you like cheesecake is this microwave cheesecake. And for peanut butter lovers, you can't go wrong with this keto peanut butter mug cake!
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Pumpkin Mug Cake
INGREDIENTS
Optional frosting:
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon canned pure pumpkin puree
- ¼ teaspoon stevia glycerite (equals 1 tablespoon powdered sugar)*
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cake:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon stevia glycerite (equals 2 tablespoons sugar)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg
- 1.5 tablespoons coconut flour (11 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder (gluten-free if needed)
INSTRUCTIONS
- If making frosting: Soften the cream cheese in the microwave, about 10 seconds. Mix in the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- Place the butter in a 7oz ramekin. Melt in the microwave.
- Whisk in the pumpkin, stevia, vanilla and cinnamon. Add the egg and whisk to incorporate.
- Add the coconut flour and baking powder. Whisk until smooth, scraping the sides and bottom and making sure the batter is completely smooth, well incorporated and free of lumps. Especially check the bottom of the ramekin to make sure there are no unmixed areas there.
- Microwave for about 90 seconds, just until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Gently remove from ramekin. Run a knife around the edges and slide a small rubber spatula under the bottom if needed. Turn the cake upside down to allow the bottom to air out and prevent sogginess. Allow to slightly cool.
- Enjoy the pumpkin cake as is, or frost it: slice in half crosswise. Frost the center, then the top. If you have enough frosting, you can frost the sides as well, as shown in the video.
- Cut into two servings and enjoy!
WATCH THE VIDEO:
NOTES
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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, and Country Living. 