Healthy Chocolate Fudge Cake in a Mug (5 Ingredients)

This microwave chocolate cake in a mug is rich and fudgy yet healthy. Make it either for breakfast or as a healthy dessert for one with only 5 ingredients in 1-2 minutes. It’s both flourless and eggless, and also Paleo, vegan, and gluten-free! It is so darn delish that will become your NEW OBSESSION!

Breakfast for one? Or perhaps dessert for breakfast? LOL

Holy bananas, my friend! This sinful chocolate mug cake is the ultimate treat! Everything that you ever dreamed of and more. Follow along and see why!

The BEST Chocolate Mug Cake Recipe that you’ll have

When I say this recipe for mug cake is THE THING, I mean it! Here is why:

• It’s fudgy and gooey!
• Made with only 5 ingredients: mashed bananas, cocoa powder, sweetener of choice, chocolate chips, and peanut butter. In other words... things that you probably already have in your pantry!
• Cooked in the microwave for 1 or 2 minutes
• It’s versatile: you can make it for breakfast or as a dessert!
• This mug cake is cheap and healthy!
• It’s naturally gluten-free, Paleo, and contains no eggs. Moreover, it can be vegan and dairy-free, depending on the type of chocolate chips you use and also the sweetener that you choose. To make it dairy-free, use dark chocolate chips. To make it vegan, use dairy-free chocolate and maple syrup to sweeten.
• Perfect for college students who live in a dorm and also for busy people rushing in the morning to grab a bite before going to work. Or simply for those who want to quickly satisfy their cravings! 
• Don’t have a microwave? No problem! You can bake this one in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until set.

Could it get any better? 

What is a mug cake or cake in a mug?

A mug cake is literally a cake made in a mug! There are several different recipes and flavors but most of them can be quickly cooked in the microwave (for about 1 to 2 minutes). It’s quite simple to make by simply mixing ingredients in a mug, and so is virtually mess-free. 

This recipe for chocolate mug cake is made without eggs. Why?

Mug cakes made with eggs have a spongy texture and are more cakey than fudgy. They are more on the dry side. Because you are making a cake that is actually an individual serving, you would need less than one egg to get the same texture as a full-size cake. But the problem is, how to divide a single egg?

On the other hand, an egg-free cake in a mug has a fudgy, gooey texture – in between a regular cake and a lava cake. The top center is soft and creamy while from the middle to bottom is more solid. Because it has no egg, it is ideal for those who have an allergy to eggs. Our chocolate fudge mug cake has mashed bananas, which makes a good substitute for eggs without making the cake dry.

But one thing is for sure. If baking the mug cake in the oven, the cake will rise and cook faster if it contains an egg. It will have the structure of a real cake if it has flour or at least a nut flour like our flourless chocolate nut cake and flourless pumpkin muffins.

It's one of many 5-ingredient or less recipes on our blog!

Can this mug cake be made in the oven?

Yes, it can! For that, preheat the oven at 350 degreesF/180 degrees C and bake a chocolate cake in a mug for 15-20 minutes. But I find the cake has a better texture when cooked in the microwave.

How to Make Healthy Chocolate Cake in a Mug

 

1. In a medium bowl, mash the banana and then stir in cocoa powder, peanut butter, and your choice of sweetener until homogeneous. Stir in half of the chocolate chips.
2. Pour into a 10-ounce mug (it will fill halfway up maximum). Add the remaining half of the chocolate chips on the top.
3. Microwave for 1 minute and 20 seconds to 2 minutes, or until cooked and well set. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before enjoying either warm or at room temp. If you want, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Substitutes

• Peanut butter: for any other nut butter, or Nutella
• Chocolate chips: raisins, chopped nuts
• Sweetener: sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, xylitol, etc
• Cocoa powder: protein powder
• Banana: ¼ cup mashed banana = ⅓ cup applesauce

Additional Add-in Ideas:

• Coconut flakes
• Chopped nuts
• Spices
• Almond or vanilla extract
• Flavored chocolate chips (peanut butter, mint, butterscotch)

Cooking/Baking Tips 

• To avoid spill, be sure to use a mug that is large enough, as the batter will rise a lot in the microwave. I suggest using at least a 10-ounce mug for this recipe.
• Keep a close eye on the mug cake as it is in the microwave.
• Cook it just until the center is just set. The final cooking time will depend on 1)The potency of your microwave. On a 1200 Watts microwave, it takes around 1 minute and 20 seconds to 2 minutes. 2) If your mug is wider than taller. Wider mugs will have the cake batter spread out and so, it will cook faster than if in a deep or tall mug. In addition, it will take more time to bake (about 15-18 minutes) than cook it in the microwave (1-2 minutes).

Storage

The cake is best if eaten warm. But you can cover a mug cake when cool and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Other mug cake recipes:

• Amaretto Mug Cake 
• Cookies and Cream Mug Cake 
• Lemon Cheesecake Mug Cake 
• Vegan Mug Cake
• Orange Mug Cake 
• Pina Colada Mug Cake 
• Raspberry Lemon Mug Cake 
• Pumpkin Spice Mug Cake 

PIN & ENJOY!