Gluten Free Mug Cake
Posted: 05/31/23
Updated: 12/11/24
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Chocolatey gluten free mug cake is so easy to throw together when you’re craving something sweet. This recipe takes a few basic ingredients and turns them into delicious, melt-in-your-mouth moist, single-serving chocolate cake that’s ready to eat in just a few minutes. Gluten free, egg free, and super easy to make dairy free!
🍫 What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Remember Easy Bake Ovens? This is kind of like a grown-up version of that… only way better. In less than 5 minutes you’ll go from ingredients to gluten-free chocolate cake, with minimal effort.
- The single-serve portion size is so convenient for anyone living alone or just watching what they eat. You won’t be tempted to eat 2 or 3 cupcakes or a slice of cake as big as your head since you’re only making one mini-cake at a time.
- This recipe is egg-free, which means it won’t have a rubbery texture when you microwave the batter. Instead, it’ll be moist and light and melt-in-your-mouth good!
👩🏼🍳 Chef’s Tips
- The cake will rise and expand as it “bakes” in the microwave. If your mug is on the small side, put a paper towel or a dish underneath it in the microwave, to catch any overflow.
- You can make this mug cake in the oven if you prefer not to use a microwave. Just be sure to use an oven-safe mug! Place the mug on a baking sheet, then bake your cake for 15-20 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit.
- To cut down on clean-up, you can mix all of the ingredients directly in the coffee mug. I think it’s a little easier to mix them in a bowl and pour them into the mug, but do what works for you!
- This recipe makes one single-serve mug cake. For larger quantities of gluten-free chocolate cake, try this recipe for the Best Chocolate Paleo Cupcakes Ever (Gluten Free).
🌾 More Gluten-Free Recipes You’ll Love
- Gluten Free Ginger Snaps
- Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies (Gluten Free)
- Gluten Free Pecan Pie
- Peanut Butter Pancakes (Gluten Free)
- Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins
- The Best EVER Gluten-Free Lemon Cake
- Perfect Paleo Brownies (Gluten Free)
- Fluffy Gluten Free Gingerbread
- Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake
- Paleo Carrot Cake Cupcakes (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
- Gluten Free Meatloaf
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Gluten Free Mug Cake
This simple microwave recipe takes a few basic ingredients and turns them into a delicious, moist, single-serving chocolate cake that's also entirely gluten free.
mug cake
Ingredients
For the Mug Cake
- 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil avocado oil, refined coconut oil, etc.
- 5 tablespoons milk of choice whole, 2%, almond, coconut, etc.
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ level cup gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum, see Notes
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar or granular Swerve, or coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons baking cocoa powder
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Suggested Toppings (All Optional)
- 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
Equipment
- medium mixing bowl see Notes
- whisk
- flour sifter optional, see Notes
- microwave-safe coffee mug 8-ounce or 12-ounce mug
- Microwave
- toothpick or butter knife
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil, 5 tablespoons milk of choice, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract to medium mixing bowl. Whisk ingredients are fully combined.
- Sift ¼ level cup gluten-free all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar, 3 tablespoons baking cocoa powder, ⅛ teaspoon fresh baking soda, and ⅛ teaspoon salt into mixing bowl with wet ingredients. Whisk vigorously until ingredients are fully incorporated, forming smooth batter.
- Transfer batter mixture into microwave-safe mug and top batter with 2 tablespoons chocolate chips if desired.
- Place mug in microwave and microwave 60 seconds at full power. After 60 seconds, check doneness of cake. Insert toothpick or butter knife into center of cake, then immediately remove toothpick (or knife) and check for crumbs. If toothpick (or knife) is covered with wet batter or large amount of moist crumbs, return mug to microwave and microwave 10 seconds more. Repeat as needed until toothpick comes out of cake with very few or no crumbs.
- Once mug cake is fully "baked", remove mug from microwave and let cool slightly. Enjoy mug cake warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Mixing Bowl: For less clean-up, you can mix the ingredients together right in your mug, instead of using a separate bowl. I just personally find it’s easier to make sure everything’s fully incorporated in the mixing bowl.
- Flour Sifter: Totally optional – if you don’t have one or don’t want to use it, don’t give it a second thought. Just make sure to break up any clumps or lumps in your dry ingredients before adding them to the wet ingredients so your ingredients mix completely!
- Flour: We used King Arthur’s Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour which contains xanthan gum.
- Xanthan Gum: If your all-purpose gluten-free flour doesn’t include xanthan gum, you do need to add some in separately. Your cake won’t have the right texture if you don’t use xanthan gum. For a recipe this small, you should only need a dash.
- Bake Time: Every microwave is different. Our cake was ready after 60 seconds, but you may need additional time. Be careful not to microwave it too much or your cake will be very dry.
- Make it Dairy Free: Use almond milk or coconut milk, and use dairy-free or vegan chocolate chips.
- Make it Vegan: Use almond milk or coconut milk, and use vegan chocolate chips. Make sure your granulated sugar is 100% vegan and not filtered with bone char.
- Make it Keto: Check out our keto mug brownie recipe!
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1mug cake | Calories: 541kcal | Protein: 6g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0g | Total Carbs: 61g | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 28g | Added Sugars: 0g | Net Carbs: 53g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 472mg | Potassium: 469mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 2mg
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Delicious gluten free mug cake & quick to make too!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
I don’t understand the negatives. This is quite good. I will keep this recipe.
Thanks so much, Donna!
Unbelievably good!!! I tried so many recipes and they weren’t great. This recipe is amazing, soft, moist and tasty. I slice it in 3 so that I can enjoy cake at any time of the day. I used Xylitol instead of sugar and lactose free milk. Excellent, thank you!! 🙂
So glad you loved it, Margo! Thanks for sharing!
Very very dry
Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear this! We’d love to troubleshoot it with you if you’re wanting to give it another try!
Delicous
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing.
If I could give this 0 stars I would. Not sure what others did to make this taste good but it was so bad I threw it in the trash after one bite. Yuck.
I hate to hear that you didn’t enjoy it, Scuthriell! Could you tell us a little more as far as what you didn’t enjoy? We’d love to help troubleshoot if we can!
Very Tasty!! I loved this recipe! I made it vegan with no problems at all! I had King Arthur Measure for Measure on hand so I didn’t need the xanthum gum! Thanks!
So glad you loved it! Thanks for sharing, Lauryn!