cocoa powder

February 2, 2021 Desserts

Gluten Free Mug Cake

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, moist cake. 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!

Key Ingredients

Gluten Free Flour – Your results will vary depending on the brand of flour you use. If your attempts at mug cake are a bust, you may need to try a different brand or type of gluten free flour. We used King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour for our mug cake, so we can vouch for it working correctly.

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 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 cake, try this recipe for the Best Chocolate Paleo Cupcakes Ever (Gluten Free) from our sister site, 40 Aprons!

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Our recipes focus on real ingredients and homemade elements. We try to avoid processed flour and sugar, like white flour or white sugar. Our recipes often swap less healthy options (like a commercial, deep-fried tostada) for an easy homemade version.

Our recipes are not necessarily low fat or low calorie, and we aren’t afraid of fat or carbs! Some of our recipes will be “skinny,” low carb, keto, paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free, Whole30, or vegan, and they will be labeled when they qualify for any of these diets. All our recipes are easy and family friendly!

Chocolate cake in a white ceramic mug with a scoop of cake on a spoon next to the mug

More Gluten Free Recipes You’ll Love

We hope you loved this recipe as much as we did! We’d love for you to give us a star ★ rating below, and follow us on Instagram! For more delicious, healthy recipes, be sure to check out 40 Aprons.

Gluten free chocolate cake in a white ceramic mug

Print Recipe

Gluten Free Mug Cake

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, moist cake. Easy to make dairy-free!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time1 min

Total Time6 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Gluten Free

Keyword: comfort food, easy to make, less than 10 minutes

Servings: serving

Calories: 523kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Whisk
Microwave
Medium bowl
Microwave-safe mug

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola, vegetable, avocado, coconut, etc.)
¼ cup milk plus 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ level cup all-purpose gluten free flour see Notes
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chocolate chips for topping

Instructions

In medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.
Add in flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
Stir batter until no clumps remain.
Pour batter into mug. Top with chocolate chips. Microwave 1 minute, then in subsequent 10-second intervals if needed until "baked".

Notes

We used King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour which includes xanthan gum. If your all-purpose gluten free flour doesn’t include xanthan gum, be sure to add some in separately. For a recipe this small, you should only need a dash.
Our mug cake was ready after one minute in the microwave, but every microwave is different. You may need to heat your cake batter longer, but don’t go too long or your cake will be super dry. Check the doneness by inserting a knife or toothpick into the center of the cake – if it comes out clean (or with just a few crumbs) then you’re good to go!
Make it Dairy Free: use almond milk or coconut milk, and vegan chocolate chips.

Recipe yields one mug cake. Nutritional values shown reflect information for one mug cake. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition

January 12, 2021 Desserts

Keto Red Velvet Cake

Deliciously rich, moist keto red velvet cake, topped with a fluffy keto cream cheese frosting and garnished with chopped pecans, is the perfect sugar-free dessert for holidays and special occasions.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

This may be the most moist (moistest?) cake you’ll ever eat!
It’s not red velvet cake without cream cheese frosting, and our keto frosting adds so much flavor and richness without any extra sugar.
It’s a great way to have treats on hand! Wrap individual slices of cake in plastic wrap (or store them in an airtight container) and freeze them. If stored properly, they’ll be good for 4 to 6 months, which makes it easy to thaw out a single portion whenever you want a little something sweet. If you freeze the slices frosted, unwrap them to thaw them out.

Key Ingredients

Cocoa Powder – Red velvet cake isn’t the same as a chocolate cake, but it does have a subtle chocolate flavor to it. If you prefer a keto red velvet cake that’s more chocolatey, add another tablespoon of cocoa powder, and mix in some Lily’s 55% Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chips before portioning the batter into the pans. You can also use chocolate extract.

Apple Cider Vinegar – The acidity in vinegar reacts with the proteins and baking powder in the cake batter to create a super fluffy, but still moist, cake. It also helps the batter develop its trademark red hue.

How to Make It

The full recipe & ingredients list are below, but here you’ll find a quick overview for making this recipe perfectly, along with useful tips and info!

Combine all of your dry ingredients in one bowl and set them aside. We’ll come back to them later.

In your primary bowl, mix butter, Swerve, and vanilla with a mixer on low speed, then add in your eggs one-at-a-time.

In a third bowl, combine the remaining wet ingredients (except heavy cream), then stir those into the butter mixture.

Now you can add in the dry ingredients and heavy cream, and mix until you’ve got a thick cake batter. Divide the batter evenly into two 9-inch pans and bake until the knife-trick (see “Chef’s Tips” section below) says your cake is ready.

Frost your layer cake with keto cream cheese frosting and garnish as desired. Slice and serve!

Chef’s Tips

Instead of chopped pecans, garnish the cake with red velvet crumbs.
The cake will continue to cook as it cools, so be careful not to overbake it. The best way to tell if it’s ready is to stick a knife or toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, or with just a few crumbs, it’s time to take it out of the oven!
Too much food coloring will make your cake batter taste like food coloring, and no one wants that. If you want a more vibrant cake batter, you can use more food coloring than the recipe calls for, but be careful how much you add. Gel food coloring will give you the boldest color.
To cut the most perfect cake slices, use a tomato knife or another thin, serrated knife. Cut with a gentle sawing motion, and run the knife under warm water between each slice. Make sure the knife is completely dry, but still warm to the touch, before you cut again. Chilling the cake for 10 to 15 minutes first will also help your slices come out cleanly.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Overhead view of keto red velvet cake topped with chopped pecans and cream cheese frosting

More Incredible Keto Desserts

Print Recipe

Keto Red Velvet Cake

Deliciously rich, moist keto red velvet cake, topped with a fluffy keto cream cheese frosting and garnished with chopped pecans, is the perfect sugar-free dessert for holidays and special occasions.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: low carb, sugar free, valentine’s day

Servings: slices

Calories: 496kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

2 round 9-inch pans
3 mixing bowls
Hand mixer or stand mixer

Ingredients

For the Cake

4 cups almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup Swerve Granular
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 eggs at room temperature
½ cup avocado oil
5 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red food coloring plus more, see Notes
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

For the Frosting

16 ounces cream cheese at room temperature, see Notes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups Swerve Confectioners
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Garnish (Optional)

½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
In one bowl, mix dry ingredients. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix butter, Swerve, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until combined, then add eggs one at a time. Set mixture aside.
In a third bowl, combine oil, apple cider vinegar, cocoa powder, and food coloring. Stir this mixture into the Swerve mixture.
Add in dry ingredients and heavy cream. Mix together until batter forms. For a more vibrant red, add more food coloring as desired.
Divide batter into two round 9-inch pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until knife inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely, then remove cake from pans.
Mix together all ingredients for frosting.
Frost top of one cake layer, then stack second cake layer on top and frost top and sides. Garnish with chopped pecans if desired.

Notes

To keep the cake moist while you prepare the frosting, wrap the cooled layers in plastic wrap until you’re able to frost them.
Cream Cheese: Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese has the lowest carb content of the cream cheeses we’ve found, so we recommend this one specifically.
Food Coloring: For a more vibrant cake, add a little more food coloring – but not too much or you’ll be able to taste it. If you’re using all-natural food coloring, the color will not be as vibrant. Keep in mind the batter will darken slightly as it bakes.
Leftovers: Store leftover red velvet cake in the refrigerator, in an airtight container. It will keep for 5 to 7 days.

Recipe yields one (1) two-layer cake with 16 servings. Nutritional information shown reflects 1 serving, which is 1/16 of the frosted two-layer cake. Nutritional information does not include chopped pecans, and does reflect Philadelphia brand cream cheese. Macros may vary slightly depending on the specific brands of ingredients you use.

Nutrition

January 5, 2021 Desserts

Keto Chocolate Pudding

This heavenly keto chocolate pudding is the perfect sugar-free dessert for anyone counting carbs or monitoring their glucose levels. It’s easy to whip up and only needs a few ingredients!

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Chocolate pudding is a classic childhood treat. This sugar-free version is just as good flavor-wise, but it’s nutritionally better. With only 3g net carbs per serving, it’s a perfect low carb chocolate pudding for anyone watching their macros.
The opposite of our light and airy keto chocolate mousse, this pudding is thick, rich, and creamy.
If stored properly, this pudding will keep for 5 to 7 days, which means it’s a great make ahead dessert option! Keep it in the refrigerator in an airtight container, with a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding.

Key Ingredients

Swerve – If you’ve followed our keto recipes for literally any amount of time, you know we LOVE Swerve here at Easy Healthy Recipes. Swerve is a non-GMO, non-glycemic, zero-calorie, preservative-free sugar substitute that has no effect on blood glucose levels. It’s perfect for keto dieters or anyone who needs to watch their insulin levels.

Xanthan Gum – Don’t skip this! Xanthan gum is a low carb thickening agent, and it’s what helps your chocolate mixture reach the right consistency. Without the xanthan gum, you’ll end up with chocolate soup, which might not be a bad problem to have, but it’s no chocolate pudding.

How to Make It

The full recipe & ingredients list are below, but here you’ll find a quick overview for making this recipe perfectly, along with useful tips and info!

Mix and chill!

Ok, ok, there’s a little more to it than that. But not much!

Combine everything except the vanilla extract in a saucepan and whisk until it’s warm and thick. Stir in the vanilla extract, then pour the mixture in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and pop it in the fridge overnight to firm up! It has the best texture after it’s chilled for 8 to 12 hours.

We topped ours with whipped cream, which is totally optional, but totally yummy.

Chef’s Tips

This keto chocolate pudding is rich and delicious enough to be eaten on its own, but for a decadent treat, top it with our Keto Whipped Cream made from powdered erythritol.
Covering the bowl with plastic wrap will prevent the mixture from “sweating” and forming a film (or “skin”, gross) on top of the pudding as it chills. Be sure the plastic wrap is pressed against the top of the pudding, with zero space or air in between.
Freeze your leftover low carb pudding in an airtight container for an incredible ice-cream-like dessert. Frozen sugar-free pudding will last 1 to 2 months!

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

More Keto Recipes You’ll Love

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Keto Chocolate Pudding

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Chill Time12 hrs

Total Time12 hrs 15 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy to make, low carb, sugar free

Servings: servings

Calories: 246kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Medium saucepan
Whisk
Medium bowl
Plastic Wrap

Ingredients

For the Pudding

⅔ cup Swerve Confectioners, see Notes
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ¼ cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Whipped Cream (Optional)

1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Swerve Confectioners, see Notes

Instructions

For the Chocolate Pudding

In a medium saucepan, combine Swerve, cocoa powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Whisk well.
Cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently. Don't let mixture come to a rolling boil. It should cook gently and slowly. Heat and whisk until pudding is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract.
Pour into bowl or other container. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or until firm.

For the Whipped Cream (Optional)

Mix all ingredients in a chilled metal mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer or whisk, and mix until stiff peaks form, approximately 5 to 8 minutes.

Notes

If you don’t have Swerve Confectioners (or another brand of powdered erythritol) on hand, you can make your own using Swerve Granular! Simply pulse the granulated erythritol in a food processor until it reaches the consistency of powdered erythritol.
To avoid a film, keep the pudding covered tightly with plastic wrap at all times, except when you’re serving it. The plastic wrap should touch the surface of the chocolate pudding.

Nutritional info shown is for one serving of chocolate pudding without whipped cream. Chocolate pudding recipe yields 8 servings total.

Nutrition

July 30, 2020 Desserts

Keto Chocolate Mousse

This creamy, rich chocolate mousse is an absolutely decadent keto treat! Like a thick, delicious pudding, this mousse is a perfect fat bomb when you need to hit all your macros or are just craving chocolate-y goodness.

What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe

Cream cheese
Heavy cream
Powdered erythritol
Cocoa powder
Vanilla extract

How To Make Keto Chocolate Mousse

Whip the heavy cream in a large bowl until it forms firm peaks.
In a separate bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients.
Mix everything together until well combined.
Chill in the fridge for about an hour before serving.

Chef’s Tips

We used a hand mixer for the whipped cream, but stirred together the cream cheese and powders with a spatula. You can use hand mixer for everything, but we preferred the consistency we got mixing our cream cheese manually.
Powdered erythritol was our sweetener of choice for this recipe, but you can use any powdered sweetener, such as monk fruit or Swerve. As long it’s powdered, it’ll work!

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Close-up of keto chocolate mousse in a bowl

More Keto Recipes

Print Recipe

Keto Chocolate Mousse

This delicious and decadent chocolate dessert is absolutely perfect when you're on keto

Prep Time10 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fewer than 5 ingredients, low carb, no added sugar

Servings: servings

Calories: 411kcal

Author: Jenny Hurley

Cost: $2

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup powdered erythritol
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Whip the heavy cream in a large bowl until it forms firm peaks.
In a separate bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients.
Mix everything together until well combined. Chill in the fridge for about an hour before serving.

Notes

Mixing: We recommend mixing cream cheese and powders with spatula or fork to get good consistency.
Sweetener: Can sub with monk fruit or Swerve, so long as they are powdered.

Nutrition

August 14, 2019 Breakfast

How to Make Vegan Overnight Oats: 4 Ways

This is the ultimate guide to making vegan overnight oats! With 4 versions of a classic overnight oats recipe, there are endless possibilities. Easy to make and perfect for grab-and-go breakfast or meal prep. Chocolate, peanut butter, cinnamon raisin, and plain. Vegan, gluten free, dairy free.

vegan overnight oats with different toppings

Overnight oats are such a wonder. Stir them together the night before and what’s ready for you in the fridge in the morning?

Freaking breakfast. Like, your entire breakfast.

Only chia pudding is easier, and I’m not even sure it’s easier. It’s like, just as easy? I can’t get enough.

This vegan overnight oats recipe uses 4 variations for limitless options. Start with a base recipe and customize to your own taste or whim!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There’s four tasty flavors to try – plus suggestions for more!
They are great for meal prep breakfast throughout the week.
Rich in protein and fiber to keep you feeling satisfied until lunch.
They are so easy to make!

The four base flavors

Classic

Perfect as the base for, well, everything, top this classic vegan overnight oats flavor with anything you like, from fresh fruit to dried, nuts to seeds, nut butters to maple syrup or honey – whatever!

Chocolate

Chocolate for breakfast?! ALWAYS a good idea. This one is easy to upgrade with nut butters, too, like hazelnut or peanut butter. Decadence!

Peanut Butter

Vegan overnight oats with banana topping

Who doesn’t love peanut butter?! Another one that’s super easy to vary, whether you use a different type of nut butter or sprinkle in some cinnamon, drizzle it all with honey, top it with bananas or apples… the list goes on. So good and a great source of healthy fats!

Cinnamon Raisin

An excellent base for incorporating dried fruit, try this variation with pumpkin spice instead of cinnamon, dried apples instead of raisins, dried cherries instead of raisins, etc. The dried fruit plumps up overnight and is totally delicious!

What will be your favorite?!

How To Make Them

Stir the ingredients for your chosen overnight oats together and let chill in the fridge at least 8 hours.
After 8 hours, top the oats with your toppings and eat.

Process shots of how to make the breakfast jars

Are vegan overnight oats a healthy breakfast?

Oats are a great choice for a healthy breakfast – they are full of nutrients. They are rich in fiber and B vitamins, as well as containing iron. The plant based proteins in oats help to control blood sugar and they can help to boost metabolism. Because these oats are dairy-free they contain no cholesterol.

How long do overnight oats last?

These vegan oats are perfect for meal prep, as they will keep for 5 days in the fridge. It’s a great idea to make a batch on Sunday evening for grab and go breakfasts all week.

What do you make this recipe in?

I love th ese jars to make my oats in – they have a great seal and stack well in the fridge. You can make them in Tupperware if that’s all you have, but I find it easier to make these personal portions. Be sure to sterilize your jars or containers with boiling water and that they are food safe

Recipe variations

Overnight oats are so versatile and the choice of flavors and toppings are endless! Here are some more of my favorites:

Pumpkin Spice: Whisk in 1-2 tablespoons pumpkin purée to any recipe and use 1-2 tablespoons less milk. Include a couple dashes pumpkin pie spice.
Chocolate Hazelnut: Stir in a tablespoon of hazelnut butter to the Chocolate recipe and top with chopped hazelnuts.
Apple Cinnamon: Use chopped dried apples instead of raisins in the Cinnamon Raisin recipe.

Use other dried fruit as desired, like dried cherries, blueberries, or apples. You can also swap out the cinnamon for other spices.

Chef’s Tips

Use food safe jars and containers that have been sterilized – I used these.
Let the oat mixture sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours.
Experiment with different fruits, seeds and flavors!

Be sure to check out these other easy and healthy breakfast recipes!

I would love to hear if you have tried this grilled peaches recipe – do leave me a star rating and comment down below!

Print Recipe

How to Make Vegan Overnight Oats: 4 Ways

With 4 versions of a classic overnight oats recipe, there are endless possibilities. Easy to make and perfect for grab-and-go breakfast or meal prep.

Prep Time5 mins

Resting time8 hrs

Total Time5 mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy overnight oats recipe, meal prep breakfast recipe, vegan overnight oats recipe

Servings:

Calories: 341kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Ingredients

Classic

3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup minus 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Top with : Fresh berries and hemp seeds

Peanut Butter

3/4 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 scant cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Top with : Peanut butter, banana and chia seeds

Chocolate

3/4 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 scant cup unsweetened almond milk
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Top with : Chocolate shavings and frozen raspberries

Cinnamon Raisin

3/4 cup rolled oats
3 tbsp dried fruit like raisins, see Note
Dash cinnamon if desired
1 scant cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Top with: Yogurt dollop, brown sugar, raisins and cinnamon

Instructions

Stir the ingredients for your chosen overnight oats together and let chill in the fridge at least 8 hours.
After 8 hours, top the oats with your toppings and eat.

For the peanut butter oats

Warm up the peanut butter and milk and whisk together before adding to the oats.

For the chocolate oats

Stir the oat mixture well with a fork until there are no clumps, before shaking

Notes

A “scant” cup means a little less than a cup. This measurement will result in a standard overnight oats texture.

Nutritional values are based on one classic vegan overnight oat jar.

Variations

Use other dried fruit as desired, like dried cherries, blueberries, or apples. You can also swap out the cinnamon for other spices.

Pumpkin Spice: Whisk in 1-2 tablespoons pumpkin purée to any recipe and use 1-2 tablespoons less milk. Include a couple dashes pumpkin pie spice.

Chocolate Hazelnut: Stir in a tablespoon of hazelnut butter to the Chocolate recipe and top with chopped hazelnuts.

Apple Cinnamon: Use chopped dried apples instead of raisins in the Cinnamon Raisin recipe.

Nutrition