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Vegan Protein Mug Cake

Vanilla protein mug cake is the perfect for when you are craving something sweet and delicious!

Perfect for snacking or a decadent dessert, this healthy vegan protein mug cake is ready in 5-10 minutes and is so easy to make! Just 6 ingredients all of which are vegan, gluten free and dairy free!

Vegan protein mug cake with peanut butter drizzled on top.
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Why you will love this recipe

  • Vegan protein mug cakes are perfect for those times when you have a sweet craving but don’t want to make an entire recipe worth of cake or cookies. It helps to satisfy your comfort food cravings in under 5 minutes.
  • Fluffy and so flavorful, you can customize this cake based on your cravings! Check out the suggestions below for chocolate, banana chocolate, peanut butter and jelly and more! You can also make this vegan protein powder mug cake nut free by checking out the substitutions below!
  • Single serve! The best part of these vegan protein mug cakes is that they are automatically portioned controlled! Add your favorite toppings and enjoy! You will get about 15 grams of protein from each mug cake!
Ingredients to make vegan protein mug cake.

Protein mug cake ingredients

  • Almond flour – the almond flour helps to make that moist and fluffy cake when combined with the protein powder. You can also make sunflower seed flour or use oat flour to keep it gluten free.
  • Vegan protein powder – it’s important that you use a vegan protein powder in this recipe, as it acts a certain way compared to whey protein or collagen peptides. Whey protein tends to dry out baked goods and collagen peptides don’t absorb enough liquid. If you need to use collagen peptides, follow the “no protein powder” recipe below and add the collagen into that recipe.
  • Maple syrup – this is to add sweetness and also help make the cake moist. If you need to keep this low carb, you can use a sugar free sweetener or omit the maple and instead use more dairy free milk.
  • Dairy free milk – use whatever your favorite dairy free milk in this recipe.
  • Baking powder – this helps the vegan protein mug cake rise when “baking” in the microwave.
  • Almond butter – this helps provide much needed fat to keep the cakes from drying out when baking. You can also use peanut butter or sunflower seed butter.
  • Dairy free chocolate chips (optional) – adding these in because everything is better with chocolate chips. You can omit them and use one of the other flavors below.

How to make mug cakes

  1. Start by combining the almond flour, protein powder, maple syrup, dairy free milk and baking powder in the ramekin or mug. Stir well and make sure you get out any lumps.
  2. Add the almond butter and stir in well. This will help the batter get thicker. Be sure it’s well combined.
  3. Add the chocolate chips and stir just to incorporate.
  4. Microwave on high for 1:30. Carefully remove from the microwave and allow to cool at least 3 minutes (best if you let cool 5-10 minutes).
  5. Serve warm or allow to cool completely. Add your favorite toppings.
Steps on how to make vegan protein mug cake.

Top tips

  • Let it cool: be sure to let your protein mug cake sit for 3+ minutes after cooking to cool. The best time is about 10 minutes of cooling, this has the best texture and taste.
  • If you want to make a double batch for yourself: Use a bowl instead of trying to put it all in a mug or ramekin. You want a lot of surface area.
  • If you are using a unflavored protein powder, you will want to increase this to 2 tbsp. maple syrup and add an additional 1 tbsp. almond flour.
  • You can eat this right out of the mug or ramekin or you can pop it out and eat it on a plate (maybe with some fun toppings). To get the vanilla protein mug cake out of the ramekin, simply go around the outside of the cake with a knife and it will just pop out onto a plate.
Whipped cream on top of vegan protein mug cake.

Topping ideas

You can easily eat this vegan protein mug cake as is and it will be a treat for sure! Here are some other topping ideas to take it to the next level:

Other flavor ideas

You can easily make this banana protein mug cake to fit whatever you are desiring. For many of these you will not want to add the chocolate chips. Here are some other great ideas:

  • Banana Walnut Chocolate: Add ½ a banana finely chopped and 2 tbsp. chopped walnuts along with the chocolate chips.
  • Peanut butter and jelly: Use peanut butter instead of almond butter in the cake. Add 2 strawberries, chopped to the batter. Top with peanut butter and more strawberries or strawberry jam.
  • Lemon blueberry: Add the zest from ½ a lemon and 2-3 tbsp fresh or frozen blueberries to the batter. Top with coconut butter, maple frosting or dairy free yogurt + maple syrup.
  • Carrot cake: Add 1/4 cup shredded carrots + 1 tsp. cinnamon + 1/8 tsp ginger to the batter. Top with coconut butter, maple frosting or dairy free yogurt + maple syrup.
  • Chocolate cake: Replace 1 tbsp. of the almond flour with 1 tbsp. cacao powder and use chocolate protein powder.
Vegan protein mug cake with chocolate chips on top.

How to make this nut free?

Almond flour can be replaced with oat flour (use 2.5 tbps oat flour) or sunflower seed flour. To make sunflower seed flour simply add roasted sunflower seeds to a high speed blender and blend on high about 30 seconds – 1 minute until it resembles fine sand.

Almond butter can be replaced with sunflower seed butter, peanut butter, tahini or cashew butter.

How to make these mug cakes without protein powder

If you want to make vegan mug cakes without protein powder, omit the protein powder and replace it with more almond flour. The total amount of almond flour would then be 1/2 cup in this recipe. You will want to be sure to make this in a mug, as the almond flour cake will rise and expand over the top of a ramekin and make a mess in your microwave.

Alternatively, you can follow the recipe for oat flour mug cakes which are made with all oat flour and are so easy to make, gluten free and super fluffy and delicious.

How to store vegan protein mug cake

If you decide to make this ahead and want to store it in the fridge, store covered in plastic wrap for 1-2 days.

Spoonful of protein mug cake.

Substitutions

  • Almond flour: You can use 2.5 tbsp oat flour in place of the almond flour. You could also make sunflower seed flour (see above for how to make it).
  • Vegan protein powder: I recommend Nuzest protein powder for all my recipes. It’s got clean ingredients and a great source of protein. If you are choosing not to use protein powder or want to use collagen peptides instead, replace the protein powder with 2.5 tbsp. almond flour. You will use a total of 1/3 cup of almond flour.
  • Maple syrup: maple syrup adds a unique flavor and helps add moisture to the cake. You could use monk fruit liquid sweetener or omit the maple syrup completely and add 1 tbsp. dairy free milk.
  • Dairy free milk: use your favorite dairy free milk in this recipe. You can make your own dairy free milk if you are out by blending hemp hearts with water.
  • Almond butter: You can use whatever your favorite nut or seed butter. You can use cashew butter, peanut butter, sunflower seed butter or tahini.
  • Dairy free chocolate chips: you can also use cacao nibs in place of the chocolate chips.
★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
Vegan protein mug cake with spoons in background.

Vegan Protein Mug Cake

$2.02 Recipe/$2.02 Serving
Vegan protein mug cakes are perfect for snacking or dessert, this single serve protein mug cake is gluten free and dairy free and so simple. Ready in under 5 minutes and easy to customize so you never get bored.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Save Rate
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana protein mug cake, vanilla protein mug cake, vegan mug cake, vegan protein mug cake
Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

Instructions

  • To the ramekin or mug, add the almond flour, protein powder, maple syrup, dairy free milk and baking powder. Stir well ensuring no lumps.
  • Add the nut butter to the batter and mix well.
  • Add the chocolate chips and stir to incorporate.
  • Microwave for 1:30 seconds
  • Allow to cool after cook 3 minutes (best to let cool 5-10 minutes)

Notes

How to make a vegan vanilla mug cake without protein:
Omit the protein powder and replace it with more almond flour (the total amount of almond flour would then be 1/2 cup). You will want to be sure to make this in a mug, as the almond flour cake will rise and expand over the top of a ramekin and make a mess in your microwave.
Other flavors you could make:
  • Banana Walnut Chocolate: Add ½ a banana finely chopped and 2 tbsp. chopped walnuts along with the chocolate chips.
  • Peanut butter and jelly: Use peanut butter instead of almond butter in the cake. Add 2 strawberries, chopped to the batter. Top with peanut butter and more strawberries or strawberry jam.
  • Lemon blueberry: Add the zest from ½ a lemon and 2-3 tbsp fresh or frozen blueberries to the batter. Top with coconut butter, maple frosting or dairy free yogurt + maple syrup.
  • Carrot cake: Add 1/4 cup shredded carrots + 1 tsp. cinnamon + 1/8 tsp ginger to the batter. Top with coconut butter, maple frosting or dairy free yogurt + maple syrup.
  • Chocolate cake: Replace 1 tbsp. of the almond flour with 1 tbsp. cacao powder and use chocolate protein powder.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
379
Fat
 
22
g
Carbohydrates
 
31
g
Fiber
 
5
g
Sugar
 
16
g
Protein
 
20
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
DID YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE?Let others know by rating and leaving a comment below!

Recipe Rating




vividpassion

Tuesday 10th of August 2021

It is easy recipe.I must try it

Michele Seif

Thursday 18th of April 2019

Yes!!! Just made this and I’m now obsessed!!!

Sam

Saturday 20th of April 2019

YESSS!!! so glad you love this as much as I do!

Miz Helen

Monday 23rd of October 2017

What a fun cake for a sweet tooth for one or two! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Have a great week and come back to see us real soon! Miz Helen

Samantha

Tuesday 28th of November 2017

Thanks Helen. It's my go-to when I need something quick and sweet but I'm to tired to bake!

Petra

Sunday 22nd of October 2017

It looks like perfect food on the go! I can see how the chocolate will make it very satisfying! Thank you for sharing with us at Fiesta Friday! :)

Julie Pollitt

Friday 20th of October 2017

This looks delicious!