Healthy Mug Cake

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5 from 1020 votes
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This healthy mug cake is rich, moist, and full of chocolate flavor. Low in calories, it’s made with no eggs or butter and ready in under a minute!

Love mug cake recipes? Try my peanut butter mug cake, coffee mug cake, and protein mug cake next.

low calorie mug cake.

Watching my calories doesn’t mean I say goodbye to sweets. Quite the contrary, actually. 

My low calorie mug cake has been a staple in our house for quite a while. It’s easy to make and allows me to satisfy my chocolate cravings without going overboard.

Table of Contents
  1. Why I love this recipe
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How to make a low calorie mug cake
  4. Arman’s recipe tips
  5. More low calorie desserts you’ll love
  6. Healthy Mug Cake (Low Calorie) (Recipe Card)

Why I love this recipe

  • Microwave and oven instructions. I prefer the microwave method since it’s quick, but if I’m making 2-3 mug cakes at a time, I’ll typically use the oven. So, I included instructions for both. 
  • Secretly diet-friendly. Without even trying, this mug cake is dairy-free, vegan, AND easy to make gluten-free or low-carb if needed. 
  • It’s just so easy. Just mix all the ingredients together and pop it in the microwave. One minute later, and voila! A mini chocolate cake all for yourself. 
  • Customizable. This recipe has plenty of wiggle room to swap the ingredients or change the flavor.

★★★★★ REVIEW

“Wow, this turned out so good! Perfect dessert to help with a sweet tooth when you are dieting and so easy!” Casha

healthy mug cake.

Ingredients needed

  • All-purpose flour. Also known as plain flour. Be sure to sift it thoroughly if your flour has clumps.
  • Sugar OR sugar substitute. To keep the calories super low and the mug cake sugar-free, opt for a sugar substitute (granulated). If you are fine with some sugar, any works- brown, white, coconut sugar, etc.
  • Cocoa Powder. To give the mug cake the chocolate flavor, use good-quality cocoa powder to really bring out the flavor.
  • Baking soda. To give the mug cake some rise and texture! 
  • Salt. Brings out the sweetness, especially in cakes.
  • Oil of choice. For the rich texture of the cake. Oil also replaces the need for any butter or margarine. 
  • White vinegar. It acts as a leavening agent, especially when mixed with baking soda.
  • Vanilla extract. A must for any baked good or cake! 
  • Water. To bind the ingredients. I also tested using unsweetened almond milk, but I didn’t notice a big flavor difference, so I used water to keep the calories lower. 
  • Espresso powder. Optional, but I find it enhances the chocolate flavor without imparting strong coffee flavor. 
  • Mini chocolate chips. Another optional mix-in, but as you can imagine, chocolate chips make everything taste better!

How to make a low calorie mug cake

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Prep. Grease a microwave-safe mug or ramekin with cooking spray. 

Step 2- Make the batter. Combine the dry ingredients. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips if using. 

Step 3- Microwave. Microwave for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and let sit for 30 seconds before enjoying.

how to make a low calorie mug cake.

How to make this in the oven

If you’d rather make the healthy mug cake in the oven, you certainly can. Simply grease an oven-safe ramekin or small baking dish (4 or 6 inches) with cooking spray. Make the cake batter and pour it into the ramekin. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Let it sit for a minute before enjoying. 

Arman’s recipe tips

  • Avoid overcooking. Everyone’s microwave models differ, so I suggest microwaving the mug cakes in 30-second intervals. After a minute, if the cake feels slightly soft, let it sit for 30 seconds and see if it firms up. If not, continue microwaving in 15-second intervals until done.
  • Use a bigger mug or cereal bowl if you’re worried the cake will overflow as it expands. 
  • If the batter is too thick, add a splash of milk.

Variations

  • Make it extra gooey. Add an additional 2 tablespoons of water and reduce the cooking time to 45 seconds or until the tops are just barely done. 
  • Cut the carbs. Use a keto brown sugar substitute and sugar-free chocolate chips.
  • Make it fat-free. Swap the oil for unsweetened applesauce. 
  • Enhance the flavor. Fold in ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract or top the cake with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
healthy chocolate mug cake.

More low calorie desserts you’ll love

gluten free vegan chocolate mug cake

Healthy Mug Cake (Low Calorie)

5 from 1020 votes
Clocking in at under 100 calories, this healthy mug cake is rich, moist, and full of chocolate flavor. Made with no eggs or butter and ready in under a minute!
Servings: 1 serving
Prep: 1 minute
Cook: 1 minute
Total: 2 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Grease a microwave-safe bowl or ramekin generously with cooking spray.
  • Add your dry ingredients and mix well. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. If using chocolate chips, fold them through.
  • Microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until done. Remove from the microwave and let sit for 30 seconds, before enjoying.

Oven Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease an oven-safe dish or ramekin (4-6 inches).
  • Add your dry ingredients and mix well. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. If using chocolate chips, fold them through.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cake looks done. Remove from the oven and let sit for 30 seconds, before enjoying.

Notes

* Try not to fill the 1/2 teaspoon full of the vinegar.
The chocolate mug cake is made without eggs, so it is okay if your mug cake is a little undercooked.
For a moist chocolate mug cake, add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of water and add chocolate chips into the center of the mug cake.

Nutrition

Serving: 1mug cakeCalories: 96kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSodium: 148mgPotassium: 3mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 12g
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I tried this recipe today and I am so happy with the result. It was so soft and fluffy. From now on I will be following this recipe IN SHA ALLAH.

  2. 5 stars
    I made the chocolate mug cake in the microwave, it was a really nice gluten free treat. I used Bob’s Red Mill flour and coconut sugar for the sweetener. It came out really good.

  3. 5 stars
    Absolutely lovely!! Recommending to all my friends 🙂

    I was wondering how you work out the nutritional value of your recipes, especially the calories?

    1. Hi Matt- sounds like you’ve over-microwaved it- you must have a high energy microwave. Reduce the microwave time for 20 seconds.

  4. 5 stars
    literally the best mug cake ive ever had. not even exaggerating, normally mine are super dense. this wasnt!! i cooked mine 1:45 and it was perfect!! thank you omg this is so good

  5. 5 stars
    This was the best “mug” cake I’ve ever had!! I made mine in a bowl, as I tripled the recipe (I really wanted cake, okay?). Other recipes I’ve tried turn out dry, flavorless, or had terrible textures despite following the recipe perfectly. This one though, has a great taste and texture! Since I made it at midnight I didn’t have the proper measuring tools ready, so my measurements were slightly off. I also did not have vinegar and only had baking powder rather than soda. Normally I would have waited until I had everything right, but I was desperate for some chocolate cake. It paid off, because despite all of this, the cake came out amazing – and goes to show that this recipe is so good that it still tastes great even if you mess it up. Would DEFINITELY reccomend this.

  6. 5 stars
    I just made this. It was so so good moist and full of flavor. I used apple cider vinegar I didn’t have white. All I can say this takes care of my sugar and chocolate cravings. Thank you so much for this recipe. Do you have any more low calorie flavors like cinnamon or vanilla?

  7. 5 stars
    This is soooo delicious! Are the chocolate chips included in the calorie count? I am assuming not.

  8. 5 stars
    So delicious. Seriously one of the only good low calories mug cakes online. I topped it with a low cal chocolate pudding and removed the vinegar to make it fudgy 🤤

      1. 5 stars
        This recipie is the best mug cake we have ever tried. All of your recipies that I have tried are awesome! 😀💜
        Thank you .

  9. 5 stars
    Super easy and really hits the Spot!
    Of course you can taste the difference between this and a cake filled with butter and milk, but for the time, ingredients and calories, it doesn’t get better than this!

  10. 5 stars
    Insanely good. My sister sent it to me and said I have to try. Made twice in one day. I only added 1 tablespoon of sweetener and second time round cooked for 1.30 minute which was even better! Thanks so much