Coffee Mug Cake

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5 from 159 votes
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This coffee mug cake makes the perfect single serving treat that takes less than a minute to make. It’s fluffy, moist, and topped with an easy streusel. 

coffee mug cake.

I’m all about healthy single-serving desserts, especially if they are quick and easy. Mug cakes are one of my favorites, like a protein mug cake, almond flour mug cake, and keto mug cake.

After sampling the delicious classic coffee cake from Starbucks, I wanted to recreate it and give it a single-serving treatment.

Table of Contents
  1. Why you’ll love this coffee mug cake recipe
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How do you make a coffee mug cake?
  4. Tips to make the best coffee cake mug cake
  5. Recommended tools to make this recipe
  6. More mug cake recipes
  7. Frequently asked questions
  8. Coffee Mug Cake (Recipe Card)

Why you’ll love this coffee mug cake recipe

  • Perfect texture. Fluffy on the inside, tender on the outside, and topped with a delicious streusel topping. It tastes of cinnamon and vanilla and was instantly one of my favorites!
  • Healthier. It’s made with grain-free flours and uses just a little maple syrup to sweeten it.
  • Quick and easy. This one takes seconds to prep and just a minute in the microwave to cook.
  • Single serving dessert. This is the kind of dessert you make when you crave coffee cake but don’t want to put in the effort to make a full recipe! 

Ingredients needed

for the mug cake

  • Almond flour– Blanched almond flour is best, not almond meal. The blanched variety yields a fluffier and lighter cake.
  • Coconut flour– Gives the mug cake the cakey texture, and with no coconut flavor.
  • Baking powder– Gives the mug cake some rise and fluffiness.
  • Maple syrup– Adds sweetness while also keeping the middle of the cake moist and fluffy. Honey or agave nectar work.
  • Cinnamon– A must for the traditional coffee cake flavor!
  • Egg– Room temperature eggs.
  • Milk of choice– Any milk can be used. I used unsweetened almond milk.

For the Streusel topping

  • Almond flour– Again, try to use blanched almond flour.
  • Sweetener of choice– I like brown sugar or coconut sugar. 
  • Almond butter– Gives a buttery crumble topping, minus the butter or oil. Peanut butter or cashew butter also work. 
  • Cinnamon– Adds cinnamon flavor.
  • Milk– To mix everything together to make the crumble.
  • Powdered sugar– Optional, but if you like a glaze. 

How do you make a coffee mug cake?

  1. Prep. Lightly grease a small, microwave-safe bowl or ramekin.
  2. Make the batter. In a small bowl, add your dry ingredients and stir well. Add your wet ingredients, and mix until a smooth batter remains. If the batter is too thick, add extra milk.
  3. Make the streusel. In a small bowl, add your streusel ingredients and mix until combined.
  4. Microwave the mug cake. Transfer the cake batter into a mug and spoon the streusel topping over it and microwave for 1-2 minutes or until cooked. Allow cooling for 1-2 minutes before enjoying!
coffee cake in a mug.

Tips to make the best coffee cake mug cake

  • Microwaves differ based on make and model. Start with microwaving it at one minute, and if it is not cooked, continue microwaving it in 20-second spurts until it is done.
  • Use a microwave-safe cereal bowl or shallow container instead of a mug. This will ensure the cake is fully cooked through.
  • Do not omit the coconut flour or try to substitute it. It is key to include it to ensure the mug cake is fluffy and tender on the outside.
  • As all coconut flour brands differ, you may need more than half a cup of milk (the suggested amount). Continue adding more milk to the batter until it is smooth and thick.
  • To reduce the fat and calories, you can use an egg white instead of a whole egg.
coffee mug cake recipe.

More mug cake recipes

Frequently asked questions

Why is there no coffee in this recipe?

Coffee cakes, including coffee mug cakes, are designed to be enjoyed with coffee. There is no espresso or coffee in the actual cake batter. 

Can I make this in the oven?

The quickest option is to make the coffee cake in the microwave. However, not everyone has a microwave, so this mug cake can be made in the oven.
Simply replace the microwave-safe bowl with an oven-safe ramekin or similar. Bake at 180C/350F for 10-12 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

keto coffee cake

Coffee Mug Cake

5 from 159 votes
This coffee mug cake makes the perfect single serving treat that takes less than a minute to make. It's fluffy, moist, and topped with an easy streusel. 
Servings: 1 mug cake
Prep: 1 minute
Cook: 1 minute
Total: 2 minutes

Ingredients  

For the optional streusel topping

Instructions 

  • In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix well.
  • In a separate small bowl, combine the maple syrup, vanilla extract, milk, and egg and whisk lightly. Add the mixture to the dry mixture and mix until just combined.
  • Prepare the streusel topping. In a small bowl, combine the almond flour with the cinnamon and sugar and mix well. Add the almond butter and mix well until a thick, crumbly mixture is produced. Add a dash of milk if desired.
  • Grease a microwave-safe bowl or ramekin and pour the batter in it. Top with streusel and microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until cooked through. 

Oven Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a large ramekin and set aside.
  • Follow directions as above and once ready, bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

* Start with 2 tablespoons of milk then adjust accordingly. If the batter is too thick, add more.
Coffee mug cake should be eaten fresh and enjoyed warm. Do not refrigerate or freeze for later. 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1mug cakeCalories: 188kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 9gFat: 10gSodium: 345mgPotassium: 92mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 273IUVitamin C: 0.04mgCalcium: 214mgIron: 2mgNET CARBS: 9g
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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5 from 159 votes (145 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I seriously can’t believe how good this is! Based on the ingredients I didn’t think I was going to be blown away. Cake tastes moist and rich even without butter or oil somehow. Crumb is amazing on it. One of my new regulars in my rotation of treats.

  2. 5 stars
    This is a lovely recipe. I have an almond allergy, so I substituted tigernut for the almond flour and walnut butter for the almond butter and it turned out amazingly. Thank you for the great recipe!

  3. 5 stars
    We recently got a microwave and have been trying all sorts of mug cake recipes but this is the best I’ve tried so far by far – 5 stars from me!

  4. 5 stars
    I really liked this recipe. It was sweet and extremely delicious. The topping was really good as well. I highly recommend this. It was also super simple to make.

  5. 5 stars
    Every time I make a mug cake with egg, I always regret it. It always comes out…eggy. Yet I keep trying. : / I unfortunately didn’t like the taste of this either and didn’t finish it.
    Just a helpful comment, though: For the topping, in the list of ingredients, mention “optional” or something similar next to the milk. I poured a Tbsp of milk in, assuming all the streusel ingredients were required. THEN I read the next step which mentioned only adding in a splash if desired. So my streusel was definitely liquidy and not actually a streusel.

  6. 5 stars
    This mug cake is delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe! Definitely worth the time in the oven.

  7. 5 stars
    honestly this is a pretty great mug cake. i make a lot of mug cakes so i am qualified to say so. the topping was my favourite part because almond butter tastes amazing – next time i’ll layer it in the middle of the mug cake as well as the top, half and half so i get it in every bite 🙂

  8. Thank you for sharing your creations!
    For this recipe, what size mugs would you recommend?
    Thank you so much!

  9. Thank you for this amazing recipe! I had it for dinner with keto cream cheese frosting instead of the crumble and just loved it!

    1. Hi there! Sure thing- if you go to myfitnesspal and add in all the ingredients, it will give you a full breakdown 🙂