Low-carb single-serve keto mug cake with chocolate chips is a quick healthier dessert option! Grain-free, sugar-free, and super easy to prepare! All you need is 5 ingredients, a mug and a couple minutes of time to make this beauty happen!
It’s the return of the single-serve mug dessert!
Because we all deserve a bite of cake from time to time, and sometimes we just don’t feel like baking the whole shebang.
Or we don’t trust ourselves around the whole shebang.
For the latest and greatest mug dessert, we’re going keto (or low-carb), using almond flour, sugar-free sweetener, melted butter, egg yolk, a tiny bit of baking soda and a sprinkle of sea salt.
We add chocolate chips, because who knows what tomorrow may bring, right?!
At just 3g net carbs per cake, you’re looking at an ultra satisfying dessert without all the excess sugar.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients.
Ingredients for Keto Mug Cake:
Super Fine Almond Flour: Almond flour is the base of this cake. It’s full of healthy fats, fiber, and makes for a lower-carb treat. I use Super Fine Almond Flour, which makes the cake nice and fluffy with amazing texture.
Sugar-Free Sweetener: Allowing for a sinfully sweet yet sugar-free mug cake, we use a zero calorie, sugar-free granulated sweetener.
Butter, Ghee, or Coconut Oil: The fat portion of the mug cake recipe! I recommend melted butter for the best flavor, but you can use ghee to go lactose-free and/or coconut oil to go dairy-free. Be sure the butter is melted but cooled so that when you add the chocolate chips, they don’t melt right away.
Egg Yolk: Fat and fluff! The egg yolk helps the cake batter rise to a fluffy texture, while keeping it moist and decadent. Save the egg white for a different use! I add them to a scramble.
Baking Soda & Sea Salt: Leavening and flavor! The baking soda helps with leavening and the sea salt enhances the flavor of the cake, providing a nice counterbalance to the sweetness and rounding out the flavor.
Chocolate Chips (optional): Little studs of chocolate always makes a dessert a million times more enticing for me! If you’re in the same boat, toss some in.
To keep the cake vanilla, omit the chocolate chips and add ⅛ teaspoon of vanilla extract. In order to keep this recipe low-carb, use sugar-free chocolate chips. Lily’s makes great ones!
Optional Add-ins: You can add ⅛ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract for some vanilla flavor, and/or add 2 teaspoons of chopped walnuts or pecans if you’re a nut fanatic!
Now that we know what ingredients we’re using, let us assemble!
How to Make Keto Mug Cake:
Add all of the ingredients to a microwave safe mug and stir until well-combined. Note: Be sure your butter has cooled before adding it, or it will melt the chocolate chips prior to microwaving.
Microwave on high for 30 to 40 seconds (depending on desired texture). For a gooier cookie consistency, microwave just 30 seconds. For a cake-like consistency, microwave for one minute.
Frequently Asked Questions:
To keep the mug cake low-carb, pick your favorite sugar-free sweetener. My top three recommendations for sugar-free sweeteners are Allulose, Monk Fruit Sweetener, and Truvia. Swerve works great too.
If you don’t follow a ketogenic or low-carb lifestyle, you can use coconut sugar or brown sugar instead of the sugar-free sweetener. So long as it is granulated, it will work! If you replace the granulated sweetener with a liquid sweetener, note that you’ll need to add more flour and the texture will vary.
If you don’t own a microwave, or if you prefer to not use a microwave, no sweat!
You can bake this keto mug cake in the oven. Simply stir up all the ingredients in an oven-safe mug or ramekin, place it on a baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes.
A great way of checking if a baked good is ready is taking its internal temperature using a thermometer. Simply insert a thermometer into the center of the cake. If it reads 190 degrees F or higher, it is ready.
That’s it! Your ticket to a guilt-free, delicious treat that won’t spike your blood sugar. The next time your sweet tooth is talking and you’re trying to stick to a low-carb diet, whip up this easy recipe!
If you’re on the prowl for more single-serve desserts, try out these reader favorites!
More Desserts in Mugs:
- Gluten-Free Mug Brownie
- Single-Serve Vegan Oatmeal Cookie in a Mug
- Paleo Chocolate Mug Cake
- Paleo Vanilla Mug Cake
- Matcha Mug Cake
- Peanut Butter Mug Cake
- Single-Serve Apple Cobbler
Also try my Keto Chocolate Mug Cake for a chocolate lovers edition!
Keto Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Super Fine Almond Flour
- 2 Tbsp sugar-free granulated sweetener
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 1/2 Tbsp butter or ghee, melted
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 Tbsp sugar-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a microwave safe mug and stir until well-combined. Note: make sure your butter has cooled before adding it, or else it will melt the chocolate chips before microwaving.
- Microwave on high for 45 to 60 seconds, until cake has risen and has a few air bubbles. Note: for a cookie-like consistency, microwave for 30 to 40 seconds.
i just made this for my husband and i and it was SO GOOD. exactly what we needed to curb the sweet tooth in a minimally expansive way. thank you!
Yaaay! I’m thrilled to hear it, Kaylee! Happy you and your husband enjoy the recipe. 🙂
I would like to make this with my little grandkids. Wow, that sounds like a lot of artificial sweetener. Is two TABLESPOONS correct?
Hi Mary,
2 tablespoons is what I use, but you can definitely use less if you prefer! The cake does turn out very sweet with the 2 Tbsp, so if you like less sweet, decrease it to 2 teaspoons to 1 Tbsp and see if that works for your taste 😉 Hope you enjoy! xoxo
So does this actually have zero carbs?! I’m excited either way, but what a bonus!
Following…..😊
Why do you avoid using baking powder?
I use baking powder…it’s just not necessary in this particular recipe 😉 xo
Mmmmm… Quell that craving in minutes without crashing your diet! Thank you, Julia! Also, appreciate you adding the Nutrition Facts. <3
Right?! It’s so easy and crazy delicious! My pleasure, and let me know if you try it! xoxo