Mug Cakes in 5 Flavors - {Vegan & Gluten Free}

Mug cakes have been an internet’s favorite for quiet sometime now. Personally, I think they are okay as a quick fix for dessert cravings and are definitely convenient and easy to put together. That said, it surely can not replace the real thing for me.

With so many recipes floating on the web it is exciting to try new flavors but at the same time these simple recipes can easily turn into a failure if you don’t pay attention to the cooking time. The duration you cook these cakes can be tricky - a simple rule to follow to make these cakes successful is to start with cooking them for 50 to 60 seconds and then gradually cook the cake at an increments of 10 seconds. Every microwave is different so instead of going by the time listed in a particular recipe - its safer to check at a 50 second mark and then take it from there accordingly.

These cakes are a great option for quick dessert but you need to eat them right away. They get dry with time and don’t taste that great. The portion control is also a positive factor. Here are my gluten free and vegan version of these mug cakes in five different flavors. Once you get the base and the cooking time figured out, you can get experimental and try different flavors.

Serving 1 mug cake

Cooking time 10 minutes (per cake)

Ingredients

Banana Maple Cake

1/2 over ripe banana, mashed

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp rice flour

2 tbsp tapioca or potato starch

2 tsp veg oil

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp Vanilla

Add all ingredients in a microwave proof mug and mix to form a smooth batter (make sure all the ingredients are mixed well). Microwave on high for 50 seconds - check at this point and see if the cake is done. It will be done when it’s springy on top but still a bit gooey. Since every microwave is different you might have to cook the cake just a little bit more to make it reach this stage. Cook at 10 second intervals till you get the right consistency. Cool slightly and serve warm.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

1 tbsp rice flour

1 tbsp tapioca or potato starch

1 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread

1 tbsp apple sauce

Add all ingredients (except chocolate hazelnut spread) in a microwave proof mug and mix to form a smooth batter. Add a few dollops of the spread and fold into the batter a couple of times. Don’t mix it completely as you want chunks of the spread throughout the cake. Microwave on high for 50 seconds or more as needed.

Carrot Cake

1 tbsp rice flour

2 tbsp tapioca or potato starch

1/4 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

2 tsp sugar

3 tbsp shredded carrots

1 tbsp raisins

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp oil

Place carrots in a microwave safe bowl and add 2 tsp sugar. Mix well and microwave for 1 minute. Stir and cool slightly. In a microwave safe mug add all ingredients along with the carrots and any liquid that it might have released. Microwave on high for 50 seconds or more as needed.

Coconut Cake

1 tbsp rice flour

1 tbsp tapioca or potato starch

1 1/2 tbsp almond meal or ground almonds

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp shredded coconut (sweetened)

1 tbsp apple sauce

Add all ingredients in a microwave proof mug and mix to form a smooth batter (make sure all the ingredients are mixed well). Microwave on high for 50 seconds or more as needed.

Lemon Poppyseed Cake

1 tbsp rice flour

2 tbsp tapioca or potato starch

1/4 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp soy yogurt

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp lemon zest

2 tsp poppy seeds

1 tbsp veg oil

Add all ingredients in a microwave proof mug and mix to form a smooth batter (make sure all the ingredients are mixed well). Microwave on high for 1 minute or more as needed.