Protein Mug Cake

Moist and chocolatey, this Protein Mug Cake is the ultimate treat for all fitness enthusiasts. This 2-minute banana protein mug cake is perfect as a macro-friendly dessert or post-workout snack. Vegan, gluten-free and low calorie!

What is a protein mug cake?

A protein mug cake is a single-serving cake made using protein powder as the main ingredient. This delightful dessert offers the perfect balance of macronutrients, combining the goodness of protein with the mouthwatering flavors of chocolate cake. The best part? It’s incredibly quick and easy to make, requiring only a handful of ingredients and two minutes in the microwave.

Why this is the best protein mug cake?

I love this dessert, and I’m pretty sure you will love it too because it is:

• Moist, chocolatey, and delicious: This rich and moist vegan protein mug cake satisfies your chocolate cravings without guilt.
• Healthy and high in protein: Boasting over 30 grams of protein, this chocolate dessert is a great way to hit your macros. With taste!
• Vegan and gluten-free: As this is an eggless protein mug cake with oat flour, this recipe is suitable for vegans and those following a gluten-free diet.
• Quick and easy to make in 2 minutes: The best part about this banana protein mug cake is that it’s so convenient. Simply mix the ingredients in a mug, pop it in the microwave, and voila! In less than 2 minutes you’ll have a warm, freshly baked mug cake ready to enjoy.

The ingredients

A handful of simple ingredients come together to make a single-serving protein mug cake that is moist, delicious and healthy at the same time. Here is all you need for this recipe:

• Banana: The ripe banana serves as natural sweetener, helps provide moisture and texture to your mug cake. You can replace with 3 tablespoons of applesauce, pear sauce or pumpkin purée.
• Protein powder: Protein powder is the key ingredient in protein mug cake. For the best taste, I recommend flavored protein powders (I used chocolate), but also unflavored is okay. This recipe works best with vegan protein powder, casein or a blend of casein and whey, I do not recommend just whey.
• Oat flour: Both store-bought and homemade oat flours work, gluten-free if it is necessary. As an alternative, replace with whole wheat flour, spelt flour or all purpose flour. Or use almond flour for a keto protein mug cake.
• Cocoa powder: Cocoa powder adds a rich chocolate flavor to the mug cake. Make sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder to control the sweetness and keep the sugars low.
• Sweetener of choice: For a low calorie protein cake in a mug, this recipe uses sugar-free and calorie-free granular sweetener. Feel free to replace with coconut sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey or any other sweetener of your choice.
• Baking powder: Baking powder acts as a leavening agent, helping the protein dessert rise and become fluffy.
• Milk of choice: Milk is added to provide moisture and create a batter-like consistency. You can use any type of milk, such as cow’s milk, unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, oat milk or any other dairy-free milk.

Best protein powder for mug cake

One of the most recurrent questions that people ask me is why their protein desserts get so dry. Well, the answer is very simple and it has to do with protein powder. The choice of the right type of protein is a crucial factor in determining whether your cake is going to be moist and fluffy or dry and rubbery.

After a couple of fails, I can finally say that I’ve mastered the art of making the perfect protein mug cake. Here are the top three types of protein powder for baking.

• Vegan protein powder: Plant-based protein powders include pea, hemp, rice, and soy protein. These work very well in baking because they preserve softness. As some products may have a strong plant taste, I recommend flavored protein powders (such as chocolate or vanilla).
• Casein protein powder: Similar to whey, casein protein is also derived from milk. But as it is less refined, it does not dry out when exposed to high temperatures and therefore is perfect for baking.
• Blends: Protein powder blends combine different protein sources to offer a wider range of amino acids and optimize texture and taste. Blends often include a combination of whey, casein, pea protein powder or other plant-based proteins, and sometimes collagen. Provided that whey is not the main component, blends can be used in baking.

Differently from the previous three options, whey protein powder dries out when heated and therefore it is not ideal for this recipe.

Protein powder flavor

My recommendation is to use either chocolate protein powder or vanilla protein powder –  I opted for chocolate. Besides matching with the recipe, flavored protein powders are usually sweetened (without sugars), so you won’t need additional sweeteners.

If opting for unflavored protein powder, instead, you will need to fix the taste with about one tablespoon of your favorite sweetener.

Keto protein mug cake

Do you follow a low carb diet and want to make this recipe? I got you, making a keto protein cake is very simple. Replace the banana with one egg or 3 tablespoons of Greek yogurt and the oat flour with almond flour. As the ingredients are slightly different, however, you may need to adjust with more almond flour or milk to consistency.

And if you are still not satisfied, try my keto protein mug brownie!

How to make protein mug cake

This may be the easiest protein dessert ever. It is whipped up in a mug and microwaved in under 2 minutes, in two easy steps.

Step 1: Prepare the cake mix

In a microwave-safe mug, mash the banana and combine with protein powder, oat flour, cocoa powder, sweetener, baking powder and salt. Mix very well. Add the milk and stir until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Before cooking, top your protein mug cake with dark chocolate chips.

Step 2: Cook in the microwave

Place the mug in the microwave and cook on high for approximately 1-2 minutes, or until the cake has risen and is set in the center. Microwaves may vary, so adjust the cooking time accordingly. Carefully remove the mug from the microwave (it will be hot!) and allow it to cool for a minute or two before serving.

Protein mug cake in the oven

If you don’t have or don’t want to use a microwave, you can still make this chocolate mug cake in the oven. Place the batter in an oven-safe ramekin and bake in hot oven at 180°C (350°F) for 12 to 15 minutes.

Recipe tips

Here are a couple of tips that will take your dessert to the next level!

• Don’t skip the banana! Besides adding sweetness, the banana will make your cake soft and fluffy.
• Use vegan protein powder or casein. Avoid whey because it dries when heated.
• Use flavored protein powder. Chocolate or vanilla protein will enhance the taste of your dessert.
• Top with chocolate chips. Before microwaving or baking, top with chocolate chips…they’ll get so gooey!
• Do not overcook. If overcooked, microwave cakes tend to dry. 

More protein desserts

• Low calorie protein brownies
• Protein chocolate cake
• Moist protein banana bread
• Greek yogurt protein brownies
• Protein ice cream
• Greek yogurt protein cheesecake
• Fudgy flourless protein brownies
• Protein chocolate ice cream