Healthy Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Mug Cake

Last modified: January 24, 2023. Originally posted: March 18, 2021 By Sophia DeSantis

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This chocolate mug cake is rich, satisfying and ready in minutes. Mix and cook in the microwave for a healthy dessert your family will love!

Spoon getting a bite of chocolate cake from a cream mug

This post was originally published on February 6, 2017.

If you love chocolate and you need it fast, then this mug cake is for you! It comes together so fast and is moist, very fudgy and just all around delicious.

Mug cakes are mini cakes that are quickly made in your microwave. They're great when you're short on time but still want something decadent to snack on, or if you don't want an entire cake in your kitchen for a week.

Plus, this vegan mug cake is made from only whole food plant based ingredients, so it's healthier than other versions and the store bought mixes!

Ingredients

There is a secret ingredient here that you will probably think is a misprint, tomato paste, but I promise it isn't. It gives a richer flavor to the chocolate. I got this idea from a children's book I used to read to my class many years ago when I was teaching.

The book was about a little girl scared of thunder, so her and her grandma made cake to help her get through her fear. At the end of the story, they included the recipe, which had tomato sauce, and we used to make it to go along with the teaching lesson.

Cocoa powder
Dairy free chocolate chips
Maple syrup
Tomato paste
Dairy free milk
Baking powder
Sea salt

Bowls with ingredients to make a chocolate mug cake

How to Make a Chocolate Mug Cake

This mug cake is a great option for a quick and easy sweet tooth craving because it's so easy! (Plus not a lot of dishes to clean up!) Here's what to do:

Add the dry ingredients into a mug and stir.
Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
Microwave.
Top and enjoy!

Spoon mixing cocoa powder in a cream mug

Top view of chocolate cake batter in a cream mug

Serving suggestions

This healthy chocolate mug cake is fantastic as is, but when you want something a little extra special add toppings!

My favorite is to make it S'more flavor! You'll need:

Mini marshmallows (use the rest of the bag to make my vegan rice krispie treats!)
Crushed graham crackers
Vegan chocolate chips
Non dairy milk
Tomato paste
Salt

Here is how I do it:

Add the marshmallows to the top of the mug cake 90 seconds into microwaving so they can melt.
While the mug cake is resting mix up the chocolate chips, milk, tomato paste, and salt in a separate microwave safe container and heat in 20 second increments, stirring each time until the sauce is smooth.
Top the finished cake with the crushed graham crackers and chocolate sauce and dig in!

Glass jar with a chocolate mug cake topped with marshmallows and grahams

If S'mores aren't your jam, try out these other tasty topping ideas:

Crushed nuts
Sprinkles
Vegan whipped cream
Cream cheese frosting
Fresh fruit
Peanut butter

Tips and tricks

When you're making this easy vegan mug cake, the following suggestions may come in handy:

This recipe results in a deep dark chocolate flavor. To make it sweeter use sweet chocolate chips instead.
Microwaves vary so make sure you do not over cook. The cake is meant to be gooey and chocolaty, not like a firm traditional cake.
Any dairy free milk will work in this recipe, I like to use cashew milk.
Make sure to let the cake rest for a bit before digging in. One, so it's not lava hot; and two, it will firm up a little as it sits.
If you want to make two mini mug cakes at once, you can also divide the batter into two mugs and cook it a little less, start checking at 1 minute.
A microwave safe coffee mug is best to use for this recipe. It should specify on the bottom of your mug if it's safe to use in the microwave or not.

Common Questions

What do I make a mug cake in?

You can really make a mug cake in any microwave safe container, but the best to use is a standard coffee mug. Just make sure that it's safe to use in the microwave, there's usually a label on the bottom.

Is it safe to eat mug cakes?

Yes it is! The only dangers you might encounter with this recipe are burning your tongue from not waiting long enough to eat, or making them too often because they're just so convenient!

Why are mug cakes chewy?

Mug cakes can become chewy for a number of reasons. Overcooking the cakes is the number one culprit, so make sure to watch carefully and not overcook! Some ingredients can also add a chewy texture, but this vegan version avoids that.

How do you make a chocolate mug cake from scratch?

Mix up the ingredients in a mug, microwave, let the lava temp cool down to a palatable one and enjoy! It's that simple!

More Vegan Desserts

Satisfying that sweet tooth can seem like an around the clock job sometimes, so it's nice to have plant-based dessert recipes in your back pocket you can feel good about indulging in. Next time the cravings hit, try one of these other vegan recipes: