Nearly every time I walk through a grocery store, I wander around its bakery section to check out the treats. Some of those sections have no more than a single shelf, others occupy the back corner of the supermarket, and a few take up an entire third of the store and offer selections from local gourmet cake or cupcake shops too.
The grocery store closest to my house boasts a fairly large selection of sweets and breakfast treats, so I almost always budget extra time into my shopping trips to stare at all of the goodies. Classic éclairs and fruit-topped cheesecakes, banana nut muffins and warm blueberry bagels, chewy oatmeal raisin cookies and extra fudgy brownies, buttery apple pie and fresh fruit tarts, waffles fried and glazed like donuts…
Usually, I simply look at all of the different desserts to help brainstorm new recipe ideas. But every so often… Something catches my eye and tempts me to stick it in my cart. Those instances are few and far between, but when they do occur, it’s almost always because of something chocolaty.
I’m so predictable!
Last week, a slice of six-layer chocolate cake with the most decadent fudgy chocolate frosting started calling my name as I wandered around the bakery. Somehow, even though all of my self-control and willpower flies straight out the window around that specific dessert, I managed to walk out of the store without the slice… But I made this Single Serving Clean Chocolate Mug Cake as soon as I got home instead!
A much better decision… For both my wallet and my waistline!
To make this healthier mug cake as chocolaty as possible, you’ll use equal parts flour and cocoa powder. The recipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour because it has all of the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour, but it has a lighter and more tender texture closer to that of all-purpose. White whole wheat flour would be a great substitute, and regular whole wheat flour would work in a pinch as well. (For a gluten-free version, see the Notes section beneath the recipe!)
Pure maple syrup sweetens this cake instead of refined sugar, which makes it clean eating friendly. Remember, maple syrup and pancake syrup are two completely different things! The latter is made from corn syrup and granulated sugar, whereas the former contains only one ingredient: pure maple syrup straight from the trees. You’ll only use a little bit, so the cake’s flavor is on the “dark chocolate” side.
Whereas most mug cake recipes call for a tablespoon or two of butter and an egg yolk, this healthier one is the exact opposite! You only need ¼ teaspoon of coconut oil and no eggs. Instead, the majority of the tender texture comes from my favorite ingredient in healthier baking…
Greek yogurt! (I bet you knew that already, right?) It adds the same moisture as extra butter or oil for a fraction of the calories, and it provides a little protein boost too. That’s definitely a win-win in my book!
I have a secret trick to baking the perfect mug cake in the microwave. Reduce the power to just 30%, and microwave it for 2 ½ minutes. “Baking” the mug cake at 30% power better simulates baking in a regular oven because the heat will be lower and more consistent. If you tried zapping it on HIGH instead, the texture would turn out gummier, and the top of the cake would be nearly overdone while the center would be raw. So stick with 30% power!
The best part about this decadent mug cake? You don’t have to share!
| Single Serving Clean Chocolate Mug Cake | | Print |
- 2 tbsp (15g) whole wheat pastry flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 2 tbsp (10g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- ⅛ tsp baking powder
- 1/16 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp (15g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp (15mL) nonfat milk
- 2 ½ tsp pure maple syrup
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- Coat a 1-cup ramekin or small coffee mug with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla.* Gradually stir in the flour mixture about 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until just incorporated.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared ramekin or mug. Microwave on 30% power for 2 minutes 30 seconds (2:30). Let the cake cool for at least 2 minutes before eating.
Whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.
Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.
Honey or agave may be substituted for the maple syrup. If you prefer a sweeter, less dark chocolaty taste, add additional sweetener, and reduce the milk by the same amount.
If the batter is very dry, mix in additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time. The batter should be very stiff and thick, like in the video above the recipe.
If the Greek yogurt and milk are cold, they will immediately re-solidify the melted butter. If this happens, microwave on HIGH for 6-8 seconds or until the butter re-melts; then proceed with the rest of the instructions.
It’s VERY important to microwave the mug cake on 30% power. This is set differently depending on the brand of microwave that you own. If microwaved on HIGH (full power) for a shorter time, the cake will be gummy, and the top may be overdone while the insides stay raw.
Microwave times may vary, depending on the wattage of your microwave oven. I used a 1000-watt microwave.
To bake the mug cake in a regular oven, bake at 350°F until the top feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I haven’t cooked the mug cake this way myself and can’t guarantee how long it will take, but check for doneness after about 10 minutes to start.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie, high protein}
can you use another type of vanilla yougurt if we dont have greek yougurt on hand?
Yes, vanilla yogurt will work in place of the Greek yogurt! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of this mug cake Martha!
Hi, could I use whole wheat flour instead? I don’t have pastry flour and I am craving this too bad! 🙂
Yes, that’s fine! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of this mug cake Ticiana!
Hi, I tried your mug cake twice by following the instructions, but both times it came out very bland and very tough (the second time I tried microwaving for just 1 minute because it seemed overcooked the first time, but was still unpleasant). I’m not sure where I went wrong…
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Rebekah! What brand of cocoa powder did you use, and how did you measure it? Did you make any substitutions or modifications, other than reducing the microwave time? Did you use 30% power? We’ll get this sorted out so your mug cake turns out properly! 🙂
I just tried this tonight when I was suffering from a life threatening chocolate craving (Day 4 of eating clean!) and since I’ve tried a LOT of single serve chocolate cakes/brownies/muffins etc I wasn’t expecting this to be SO MUCH BETTER! OMG! I will definitely be making this again. I made mine in a coffee cup and microwaved it in 30 second intervals, I also didn’t separate my mixtures and did them all together and it still turned out amazing. I will definitely be trying more recipes on your site! Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this mug cake Hayley! That really means a lot to me that you plan on trying other recipes of mine too. What an honor! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you try next! (And I can totally relate to life-threatening chocolate cravings… That basically happens to me if I go more than 24 hours without chocolate! 😉 )
My microwave doesn’t allow me to adjust power, so I experimented some with times at full power and 45 seconds seems to be the sweet spot. It has a bit of lava cake qualities. I am off processed sugar (day #7 of 30) and this definitely felt like cheating! Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this mug cake Jessica! Thanks for letting me know about 45 seconds on full power. I always love to hear what tweaks work! 🙂 Congratulations on your processed-sugar-free month! That’s so inspiring to hear!
I was intrigued by this recipe and then you lost me at microwave. To me nothing “healthy” comes out of the microwave. Not that chocolate cake is Healthy!
Would love to see a version of this recipe that we can bake like muffins in the oven.
Keep the creative juices flowing!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Jennifer! I actually offered a regular oven baking option already in the Notes section underneath the Instructions. It can be easy to miss! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think if you try this mug cake!
Hi Amy, my husband is OBSESSED with this mug cake! I did have to add a touch more milk and it turned out perfectly! It was chocolate heaven. Moist and super delicious! I am going to make this next week when friends come over. Thank you!
YAY!! I’m so glad your husband loves this mug cake Carmelina! And I’m truly honored that you plan on making it again when hosting your friends. That’s the best kind of compliment — I’m honored! Thank you! 🙂
I just tried the recipe and I have to admit that it tastes reaaalllly good! I used 2 tbsp of vanilla soy milk instead of the milk, yoghurt and vanilla extract and I also used sweetened cocoa powder instead of unsweetened since a lot of people were complaining about the sweetness of the mug cake.
All in all, I really like how it turned out and I will definitely make this every time I crave chocolate!
Thank you for your recipe c:
I’m so glad you enjoyed this mug cake Cookie! That means so much to me that you plan on making it again in the future — I’m truly honored! 🙂
Can I use self raising whole meal flour instead
Yes, that should work. I can’t wait to hear what you think of this mug cake Grace! 🙂
Hi Amy,
The mug cake turned out nice and yummy. Will definitely try again. Has another doubt -how much would be the measures of ingredients and for how long should I cook if I have to make a full mug of 250 mls? Thank you
I’m so glad you enjoyed this mug cake, Grace! You could easily double all of the ingredients and microwave it for around 4 minutes instead. 🙂
I followed the instructions and it was awful! Spit it out and threw it out.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Jem! That sounds really disappointing. I’d love to work together to solve the issues that you experienced! Were the issues with the taste or texture? Did you make any substitutions, including those listed in the Notes section underneath the Instructions? What’s the wattage of your microwave, and how long did you cook it? We’ll get this sorted out! 🙂
I used all purpose flour, whole milk, and full fat yogurt. I added an additional teaspoon of maple syrup, and subtracted a teaspoon of milk, but ended up adding an extra teaspoon of milk because it was very dry. I used our 1000w microwave at 30% for 2:30.
My issues were with both taste and texture. It came out like mud… my husband thought I said I’d made a mud cake, because that was what it looked like. Also, it was extremely bitter, and it seemed like the maple syrup was not nearly enough. I typically enjoy dark chocolate more than the next person, but this was extreme.
Thanks for the info, Jem! Did you use Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder, by any chance? The mug cake is supposed to taste similar to 72% dark chocolate. If you prefer a sweeter mug cake, you can entirely replace the milk with maple syrup. That should help with the bitterness! You can also reduce the microwave time by 30 seconds to achieve a less dry texture. 🙂