If you're after a quick and easy healthy sugar-free cake, then you need this low-carb mug cake.
It can be made in the microwave, oven and even your air fryer!
Scroll down and watch the quick cooking video to see how easy these low carb mug cakes really are. I even line up 3 mugs for my children and prepare all 3 at once for a super quick treat after school.
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What are mug cakes?
Mug cakes are a single serving of a traditional cake but are made in the microwave in 1 minute. They can also be made in the oven or air fryer too.
These mug cakes are sugar-free, gluten-free, and lower carb.
If you're feeling peckish, you can have a cake ready and in your tummy in under 5 minutes! Now, what's not to love about that idea? And with only 5.1g net carbs, they're sure to become a staple treat when a cake emergency arises.
Instructions
The recipe shown is for 1 large coffee cup size mug cake. If you prefer, you may divide the low carb mug cake mixture between 2 smaller cups but ensure you reduce the cooking time from 1 minute to 40-50 seconds. Cooking time will depend on YOUR microwave.
3 ways to cook
1: Microwave
These low carb mug cakes are cooked in the microwave, and so because all of our microwaves are completely different, it may take a little experimentation to get the cooking time just right (so please don't come running back to me if yours was over/undercooked, I won't reply because I'll be busy eating mine 😉 ).
If you know your microwave is powerful, reduce the cooking time by a little and test the center. You can always add another 10 seconds or so but there is nothing worse than an overcooked, dry, and rubbery mug cake.
Do I need a microwave?
No, you can also cook mug cakes in the oven or in your air fryer. If you use the oven, you will have to choose a heat-proof small baking dish, large muffin tray, or ramekin.
2: Oven
Make the mug cake batter as shown in the recipe card then bake at 180C/250F for 15 minutes. Or until the center is cooked.
3: Air fryer
To cook mug cakes in the air fryer you need to find a small baking dish or ramekin to fit inside your air fryer. There must be at least 1 inch on all sides to allow the heat to circulate evenly.
- Preheat your air fryer to 180C/350F.
- Place the butter in your small baking dish and heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until completely melted.
- Make the mug cake following the recipe card below.
- Gently lower your baking dish onto the air fryer wire rack. Ensure there is plenty of space between the ramekin dish and the side of the basket.
- Cook for 10 minutes, depending on the size of your air fryer and the size of your ramekin or small baking dish.
Serving
Serve your cooked chocolate mug cake with full-fat cream and low sugar berries for a real treat.
For adults only, you might like to pour a little brandy over them or add brandy to the whipped cream for a grown-up indulgence.
Low-carb baking guides
If you are new here, you may want to print a copy of the cooking conversion charts. You'll discover kitchen conversions for metric/imperial, tablespoon to ml, temperatures, and even international ingredient names. So no more guessing what a recipe needs.
Once you discover how easy it is to use low-carb flour such as almond flour and coconut flour, you can make delicious and healthy cookies, cakes, and even pies that are all sugar-free, gluten-free and tasty.
📖 Recipe
Low Carb Mug Cake (Air Fryer)
Please rate this recipe
Recipe Video
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter melted
- 4 tablespoon almond meal/flour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (unsweetened) unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon granulated sweetener of choice or more, to your taste
- 1 eggs - medium
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Melt the butter in the mug in the microwave (or preheated air fryer).
- Add the almonds, cocoa and sweetener. Mix well.
- Add the egg and all other ingredients. Mix well.
- Cook in the microwave (see notes above) on HIGH for 1.5 minutes or until cooked in the centre.
- Serve with whipped cream and berries.
Notes
- For a grown up indulgence, add some brandy to the whipped cream or pour a little over the cooked mug cake.
- You can add cacao nibs for a little crunch.
- Each mug cake is quite large, so even try putting half the mixture into another mug and make 2 small ones and cook for 40-50 seconds depending on your microwave.
Approximate nutrition information is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. For the most accurate nutritional data, use the actual ingredients and brands you used in your preferred nutrition calculator.
Have you seen my other low carb, sugar free, wheat free, gluten free cakes? All LCHF, Banting, HFLC and whole-food friendly.
- Chocolate swirl baked cheesecake - NEW cooking video just added
- Lemon cupcakes - for bite sized portion control
- Almond and orange flourless cake - see why I don't even bother peeling the orange!
- Chocolate Heaven Cake - the most downloaded cake on Ditch The Carbs (NEW video just added)
- Keto blueberry cheesecake squares - read why I serve these upside down
- Lemon cheesecake - no baking required, perfect for summer
DEBRA S COOPER
These are just the best ... top with a little homemade whipped cream and it is so tasty. Very easy to make too
Diane Mentalewicz
Absolutely worst low carb mug cake ever. Very dry, not sweet, just terrible. I tried putting whipped cream in it but it did not help. I have another mug cake recipe that I like and thought I would try a different one. Tried it and will go back to my moist, sweet mug cake that has less calories and carbs.
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
I'm so sorry to read this, it sounds like it may have been microwaved for too long (always adjust cooking times to reflect the power of your microwave) and if it wasn't sweet enough, always add more sweetener "to your taste". We are all on different parts of our sugar-free journey, so if you are just starting out, you may require additional sweetener, to begin with, but as time passes, and the longer you are sugar-free, the amount you require will diminish considerably. Try these mug cakes again, they really are amazing, soft, sweet and fluffy.
GypsyChick
I am concerned that this is meant to be moist but uses 4Tbs almond flour and 1 Tbsp coconut flour which seems a lot for a mug cake. No wonder it's dry
Libby Jenkinson
It also has butter and an egg. It works. Try it 🙂
Glynis
I made this last night and realised half way through that it was in US measurements so my Aussie Tbsp were going to make it too dry. To compensate I left out the coconut flour. Why oh why don't people use the weights (mls) instead of/as well as the volumes? The USA is the only western country still using Imperial and yet they rarely consider the rest of the world when they write their recipes.
Libby Jenkinson
For most recipes here I offer both metric and imperial. I am in NZ and use weight more than cups, as you say, it's more accurate BUT so many have grown up only using cups and tbsp so would be turned away from a recipe that only states grams. We are a lovely international community here, yay.
Kareena Pink
I add up the carbs for what i put in i forgot the coconut flour n i got 4.9g carbs
And 7.2g with coconut flour in it
Hows this ?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
It all depends on what brand you are using, which app you are using, many of them are completely unreliable because they have "user added" entres. Plus the complexity of where your brands are produced because US/UK/NZ/AUS carb values differ. Some show total carbs, others show net carbs. I use cronometer.com which used national database and is completely accurate. My nutritional panels are provided as a guide. If strict blood glucose control is required, always calculate yours using an accurate method with the actual brands you use. Hope that helps 🙂
Kareena
I made this i only had half to cut the carbs was in a rush to do and i forgot missed the coconut flour but was still great x
Gina D.
Came out excellent! Used aluminum free baking powder, fine almond four not meal, added a touch of heavy cream and bit more Lankanto. So good! This is dangerous!
Carol Jester
Almond flour again!! Anyone out there who has recipe books WITHOUT almond flour, I will subscribe to your posts, and buy your books. I am getting tired of seeing recipes that look good, then finding out they use almond flour, which promotes inflammation, and gives me a belly ache.
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Have you seen my entire collection of coconut flour recipes? You can see them all here. They are either made with coconut flour or they have a conversion for you - yay!
Tracy
This is horrible. I made zero substitution. Not worth the calories, threw most of it away. Sorry☹️
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Wow, what went wrong?? This is such a popular recipe 🙂 LEt's see if we can figure it out.
Kat
Can you explain how the calorie count is so high per muffin given the list of healthy ingredients ? No way 530 cal is correct.
Susi
What can I substitute for coconut flour? Unfortunately none in the shops here.