Protein Powder Mug Cake (16g Protein, No Sugar, No Eggs)

This 90-second Single-serve Chocolate Protein Powder Mug Cake recipe is the best post-workout breakfast or snack with 16 grams of protein per serving and only 160 calories.

Bonus, this is also a vegan mug cake made without eggs or dairy.

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I love making quick and easy snacks that help me boost my protein. Having more protein after a workout makes me feel better and it’s proven to be an important part of muscle recovery (source). I often make my Strawberry Protein Balls or Low Calorie Protein Balls and if I planned things ahead (not my forte though), I make my Overnight Oats with Protein Powder.

This protein powder mug cake is what I make when I want one of these recovery snacks, but I’d rather have something warm. It’s a protein powder alternative to my Protein Mug Cake.

What’s A Protein Powder Mug Cake?

A Protein Powder Mug Cake is a single-serving cake made in under 5 minutes using a microwave. It’s loaded with protein powder to make a great post-workout snack.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make a delicious mug cake with protein powder, the main important thing is to use a protein powder that you already know and enjoy its flavor!

All you need for this chocolate protein powder mug cake are:

• Plant-based Vanilla Protein Powder – you can use vanilla, coconut, or chocolate flavor. This is up to your taste but plant-based, pea protein powder provides the best cake texture. We didn’t try the recipe with animal-based protein powders, like whey protein powder which usually requires more liquid to achieve the same baking texture.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Crystal sweetener – to keep this recipe low in calories and sugar but still satisfying to your sweet tooth, we recommend using sugar-free crystal sweeteners like erythritol. But coconut sugar or table sugar would also work just fine. Avoid liquid sweeteners like maple syrup. They make protein powder mug cakes very dense and chewy.
• Oat flour – Oats are another great source of plant-based protein in your vegan mug cake, and you can make homemade oat flour in a minute. Other options for a keto mug cake are to use keto flour, like 1 tablespoon of coconut flour instead of the 3 tablespoons of oat flour.
• Almond milk or any non-dairy milk you have at home like oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk.
• Baking powder

Choice of Protein Powder

I tested this recipe with plant-based protein powder only, including:

• Pea protein powder
• Almond protein powder
• Peanut protein powder

The texture of the mug cake differs based on the protein powder you use, as some are more liquid absorbent than others. So when cooking with protein powder, whether you are making this vegan mug cake or my protein overnight oats recipe, always adjust the recipe if you use a different kind of protein powder.

You only need 6 ingredients to make this protein powder mug cake recipe, and the key to success is to measure your ingredients with regular measuring spoons. We don’t recommend using the scoop provided with your protein powder because they all have different volumes and result in inaccurate measurements.

How To Make Mug Cake With Protein Powder

A mug cake with protein powder is a single-serve protein cake baked in the microwave for 90 seconds. It’s a quick and healthy way to fix a cake craving in the morning after a workout or in the afternoon.

1. In a microwave-safe tall mug of at least 250 ml (1 cup) volume, stir all the dry ingredients until well combined and no lumps of protein powder show (photo 1).
2. Stir in the almond milk until the batter is smooth, slightly thick, but still liquid, like a chocolate cake batter (photo 2). Note that if you are using coconut flour, the batter will be extremely thick and packed. You can stir chocolate chips in the batter at this time if desired.
3. Microwave in the center of the microwave at 900W for 90 seconds or stop after the cake rises in the mug (photo 3).
4. Keep microwaving by extra 10-second bursts until the center is set, not gooey or liquid. Wait 30 seconds or so before eating as the mug cake is very hot.
5. Sprinkle dark chocolate chips on top if you like (photo 4). They melt on top of the hot cake in the mug and taste delicious.

Serving Ideas

This mug cake recipe is delicious plain or topped with:

• Extra chocolate chips.
• Drizzle nut butter like peanut butter or almond butter.
• Chopped nuts
• Unsweetened whipped coconut cream for a dessert-like snack.
• Ice cream

Allergy Swaps

This protein powder mug cake recipe is naturally:

• Dairy-free
• Egg-free
• Sugar-free

But if you have other dietary requirements, I listed some options below:

1. Keto Protein Powder Mug Cake Option: Use your favorite keto protein powder, use 1 tablespoon of coconut flour instead of oat flour, and erythritol as a sweetener.
2. Gluten-free option: Swap oat flour for certified gluten-free oat flour or use 1 tablespoon of coconut flour.
3. Cocoa Allergy: You can skip the unsweetened cocoa powder and make a vanilla protein powder mug cake with this recipe. Add 1 tablespoon of extra oat flour to the recipe to replace the cocoa powder and use vanilla protein powder.

Oven-Baking Protein Powder Mug Cake

If you don’t have a microwave, you can bake this mug cake in a lightly greased oven-proof ramekin for 12 to 18 minutes at 350°F (180°C).

Keep in mind that protein cakes baked in the oven tend to be denser and packed but still delicious.

Step-By-Step Recipe Video

You can follow my detailed video to learn how to make this mug cake.

More High-Protein Recipes

I love creating high-protein recipes to fuel up. Below, I listed more easy healthy high-protein recipes for you to try:

Overnight Oats with Protein Powder

Protein Cookie Dough

Buckwheat Porridge

Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies

More Mug Cake Recipes

If you like mug cakes, you’ll love these:

Healthy Mug Cake

Oatmeal Mug Cake

Gooey Chocolate Mug Cake

Matcha Mug Cake

Protein Powder Mug Cake

An easy chocolate Protein Powder mug cake with no eggs or dairy, 100% vegan for a protein-loaded snack or breakfast.

4.94 from 33 votes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 minute min

Total Time: 6 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1 mug cake

Calories: 159.8 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 3 tablespoons Oat Flour - note 1
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Protein Powder - note 2
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons Crystal Sweetener of Choice - note 3
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - note 4
• ▢ ¼ cup Unsweetened Almond Milk - note 5
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Chips - optional

Instructions

• In a microwave-safe coffee mug (minimum size 1 cup/250ml), whisk together the dry ingredients: oat flour, protein powder, sweetener, cocoa powder, and baking powder.
• Whisk in almond milk until a batter forms and stir the vegan dark chocolate chips if desired, or keep the batter plain.
• Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top if desired.
• Microwave on high power (800W) for about 90 seconds or stop the microwave 10 seconds after you see the cake rising to its maximum height. Remove from the microwave carefully, it is hot, and check the texture. It should be moist and soft and the top should deflate. If it is not cooked to your liking after that time, return to the microwave and cook again by 10-second bursts until done – no more than 90 seconds in total. Note that the longer you microwave the mug cake, the denser it will be.
• Serve the Protein Mug Cake immediately.

Baking option

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Grease an oven-proof ramekin with oil, add the cake batter and bake for 12-18 minutes until cooked through.
• Serve immediately with toppings of your choice.

Notes

Note 1: You can replace oat flour with the same amount of or all-purpose flour. For a keto protein mug cake, use 1 tablespoon of coconut flour to replace oat flour, the batter will be very thick, and the mug cake will be denser.

Note 2: This recipe has been tested with pea protein powder and almond protein powder. Results will vary with other types of protein powder.

Note 3: All crystal sweeteners work, including sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar, or sugar-free allulose/erythritol for a keto option.

Note 4: If you use sweetened cocoa powder, the batter won’t set as fast in the microwave (microwave for an additional 10-20 seconds), and you won’t need the added sweetener in the recipe.

Note 5: Any non-dairy milk can be used in the recipe, including packaged coconut milk, soy milk, oat milk.

Baking: You can bake this mug cake at 350°F (180°C)for about 12-18 minutes in an oven-proof ramekin until set in the center.

Equipment

Measuring Cups and Spoons

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Nutrition

Serving: 1mug cake | Calories: 159.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.2g | Protein: 14.9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.1g | Sodium: 447.9mg | Potassium: 114.4mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 0.3g | Calcium: 216.5mg | Iron: 4.3mg | Magnesium: 42.9mg | Phosphorus: 160.2mg | Zinc: 0.9mg