Healthy Pumpkin Mug Cake is a healthy and nutritious fall treat that is perfect for breakfast, snack or a quick single-serving dessert when you have zero time. Made with canned pumpkin, almond butter and almond flour, it is high in protein and delicious.
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Pumpkin mug space recipe
What do you do when it’s already sweater weather, the days are shorter, the leaves are turning and you are craving a nourishing warm treat but don’t feel like baking a batch of pumpkin muffins or pumpkin bread? You make a Pumpkin Mug Cake!
It takes literally a couple minutes and all you will need to clean is one mug and one spoon. As long as you have a microwave at your house, you can have an indulgent fall treat made super fast.
Then, all you need is to light up that pumpkin spice or apple cider candle, wrap yourself in a soft blanket and embrace all the fall feels while digging into the pumpkin chocolate goodness straight from the mug.
I played with this recipe to make it grain-free, dairy-free, paleo and high in protein. The final cake is all of those things but more importantly, it is soft, moist, gooey and absolutely delicious. Oh, and the amount of chocolate chips in the recipe is just a suggestion. Use however much chocolate the day calls for.
Ingredient notes
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Canned Pumpkin Puree: make sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
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Almond Butter: creamy, all-natural almond butter provides healthy fat and protein in this mug cake.
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Almond Flour: for extra nutrition and to make this little cake paleo-friendly. I get mine at Sam’s Club.
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Maple Syrup: use 100% pure maple syrup.
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Egg: use free range, organic egg if possible. Since one whole egg is quite a lot for a single-serving cake, I recommend using a smaller egg to avoid overly eggy flavor.
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Baking Powder: to help the cake rise.
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Pumpkin Pie Spice: it’s a blend of spices traditionally used in a pumpkin pie, typically made with ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cloves. Look for it in the spice aisle at your grocery store or on Amazon.
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Cinnamon: for the ultimate fall flavor.
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Vanilla: use vanilla bean paste (my favorite) or pure vanilla extract.
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Salt: to round up the flavors.
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Chocolate Chips: dark chocolate chips will work best. For a paleo recipe, use dairy-free chocolate chips such as Enjoy Life.
How to make pumpkin cake in a mug
You will need one mug, one spoon and a microwave oven. Here is the best thing about mug cakes – they take no time to make and there is virtually no cleanup.
- STEP 1: Mix all wet ingredients in a mug. No need to spray it with oil. If your almond butter is on a thick side, make sure to stir vigorously so the mixture is smooth and has no clumps.
- STEP 2: Add dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated. Don’t overmix.
- STEP 3: Stir in most chocolate chips leaving some for the top.
- STEP 4: Decorate the top with the remaining chocolate chips and microwave on high for 90 seconds to 3 minutes.
Note: Cooking time will depend on the strength of your microwave and the kind of mug you’re using. Start by microwaving for 90 seconds, then check for doneness with a toothpick. If it comes out mostly clean, your mug cake is ready. If not, keep microwaving at 10-20 second intervals until the top look done and the toothpick comes out clean.
- STEP 5: Let the cake cool for at least 5 minutes before digging in.
Serving suggestions
I like to serve my healthy pumpkin mug cake warm with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Other topping suggestions include a dollop of Greek or coconut yogurt and/or a drizzle of your favorite nut butter.
Recipe tips
- Don’t overfill the mug. I know you’re tempted to for that satisfying overflowing top. If you fill your mug to about ⅔, the egg and baking powder will do the job. However, if you fill it to the top, it may explode and create A LOT of mess in your microwave.
- Don’t overmix the batter. All the ingredients should be incorporated to form smooth batter but don’t go overboard or the cake may turn dense and tough.
- Don’t overbake. I recommend starting with 90 seconds of microwaving. Add more time if needed but in small increments until the mug cake is just right. Use a toothpick to check. You can also use the finger method: touch the top gently – if it feels a bit sticky, it’s done. If it doesn’t stick at all, you probably overcooked it.
- Enjoy immediately. This one is key. Microwaved cakes are super hot when they first come out so give it a couple minutes to cool (and make yourself a cup of tea) but don’t let it go cold. After about 10 minutes, it will start turning dense and the texture won’t be right. It’s really best warm!
Recipe FAQs
What is the texture of this mug cake?
Mug cakes are soft, sticky, gooey and satisfying. It’s definitely different than “regular” cake but I still consider it cake, just warm and super soft. If you’ve ever had a steamed English pudding, that would be the closest texture I can think of. In fact, when you nuke batter in the microwave, you are actually steaming it, not baking.
Can I make it without eggs?
Egg or no egg in mug cakes is definitely a matter of personal preference. Some people like the super fudgy texture of an eggless mug cake and find the egg to be too overpowering. Personally, eggless mug cakes are not my favorite unless it’s something like a mug brownie which is NOT supposed to be cakey. If you’re allergic to eggs or vegan, I recommend using egg replacer instead.
Recipe
Healthy Pumpkin Mug Cake (Paleo, Gluten-Free, No Oil)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons almond flour
- 1 egg preferably a small one
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons of dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place canned pumpkin, almond butter, maple syrup, egg and vanilla in a mug and stir with a spoon until well mixed.
- Add almond flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder and salt and stir until combined.
- Stir in most of the chocolate chips and decorate the top with the rest.
- Microwave on high until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Start with 90 seconds. If it needs more time, microwave longer, in 10-20 second increments checking with a toothpick after each increment until just right. It should be slightly sticky to touch but not raw.
Notes
Nutrition
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Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
Angela says
Delicious! I love mug cake recipes. So easy to make a single serving dessert.
AISilva says
Thanks for this great recipe!
Tyanne says
So perfect for this time of year!
Brianna says
Super easy and tasty! Perfect for those late night sweet cravings.
Addie says
Such a cute and fun dessert!
Luca says
This was so good! A great recipe and easy to make!
Jamie says
So easy to make and delicious!
Chef Dennis says
Absolutely delicious! My wife loved this.
Natalie says
That was super delicious. Lovely easy dessert. Thanks!
Ramona says
Great recipe for this season. Will make it again.
Amanda Dixon says
This mug cake was delicious! It was so full of pumpkin spice flavor and perfect for fall.
Alexandra says
This is such a delicious sweet treat!
Megan Ellam says
I dont know why I never thought of a pumpkin mug cake
Agnieszka says
Time to change that now, Megan 🙂
Oscar says
This recipe looks so good. Can’t wait to try it.
Rob says
Delicious, quick and easy!
Addie says
Such a great little dessert!
Amy says
This was delicious! Love that it was a no oil recipe.
Brianna says
Just the thing when I need a healthy treat!
Heather says
Should the almond flour be tightly packed?
Agnieszka says
Hi Heather. To answer your question: no.