Refined Sugar-Free Chocolate Mug Cake

Picture this: you’re sitting on the couch on a random Tuesday evening watching Netflix and unwinding when suddenly, a chocolate craving hits. You scour your kitchen but come up empty handed. You don’t want to run out to the store because it’s late and you’re already in your pajamas. Enter: the microwaveable chocolate mug cake.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve tried probably a dozen different recipes for microwaveable cakes and brownies, and most of them come out rubbery, tasteless, and completely unsatisfying. But I’ve cracked the code for the perfect, gooey, indulgent chocolate mug cake — with no refined sugar, eggs, or lactose, and the option to easily make it vegan. With a short list of pantry ingredients that you’re likely to have on hand, this recipe comes together in under five minutes and seriously satisfies that chocolate craving. I mean come on, just look at this picture — you know you want to take that bite.

The recipe for this sugar-free mug cake starts with a mixture of pure maple syrup, oil, and milk. When I’ve made this recipe, I’ve used either canola oil or vegetable oil, but melted coconut oil should work just as well. For the milk, I tend to use lactose-free whole milk since that’s what I typically have in the fridge. I suspect that any dairy or non-dairy milk would be fine. While I haven’t tried it, the inherent sweetness and creaminess of oat milk would probably work great for this recipe.

Once your wet ingredients are combined, the dry ingredients list is simple: flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt. For the chocolate chips, I’ve found that I can tolerate the small amount of refined sugar in these Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels, which are allergen-free. But if you want a true refined sugar-free chocolate mug cake, I’d recommend Lily’s Dark Chocolate Baking Chips.

Then comes the most important part: the microwave cook time. Small mug cakes overbake very easily, so it’s best to go slow and gradually add more time, if needed. I recommend starting off by microwaving your cake for 30 seconds, then removing it from the microwave to check on the progress. Continuing microwaving in 15-second increments until you reach your desired level of doneness. There is nothing in this cake batter that can’t be eaten raw, so it’s better to leave it underdone than to overdo it. I personally likely a really gooey underbaked center. For my microwave, this is anywhere from 45-60 seconds of total bake time, but all microwaves are different. Keep a close eye on your cake, and prick the center with a fork to test the consistency.

Refined Sugar-Free Chocolate Mug Cake

This gooey chocolate mug cake comes together in under five minutes and has no refined sugar. With just a handful of basic pantry ingredients, this indulgent treat is perfect for a late night chocolate craving.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 4 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 minute min

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 1

Calories 585 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 3 TBSP pure maple syrup
• 2 TBSP oil (canola, coconut, vegetable, etc.)
• 1 TBSP lactose free milk (or other plant milk of choice)
• 3 TBSP all purpose flour
• 2 TBSP cocoa powder
• 1 pinch flaky sea salt
• 1 TBSP dark chocolate chips

Instructions

 

• Combine maple syrup, oil, and milk in a microwave safe mug and stir together with a fork.
• Add flour, cocoa powder, and sea salt. Whisk until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom to ensure that all dry ingredients are fully incoporated into the mixture, which should resemble a thick brownie batter.
• Fold in the chocolate chips, leaving some sprinkled on the top.
• Microwave for 30 seconds, then continue microwaving in 15-second increments until you reach your desired consistency. Be careful not to overbake. I personally enjoy a very underbaked center, which for my microwave is anywhere between 45-60 seconds of total cook time.

Keyword Chocolate, Lactose-free, Maple Syrup, Mug Cake