Make a Healthier Vanilla Mug Cake in Less Than 10 Minutes

Here are a few things that are true about the minute mug cake mix you’ll find at Starbucks: It’s a yummy single-serving dessert. It’s easy to make. And it’s a mini-celebration in a mug. But look at the label on the bag, and you’ll see this confetti-sprinkled dessert contains a whopping 29 grams of sugar. That’s more than seven teaspoons! Buzzkill, right?
In the spirit of improving on a good thing — like we did with our healthier take on the yummy Starbucks lemon loaf — we created this vanilla mug cake recipe. It’s filled with simple, healthy ingredients and just a touch of maple syrup for sweetness.
If you want to keep this recipe Sugar Free 3-friendly, just leave out the maple syrup. With 13 grams of protein per serving, it’s a quick and easy snack idea. (You know, just in case you don’t want to sip an Openfit Plant-Based Nutrition Shake for every single snack.)
The only equipment you’ll need to make this delightfully easy vanilla mug cake recipe is a food processor or blender, a microwave, and a mug. (If you don’t have a microwave, an ovenproof mug or ramekin will work too.) Let’s get this party started.
Find healthy sugar-free dessert recipes with Openfit Nutrition. Sign up for Openfit for free today.

Vanilla Mug Cake
Filled with simple, healthy ingredients and just a touch of maple syrup for sweetness, this is perfect dessert or sweet snack.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. dry rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp. coconut flour
- 1 tsp. chia seeds
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- ¼ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 2 tsp. maple syrup
- ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
- nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
-
Place oats in blender or food processor; cover. Pulse on high until fine like flour.
-
Add coconut flour, chia seeds, and baking powder; cover. Pulse on high to combine.
-
Add egg, apple sauce, almond milk, maple syrup, and extract; cover. Pulse on high to combine.
-
Lightly coat medium mug with spray; pour mixture into mug.
-
Microwave on high for 2 minutes, or until fluffy; serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
The Nutrition Facts box below provides estimated nutritional information for this recipe.
- If you don’t have a microwave, you can bake in a preheated oven at 350° F for 20 minutes.
What Makes This Mug Cake Healthier?
No empty calories or party crashers here — each carefully considered ingredient is there to amp up the nutritional value. Instead of plain flour, our version has rolled oats, coconut flour, and chia seeds for texture and flavor. Oats are a versatile ingredient filled with soluble fiber and protein that keep you full longer. Coconut flour provides fiber, and chia seeds are one of the richest plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
The egg gives this mug cake a fluffier texture, while the mix of unsweetened vanilla almond milk and vanilla extract give it a rich flavor and naturally sweet aroma. In other words, your kitchen will smell like bakery-fresh goodness — and best of all, you’ll only have to wait two minutes for this sweet treat to cook in the microwave. Get ready to have your cake and eat it, too.
Photography by Anguel Dimov, AB Creative