Vegan Chocolate Protein Mug Cake
Made with pantry ingredients, this vegan chocolate protein mug cake comes together in just 5 minutes! Each serving packs 13g of plant-based protein.
Why would you want protein in your mug cake?! It sounds weird, I know. But anyone who has been on a fitness or weight loss journey has likely heard of how important adequate protein intake is for building and maintaining muscle which in turn boosts your metabolism and helps you burn more fat.
The beauty of this recipe is that it allows you to have your cake and eat it too. It’s moist, chocolatey, lightly sweet and can be a part of a well balanced diet that prioritizes protein intake. I like to serve it with a small scoop of melty vanilla ice cream for ultimate chocolate protein mug cake bliss.
Vegan Chocolate Protein Mug Cake Ingredients
- Protein Powder- This recipe was developed using unflavored protein powder as I wanted you to be able to replace it with flour if you don’t have/want protein powder. That said, you can use vanilla protein powder but I’m not sure how it would be with chocolate as we’re already using quite a bit of cocoa powder.
- Cocoa Powder- Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder unless you don’t mind the added sugar. Cacao powder would also work but it is much more bitter and will require more sweetener to offset the bitterness.
- Baking Soda- Just a small pinch of baking soda helps the mug cake rise to perfection.
- Sea Salt- I always have to have salt to balance out the sweet in my desserts but you can leave it out if you’re sensitive to salty flavors.
- Water or Milk- Soy milk is my go-to for the protein boost but water or any kind of milk will work the same.
- Pure Maple Syrup- Maple syrup is the main sweetener in this recipe so don’t leave it out! You can also substitute honey or agave nectar. If you want to use honey I would suggest adding to the melted coconut oil first (when it is still warm) so that it incorporates evenly. Otherwise honey is thick and will be difficult to stir in.
- Melted Coconut Oil- I haven’t tested this with other oils but my suspicion is that melted vegan butter would work best in it’s place.
- Vanilla Extract- Not entirely necessary but definitely worth including for the best flavor.
- Dark Chocolate Chips- Enjoy Life makes my favorite dairy-free chocolate chips.
What if I don’t have protein powder?
No problem! You can substitute the protein powder for equal amounts of oat flour. I’ve found adding another teaspoon of coconut oil is ideal when using oat flour as it tends to be a little on the dry side compared to the protein powder.
What if I don’t have a microwave?
You can bake it in the oven instead! It tends not to rise as much but otherwise the results are the same. I list both options in the recipe below.
Looking for more high-protein meal and snack ideas?
- Vegan Protein Energy Bites
- Fudgy Sweet Potato Protein Brownies
- White Bean Alfredo Sauce
- The Best Tempeh Chili
- Easy Tofu Tacos
- Oatmeal Cookie Protein Energy Bites
Vegan Chocolate Protein Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons plain unsweetened protein powder
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt, *you may want to omit if protein powder is salty
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons water or milk, I like soy milk
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a small (7oz) ramekin or coffee cup, combine protein powder, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until evenly combined.
- To the ramekin, pour in the melted and cooled coconut oil, milk or water, pure maple syrup, and chocolate chips. Stir until a thick batter forms. Make sure you are scraping the sides to get any residual powder.
- Transfer to the microwave and cook for 1-minute on high. Alternatively, you can bake it in the oven at 350°F for 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, and enjoy!
Oooh, I used to make protein mug cakes all the time and I haven’t in so long… You’re totally making me want to start making them again. It’s the perfect way to have a single serving treat you can feel good about!
Pingback: Easy Protein Granola (gluten-free + dairy-free) - Making Thyme for Health
What is the point of the coconut oil, and can something like yogurt or apple sauce replace it? And will it still turn out okay if I take out the maple syrup and use monk fruit/vanilla extract instead? I’m not sure if the maple syrup holds it together or not.
I think with your substitutes it would make for a drier/mushier texture. It will likely still turn out ok but the texture will definitely be different. Hard to say for sure without testing it that way myself.