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Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowWhat do you do when you need a healthy dessert, like NOW? Make this low carb keto chocolate mug cake recipe! This easy keto mug cake (seriously, it takes 2 minutes!) will save the day to satisfy all of your chocolate cravings. It’s rich and chocolaty and moist… and it’s made with nutritious ingredients, so you can even start your day off with it as a chocolate keto breakfast. Plus, I love that it’s a single serving – great for portion control!
Of course, if a chocolate mug cake isn’t your thing, I hope you’ll at least try my other keto mug cake recipes. Protein mug cake and vanilla mug cake are popular alternatives, and there’s also an angel food mug cake in The Easy Keto Cookbook.
If you’re a chocolate lover like me, though, you have to try this version. It’s one of my favorite keto recipes and will really hit the spot for that chocolate fix.
Why You’ll Love This Keto Mug Cake Recipe
- Sweet, chocolaty taste
- Rich and moist cake texture
- Quick and easy to make
- Sugar-free, gluten-free, and grain-free, with dairy-free and paleo options
- Just 4 grams net carbs in a large serving
- Healthy treat ready in less than 5 minutes
What Is Mug Cake?
Mug cake is a single-serve cake made in a mug. It’s traditionally cooked in the microwave for a healthy dessert that’s ready in minutes, but you can also bake it in the oven if you like.
When making a keto mug cake, the keys to the best texture and moisture are the right flour and sweetener. I use Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour because it has a super fine consistency, for a delicate crumb, and Besti Monk Fruit Sweetener because the allulose in this blend makes for super moist cakes.
(Besti also works the same way in larger cakes and other keto desserts— try it in my keto chocolate cake, sugar free dessert, or keto birthday cake!)
Get Besti For This Recipe Get Almond Flour For This Recipe
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for low carb chocolate mug cake, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Salted Butter – Personally, I prefer grass-fed butter for the best flavor, if that works for you, but dairy-free options are listed below. If all you have is unsalted butter, you can use that and just add a pinch of salt.
- Unsweetened Baking Chocolate – This makes for a more moist keto mug cake than using cocoa powder. We are adding sweetener separately, so make sure this is 100% unsweetened baker’s chocolate, not a sweetened sugar-free chocolate.
- Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour – The main flour I use in almost all my keto baked goods, because it produces such a great texture. Don’t use almond meal or coconut flour, it won’t turn out. If you need substitution options, see below.
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – Besti is my favorite natural sugar substitute! The original version of this recipe used erythritol, but the monk fruit allulose blend makes a far superior, super moist mug cake. Paleo followers may prefer to use coconut sugar for the sweetener.
- Baking Powder – Make sure it’s fresh so that your cake rises well, and if it’s important to you, double check that it’s gluten-free.
- Egg – You’ll need one whole, large egg.
- Vanilla extract – Optional, but highly recommended for the best flavor.
Unlike many other chocolate mug cake recipes, this one has no milk. Don’t worry — it’s not dry at all! The butter and chocolate in there keep it ultra moist. In fact, it’s probably the moistest keto mug cake I’ve ever had.
Substitution Options
If you have dietary restrictions beyond just keto, you can make these substitutions as needed:
- Dairy Free – If you need the keto chocolate mug cake to be completely dairy-free, you can replace the butter with ghee or coconut oil. When you substitute one of these, just add a pinch of salt to compensate for the salted butter.
- Egg Free – Replace the egg with a flax egg or other egg substitute.
- Nut Free – Don’t replace the almond flour with coconut flour, as the batter would be way too dry. If you need a nut-free option, you can substitute sunflower seed flour for the almond flour, though almond flour does produce a better flavor and texture.
How To Make Keto Mug Cake
This section shows how to make keto chocolate mug cake, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
The original recipe for keto mug cake uses the microwave, making it ultra fast to prepare. If you prefer the oven, no problem! We’ll cover both ways, and you can decide:
Microwave Method:
- Melt the butter and chocolate. You can make your keto chocolate cake in a mug or in a ramekin, and melt the butter and chocolate right in there.
- Mix up the batter. Stir in almond flour, Besti, baking powder, egg, and vanilla with a spoon or fork.
TIP: Be sure to mix well.
I mix in the same mug for convenience, but if you want to be extra sure, you could whisk the dry ingredients separately first in a small bowl, and then add to the mug.
- Cook. Microwave the mug cake for 60-75 seconds, until just firm. See below for topping ideas!
TIP: This last step is really the only “trick” to the recipe.
As long as you don’t overcook your low carb chocolate mug cake, it won’t be dry! You want it to be spring-y, but not dry.
Oven Method:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Melt the butter and chocolate. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a double boiler.
- Mix up the batter. Stir in the almond flour, Besti, baking powder, egg, and vanilla.
- Bake mug cakes. Transfer batter into ramekins and bake for about 15 minutes.
TIP: Make sure your ramekins are a lot bigger than the volume of the batter (about double the size), because the cake will rise as it’s baking.
You’ll need either a large 12-oz ramekin or two small 6-oz ramekins.
Toppings For The Best Keto Mug Cake
It’s delicious on its own, but even better with toppings! For the ultimate keto mug cake, top it with:
- Keto Whipped Cream – Make it with or without sweetener.
- Melted Chocolate – The batter for the keto mug cake uses unsweetened baking chocolate, but for topping I recommend sugar-free chocolate chips, which are sweetened.
- Chopped Nuts – Any kind of keto nuts will work, such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds. You can also stir them into the batter.
- Keto Vanilla Ice Cream – My favorite topping!
- Peanut Butter Drizzle – Microwave some peanut butter with a bit of coconut oil, then drizzle over the cake.
- Berries – Chopped strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries are all keto friendly.
Storage Instructions
- Store: If you find yourself with some extra low carb chocolate mug cake (I don’t know how this would happen!), you can store it at room temperature for a day, or in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can store these keto mug cakes right in the mugs if you like, by just covering with plastic wrap. It’s really best fresh, though.
- Reheat: It’s fine to eat the mug cake cold or at room temperature, but if you want to heat it, you can microwave it again. It can help to spread a thin layer of butter on top before reheating, to prevent drying out.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the freezer. Let it thaw in the fridge and then re-heat in the microwave or oven until just warm.
I don’t recommend making the mug cake batter ahead of time. The melted butter and chocolate will solidify as they cool, and the baking powder will lose its effectiveness if it sits with the wet ingredients for too long without cooking.
More Keto Mug Cake Recipes
If you like this chocolate keto mug cake, try these variations of other mug cakes:
- Keto Vanilla Mug Cake
- Keto Lava Cake – Not an actual mug cake, but still a quick single-serve dessert.
- Mug Flax Seed Muffin
- Angel Food Cake Mug Cake – Find it in The Easy Keto Cookbook!
Tools I Use For This Recipe
- Double Walled Insulated Mug Set – I love using clear mugs for my keto mug cake!
- Measuring Spoons – One of my favorite sets! These fit into spice jars, too.
- Easy Whipped Cream Dispenser – If you want a faster way to make keto whipped cream to top your mug cake (one that will actually keep well in the fridge!), this dispenser will make it and store it in the same vessel, without chemicals.
Low Carb Keto Chocolate Mug Cake Recipe
Keto Mug Cake (Chocolate, Sweet & Moist!)
Make an easy keto mug cake recipe in just 2 minutes, with 6 ingredients + 4g net carbs! It's rich, moist, chocolaty, sweet, and gluten-free.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Microwave Instructions
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Melt the butter and chocolate together in a mug or large 12 oz (355 mL) ramekin in the microwave (about 45-60 seconds, stirring halfway through). Be careful not to burn it. Make sure the ramekin is at least double the volume of the ingredients, because the mug cake will rise.
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Add the almond flour, sweetener, baking powder, egg, and vanilla (if using). Stir everything well until completely mixed together.
- Microwave for about 60-75 seconds, until just firm. (Don’t overcook, or it will be dry.)
- Serve with whipped cream (or coconut whipped cream for paleo), and/or drizzle with more melted chocolate stirred with sweetener.
Oven Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
- Melt the butter and chocolate together in a double boiler on the stove. Be careful not to burn it. Remove from heat.
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Add the almond flour, sweetener, baking powder, egg, and vanilla (if using). Stir everything well until completely mixed together.
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Transfer the batter to a large 12 oz (355 mL) oven-safe ramekin (or two smaller 6 oz (178 mL) ones). Make sure the ramekins are at least double the volume of the ingredients, because the cake will rise. Bake for about 15 minutes, until just firm.
- Serve with whipped cream (or coconut whipped cream for paleo), and/or drizzle with more melted chocolate stirred with sweetener.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 mug cake (entire recipe)
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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236 Comments
Margo
0National Fruit Compote Day. Husband wanted fruit compote. Did he plan what to use it on, nope. Dinner is done so I ask him what’s this supposed to go with? Keto Chocolate Mug Cake [again, first time I have made mug cake]. Turned out wonderfully [and now I know what size my mugs are!] and was a perfect complement to the mixed berries fruit compote.
karin
0I really appreciate that you offer alternatives to microwaving for those of us who don’t like to use one. That is super helpful and considerate.
Collene
0I was so delighted to make this for my sister who has sworn off bread and sugar- and she loved it! (I did too!) She was pleased that it wasn’t grainy and the texture was light, as well as being filling.
I used Whole Earth Allulose Baking Blend and Bob’s Red Mill super fine almond flour. Oh, and I used 2 squares of 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate because it seemed a hassle to break a square in half evenly and thought…having a bit more of chocolate would only be a good thing, right?!
Stephanie
0How many squares of chocolate do u use for 3/4 oz?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Stephanie, I recommend weighing your chocolate to get the correct amount.
Afee
0Not keto, not health conscious, just looking for a good chocolate cake fix and this was so good!!
I used regular sugar and semi sweet chocolate chips(what I had on hand) and it turned out so fluffy and such a large portion I couldn’t finish it all
Notes for next time: some of my chocolate settled at the bottom, and I did 60 seconds but next time I’ll do 50 (and work my way up as required) to keep it a bit more moist and fudgey
Paired it with a single serve cream cheese frosting recipe and it was amazing!! Thank you!
Sharla Lamken
0Loved it! And fast and easy!
Lisa S
0“We are having technical difficulties…” Oh, my goodness! This is DELICIOUS. I was experiencing a true ‘chocolate-craving-emergency’ tonight and did not want to stray from my keto eating pattern. I knew I would find something quick and delicious when I came here. Alas, I am not as good of a cook as I would wish to be, and I do not have the ideal equipment. My ‘mugs’ are rather short and fat soup-bowl style mugs rather than the tall/deep mugs shown in the picture. I had to cook these in the microwave in 10-15 second increments, and even then I had some spill-over mess. (That I had to wipe off the side of the mug and eat, of course, so it wouldn’t be messy …) At each interval, I had to ‘tap’ the sides of my mug so the rising batter would ‘fall’ a bit again so I could do another 10-15 seconds. I made my whipped cream before I did the mug cakes so it would be cold and ready. By the time two cakes were ready (for husband and myself), I was already ‘over’ my chocolate emergency (see aforementioned batter-saving sampling) and so I could not actually finish my cake, even though it was a single-serving mug. The chocolate flavor is rich and satisfying and just absolutely perfect. Quick, easy and delicious. Crisis averted!
Win
0I live in Australia and Besti products are not available here.
Allulose is also not approved for sale in Australia.
I read somewhere that the Coles Supermarket has a sweetener that is 99.5% Erythritol and 0.5% Monk Fruit Extract. How does that compare with the breakdown for Besti Monk Fruit and Allulose? Would that be suitable to use in your recipes as a replacement?
Apparently Woolworths has Lakanto Monk Fruit and Erythritol but I can’t find out online, the break down.
I have Natvia, which is powdered Stevia, could I use that… or maybe a mix of Erythritol and Stevia?
I would really appreciate your advice.
Thanks
Win
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Win, Besti is not available in Australia yet — you can sign up here to be notified when it’s available in your country. In the meantime, check the keto sweeteners guide for alternatives.
Rachel
0I was skeptical as every mug cake I’ve made in the past was mediocre. This one is awesome. Super easy to make and you couldn’t tell it was keto if you didn’t know the recipe. I’ll be making this one again and sharing this recipe for sure!! 🥰
Cynthia Needham
0I had a serious craving for some chocolate last night. Remembered seeing Maya’s recipe for Chocolate Mug Cake and scooted into the kitchen, followed the recipe, put a dollop of Cool Whip on it and the craving was more than satisfied. Very decadent and easy to make. Thank you, Maya. Kept me from rummaging through the frig. and pantry and finding nothing that I wanted.
Geri Reti
0This was so good! I made one recipe, divided in 2 smaller ramekins. It was plenty for a dessert with whipped cream! My husband liked it too!
Whitney
0This was so yummy and filling! I couldn’t even eat the whole thing. Absolutely delish with whipped cream on top 😍
Wendy
0This was delicious! I think the unsweetened chocolate gives it an edge over other mug cake recipes.
April
0This was so good! I added a handful of chocolate chips to the batter, it was amazing.
Courtney
0Loved it! The consistency and flavor was SO good! Making again for sure!
Jenny
0This is the best mug cake I’ve tasted so far. It is extremely filling!
Ronni
0So easy, and tasty. I used a couple of squares of really good extra dark chocolate instead of the unsweetened, then cut out the sweetener. Not sweet, but just right for me, put a dollop of homemade pumpkin butter on top, yum. Great recipe!!
Christal
0This is an awesome recipe I added extra sugar free chocolate chips and cocoa instead of unsweetened baking chocolate and cut back on sweetener to 3/4 Tbsp making it again for sure. Yummo!!!
Elizabeth
0This recipe is very easy and good.
Kathy Barnhill
0Just fixed this recipe. It was amazing. Got thumbs up from my husband!
AngieStella
0Loved it, quick, easy and so yummy
Cheryl
0Perfection! Because of a nut allergy I used sunflower seed flour. I also did not have any baking chocolate so I read on another website that for 1 oz of baking chocolate you can mix 3 Tbl of cocoa and 1 Tbl of butter into a paste. I used about 3/4 of it in this recipe. It came out moist and delicious!! I will definitely make again. Thank you Maya!!
Cinthia Meza Reyes
0So delicious!!!!
Sarah
0yummy and super easy to make. I used the Natvia brand of monk fruit sweetener and noshu chocolate baking chips. I did add some chocolate chips on top of the batter before I put it in the microwave. It’s nearly like a self sauce pudding. Mine was lite moist and had a bit of sauce in the bottom of the mug. Yum
Amiryssa Helland
0I have made this a few times now and it never fails to impress me! I am not keto but i am low carb due to pregnancy and this mug cake has been a God send! The latest that i made I added peanut butter to the middle and it is amazing! Peanut butter lava cake, Im not 100% sure if pb is keto but if you have one you can use add it! So good! I do follow the recipe exactly except i add a little more butter and coco chips because i tend to like it a little more moist and that makes cleaning the mug so much easier!
Lissa
0Terrific recipe as usual. I had to make a couple of tweaks based on what I had on-hand. I used 1tbsp cocoa powder, 1tbsp coconut flour and 2tbsp of straight-up allulose. Even with this, the cake was amazingly moist and tender. Maya’s recipes never fail to impress.
Sonja
0This mug cake was fabulous!!! (I used Earth Balance and erythritol rather than butter and monk fruit.). Thank you so much for helping me satisfy my sweet tooth. ❤️
Angie Mortimer
0Can I use cocoa powder if I don’t have unsweetened baking chocolate?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Angie, Sorry, cocoa powder would make this recipe too dry.
J
0Another poster said they mixed it with melted butter and it worked well. They said they used 3 Tablespoons cocoa and 1 Tablespoon of butter and mixed it into a paste before they added it. It was Cheryl’s post on August 2021, if that’s any help. 😀
Kerri
0Followed the recipe and it was delicious! Used Lily baking milk chocolate chips (keto friendly) and monk fruit for the sweetener. Much better than other chocolate mug cakes that I have had that have weird aftertaste
Tony
0I tried the chocolate version (obviously) and it was amazing! Very indulgent and one of the best recipes I’ve ever tried. I used 85% Lindt chocolate (not for baking) which melted well with the butter and “cooked” it for exactly 60secs in a 800w microwave to perfection! I didn’t have any cream: which is a shame, although perhaps excessive for my breakfast muffin alternative! It was a little sweet for my (British) tastebuds, so I’ll halve the sweetener next time. I’m looking forward to trying the peanut one next! Thank you very much.
Yolanda
0Awesome. Was craving chocolate. Ideal desert share, will make this again. Hubby loved it as well
Ava
0Can you use coco powder instead of chocolate?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Ava, Sorry this recipe needs bakers chocolate to work.
Glad
0Do you think I can use unsweetened cacao powder in place of the bakers chocolate? Thanks.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Glad, Sorry, these ingredients are not interchangeable. Your mug cake would likely turn out very dry using cocoa powder.
Melissa
0Omg!!! Just made this for myself and my 11 year old diabetic son. Added a spoonful of peanut butter to the center of the batter before baking and a scoop of whip cream on top after. I’m loving it and he just yelled out “omg this is so good!!” Kid tested and mom approved:)
Vlatka
0Delicious recipe, quick and very satisfying. Love your webpage, so much useful information and great recipes! Best wishes from Croatia.
Michelle
0Really satisfying. I added a pinch more sweetener. It really satisfied desire for chocolate cake. Making one serving at a time reduces the urge to overindulge. And speed at making it was a big plus. I don’t like baking or cooking.
Payme
0This looks like a very delicious recipe, one that I definitely will try. My only “constructive criticism” is that your suggestions of equipment .. fancy cream maker and double-walled mugs .. are expensive and never will be on the shopping list of people who can’t afford them. I would appreciate seeing some affordable alternatives that have been tested to work. example .. a straight-sided wide-mouth mason jar for the “mug” and a hand blender for the whipping cream. Of course, we, your readers, can figure these things out, but I, for one, find it somewhat offensive that the assumption appears to be that everyone can afford the fancy items. It’s hard enough to put food on the table, and keto-specific ingredients are spendy. The recipes can be made without the fancies. You include alternative ingredients to change up flavours so it would be reasonable to include alternative equipment that will do the job at an affordable price. Thank you P.S. Its perfectly fine if you don’t publish this comment … I didn’t know how else to message you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I share the equipment that I personally use, and the price points vary. This is a mug cake, you can use any mug you like. Hope you enjoy the recipe.
Gina
0I made this twice this week. The first time was for my birthday – I wanted chocolate cake as part of my celebration, but I didn’t want to “fall off the keto wagon” in the process. I made it late in the evening, and enjoyed it immensely, especially because it took so little time to make it. I made it again tonight and it was every bit as good – moist, tasty and just ther right amount of chocolate. Yummy!
Gina
0I absolutley loved this mug cake! I made it for my birthday, and did not even need the whipped cream! My first mug cake, and boy did it knock it out of the park!
KATHY
0Yum Yum Yum!!! Soo good! 🙂
Gloria
0Hi! Is there a way to make this less chocolate intense? Can I cut back on the chocolate to maybe 1/2 ounce? Should I then increase the butter a bit? Thanks!
P.S. I am loving all your recipes!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Gloria, Yes that would work just fine!
Kathy
0The best cake I’ve tasted so far. I used 2 tbs of hot cocoa and 1 1/2 tbs of swerve granular. I added small slices of cream cheese on the cake mix before I put them in the microwave. Super delicious! Thank you for this chocolate cake recipe!
Kathy
0I meant 2 tbs of cocoa powder not hot cocoa. Lol!
Tammy
0Perfect dessert loved it!
Betsy
0I’m a diabetic who has to watch my saturated fats, so I tweaked this recipe a bit. I used 2T of dark chocolate cocoa powder and substituted avocado oil for the butter. And since there’s no butter, I added a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors. Can I just say I am in LOVE with this cake. It’s going to be my new favorite!
Janet
0FOR REAL!!!! I cant believe how good this was…how fast and so so chocolately without the bitter taste of unsweetened chocolate!!! OH MY!!!!
Stacey
0Love this!! Just made it tonight and it was perfect!! I used Lilly’s semi sweet baking chips since it was what I had and didn’t add any additional sweetener. 60 seconds did it and came out awesome. Thank you!!
Julie
0This was so easy and so amazingly good!! I added a few lily’s white chocolate chips once it was cooked and still hot, they melted on top and just added to this delicious treat. This without a doubt will be my new go to desert. This is a desert that makes you really feel like you’re not missing a thing, because you’re not!
Thank you so much for sharing this chocolaty delight. 🙂
bren037
0I just made this tonight and all I can say is OMG! I did not have any unsweetened baking chocolate so I used unsweetened cocoa powder instead. I added a little coconut oil just to be sure it wouldn’t be too dry and I was not disappointed. So flavorful and perfect. Just the dessert I needed! Once again Maya you have produced a tasty and easy recipe to follow. Thank you.
Anne
0This recipe is just great. It taste like regular cake to me and I don’t feel that I am missing out anything.
Beth Harrison
0This is a very tasty dessert. It is tender, and has just the right amount of chocolate flavor. Low carb ice cream served with enabled my husband, and I to share.
Shannon Green
0This was great! Thanks so much for this recipe. It is a keeper.