Healthy Oat Mug Cake (Oil-Free)

close up of oat flour vegan mug cake in a cute smily face mug.

Healthy Oat Mug Cake (Oil-Free)

Prep Time 4

Cook Time 1

Total Time 5

Servings:1 serving

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

This oatmeal mug cake (or mug muffin) has a fluffy, wholesome, and satisfying texture. It's perfect for a quick breakfast or snack. Allergy-friendly and contains NO dairy, egg, gluten, soy, coconut, or refined sugar. Nut-free option.

Ingredients
US Customary | Metric

Wet ingredients:

1 very full tablespoon smooth nut butter such as almond, cashew, or peanut butter - Sub seed butter if needed.
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk, such as unsweetened almond or oat milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

Dry ingredients:

⅓ cup fine oat flour - tap "metric" above for weight
½ teaspoon pumpkin spice blend or cinnamon
¼ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of sea salt

Instructions

In a standard, 10-ounce, microwave-safe mug (a larger mug is fine, too), combine the nut butter, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir well so that the nut butter is fully incorporated.
In a separate mug, stir together the oat flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin spice or cinnamon. Pour the dry ingredients into the mug with the wet ingredients, and stir until there's no visible dry flour.
Note: this recipe was tested in an 1100 watt microwave.
Microwave ovens vary, so stay nearby and keep an eye on the mug the first time you try the recipe. Begin by microwaving on high power for 50 seconds. Then microwave for another 10 to 20 seconds, depending on how much the cake has risen and whether the center appears firm. In my microwave, this recipe comes out just right with a cook time of 70 seconds. If using a smaller, older, or lower wattage microwave you may need to add more time (do this in 10 to 15 second intervals.)
Let sit 5 minutes, then enjoy! For breakfast it's delicious with plain vegan yogurt and a sprinkle of hemp seeds. Or if enjoying as a dessert, try it with your favorite vegan ice cream, dairy-free whipped cream, and/or maple syrup.

Notes

Top Tips

If you don't have a kitchen scale, I recommend fluffing up the oat flour with a whisk or fork before measuring. Then lightly scoop it up, and level off the excess.

A smooth, glazed ceramic mug works best for mug cake, allowing the cake to rise well, as opposed to a rough or bumpy surface (like pottery or unglazed ceramic).

Baking Instructions

If you prefer not to use a microwave, you can bake the mug cake in a 350 degree oven for around 15 to 18 minutes. Make sure your mug is oven-safe. Test for doneness by lightly pressing the top, which shouldn't be wet, or inserting a toothpick which should come out dry.

And since this is essentially a muffin batter, you can probably bake this the same way you might normally bake oil-free muffins - whether you use a silicone pan or cupcake liners.

*I haven't tested it in a muffin pan yet, but it should bake faster than in a mug. So keep a close eye on it in the last few minutes just to be safe.

Nutrition