Mocha Mug Cake (keto, low carb)

A low carb, keto microwave mocha mug cake recipe for an easy keto dessert made in less than two minutes all in one mug. 

This is part of a guest contributor series that showcases recipes from others. This recipe comes from Katie Scrine of Katie and Keto.

“I’d love to do keto, but I could never give up chocolate.” It’s a phrase I hear said wistfully by a lot of friends and people in my social circle who are interested in, but hesitant of, trying the keto way of life.

Let’s address it here and now, with this recipe serving as a piece of gooey, rich, chocolatey evidence: You don’t have to give up the foods you love on keto, you just have to adjust them and look at them in different, creative ways.

Just because you can’t visit the bakery any more, doesn’t mean you can’t become your own personal ketogenic baker!

Chocolate cake can be on the menu of any ketogenic dieter. The enemies of a strict carb count in a regular chocolate cake are the flour and the sugar. We’ve simply substituted those for more low-carb-friendly options in Stevia and almond/coconut flour, and instantly we have a chocolate cake that tastes as good as any sugar-packed version, but with only a handful of net carbs per cake!

Microwave mug cakes have become an obsession of mine lately. There’s a couple of reasons for this. First and foremost, they’re easy and super quick. You can go from craving to eating in less than five minutes, which is always a bonus when the chockie-monster comes calling from the kitchen in the middle of an episode of Teen Mom or The Bachelor. You can literally make a mug cake in a commercial break, if you hurry!

Secondly, you can do most of your cooking in the mug itself, so there’s none of the usual post-baking-blues of a sink full of sticky baking tins, bowls, and so forth. One cup, one stirring utensil, a couple of measuring spoons, and you’re set.

Most importantly for those of us trying to lose pounds and keep in control of our cravings, though, mug cakes are a single-serving, easy-to-control portion size. Just because chocolate cake can be keto friendly, doesn’t mean that eating too much of it is going to do you any favors. And that’s why mug cakes reign supreme: they fill the craving hole and don’t leave you the option to keep picking, and “just one more slice-ing” your way towards a ruined day, week, or even a completely derailed diet. With a mug cake you measure very small quantities of food into a small serving size that can be easily calculated to fit your macros. You can even adjust the quantities in the recipe, so long as you keep the ratios the same, in order to make yourself a bigger or smaller mug cake that fits your macros better.

In case you can’t tell, mug cakes are my jam right now. Without any further waffling, here’s a recipe I’ve been working on lately that is dark and broody.  All those who fear strong coffee and dark chocolate, turn away now! This one packs a bitter-yet-slightly-sweet punch and a caffeine pick-me-up that will pep you up at the same time as making you feel like putting your comfy pants on. Like all mug cakes, it’s simple and focuses on small quantities of a few key ingredients.

Keto Micrwave Mocha Mug Cake Macros

Butter – 204 calories, 30 g fat, 0 carbs
Cocoa – 24 calories, 2 g fat, 2 g protein, 4g carbs, 4 g fiber (0g net carbs)
Stevia – 2-3g carbs (depending on whether you choose ½ or 1 full tablespoon)
Almond Flour – 90 calories, 8g fat, 4g protein, 3g carbs, 2g fiber (1g net carbs)
Baking powder – NA
Black coffee – NA
1 Egg – 72 calories, 5 g fat, 6 g protein, 0 carbs
Coconut Flour – 10 calories, 1 g carbs, 1g fiber (0g net carbs)
Vanilla – Only trace amounts of macros.
Salt – Only trace amounts of macros.
Calories – 390 calories
Fat – 43 g Fat
Net Carbs – 3-4g
Total Carbs – 10-11g
Protein – 12 g protein

Here’s how to make Keto Microwave Mocha Mug Cake.