Want to whip up a single serving of homemade gluten-free green tea flavored cake in just minutes? This paleo matcha mug cake is a delicious emerald-hued sponge cake that you can bake in your microwave or toaster oven!
I love that I can whisk together a few simple pantry ingredients, pour the batter into a coffee mug, and pop it in the microwave for less than two minutes, and end up with a fantastic bouncy green tea flavored sponge cake.
This matcha mug cake definitely hits the spot when you need a quick treat that’s not overly sweet! In fact, these snack cakes are very reminiscent of the paper-wrapped sponge cakes my mom used bring home from Chinese bakeries when I was a kid.
What’s the best matcha for mug cakes?
I love matcha—a finely milled Japanese green tea powder—and I love to mix it up and drink it hot or cold, or make desserts with it. However, there are lots of different brands and grades of matcha on the market and picking the right one can be a daunting.
My favorite brand is Breakaway Matcha (not a sponsor, but you can save moola on your order with the code nomnompaleo) and I normally buy the cold brew or culinary reserve to make mug cakes, cheesecake, pudding, or iced matcha lattes. Higher quality matcha gives your drinks and desserts a vibrant green hue and less bitter notes!
No microwave?
No problem! You can pour the batter into an oven-safe 6-ounce ramekin and bake it in a 350°F oven or toaster oven for 18-20 minutes or a 325°F air fryer for 13-15 minutes. The tiny single serve cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. The resulting cake will not rise as high as the microwave version and the texture will be more dense and moist. Although it will take ten times as long to finish cooking, the mug cake will be worth the wait!
What other mug cakes flavors can you can make?
Not a matcha fan or don’t have any on hand? You can make a vanilla or chocolate mug cake by following step-by-step instructions shown below, and using the following ingredients instead:
For a vanilla mug cake:
- 3 tablespoons (21g) blanched almond flour
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or melted ghee
- 1½ tablespoon maple syrup or 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
For a chocolate mug cake:
- 3 tablespoons (21 g) blanched almond flour
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or melted ghee
- 1½ tablespoon maple syrup or 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Can you make this nut-free?
Yes! You can substitute the almond flour with cassava flour in a 1:1 ratio and the cakes puff up similarly in the microwave. However, the crumb texture won’t be as tender with cassava flour and it can be a tad gritty. Still, the cassava flour version is delightful if you’re craving a nut-free paleo dessert pronto.
What about other ingredient substitutions?
As I mentioned in Easy Cinnamon Rolls in a Muffin Pan recipe, baking is a science that requires precise measurements, so if I haven’t specifically mentioned a potential substitution, it’s because I don’t know if it will work.
For example, I have no idea if this recipe will work if you substitute the egg with applesauce or a flax egg or if you choose to use another nut flour or sweetener. If you make a substitution and find success, please share your results in the comments so others can benefit from your knowledge!
Time to make Paleo Matcha Mug Cakes!
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons (21 grams) blanched almond flour
- 1 teaspoon matcha
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1½ tablespoons maple syrup or 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or melted ghee
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon whipped coconut cream (optional)
Equipment:
All of my recommended kitchen tools are listed here. For this recipe, I used these 6-ounce microwave-safe coffee mugs.
Method:
In a measuring cup, add the almond flour, matcha, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until uniform.
Add the maple syrup, avocado oil, vanilla extract, and egg and whisk the batter until smooth.
Pour the batter into a microwave-safe mug (6- to 8-ounce size is optimal)…
…place the mug in the center of your microwave (it will rise more evenly in that spot), and cook on high power for 1-2 minutes. (I have a 900 watt microwave and my mug cakes are done in 90 seconds. Adjust the cooking time depending on the strength of your microwave—decrease the time if you have a higher wattage microwave and increase it if you have a less powerful microwave.)
The paleo matcha mug cake is finished cooking when it puffs up and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool for a few minutes and top with whipped coconut cream, if desired.
Polish off your paleo matcha mug cake right away!
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Matcha Mug Cake (Paleo, Gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons finely ground almond flour or cassava flour
- 1 teaspoon matcha
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1½ tablespoons maple syrup or 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or melted ghee
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon whipped coconut cream optional
Instructions
- In a measuring cup, add the almond flour, matcha, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until uniform.
- Add the maple syrup, avocado oil, vanilla extract, and egg and whisk the batter until smooth.
- Pour the batter into a microwave-safe mug (6- to 8-ounce size is optimal), place the mug in the center of your microwave (it will rise more evenly in that spot), and cook on high power for 1-2 minutes. The paleo matcha mug cake is finished cooking when it puffs up and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.(I have a 900 watt microwave and my mug cakes are done in 90 seconds. Adjust the cooking time depending on the strength of your microwave—decrease the time if you have a higher wattage microwave and increase it if you have a less powerful microwave.)
- Let the cake cool for a few minutes and top with whipped coconut cream, if desired.
Video
Notes
- 3 tablespoons (21g) blanched almond flour
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or melted ghee
- 1½ tablespoon maple syrup or 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons (21 g) blanched almond flour
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or melted ghee
- 1½ tablespoon maple syrup or 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Nutrition
