Want to whip up a single serving of homemade gluten-free green tea flavored cake in just minutes? This paleo and keto-friendly 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 or 2 tablespoons allulose (for keto)
- 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 or 2 tablespoons allulose (for keto)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Need even more flavors? I have a pumpkin mug cake and a black sesame mug cake, too!
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.
Can you make a keto mug cake?
Yes! I finally found a zero calorie sweetener that tastes good (no aftertaste!) and has no glycemic impact: allulose. Dr. Peter Attia has a great primer on how to use allulose in place of sugar in this post. For these mug cakes, you can use 2 tablespoons of liquid allulose in place of the maple syrup or honey—allulose is about 70% as sweet as sugar so you do need to add a little more. Granulated allulose works as well, but the cake comes out a little drier. Also, allulose does make the cakes a little darker but that’s only a minor difference I noted. (I’ve added the nutrition facts for the mug cake made with allulose in the NOTES section of the printable recipe card below.)
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 or 2 tablespoons allulose (for keto-friendly version)
- 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 (or sweetener of choice), 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), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Matcha Mug Cake (Paleo, Gluten-free, Keto-friendly)
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 or 2 tablespoons allulose (keto-friendly)
- 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 or sweetener of choice, 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 or 2 tablespoons allulose (for ket0)
- 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 or 2 tablespoons allulose (for ket0)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Kate says
Yum! I made the chocolate version with almond flour and it worked perfectly and was really tasty. Now I’m thinking about extra flavors I could add). I’ll have to try matcha next. Thanks!
nomnompaleo says
Yahoo!
Iris says
Just made the matcha mug cake for a midday snack today, and this is so satisfyingly quick and tasty! If I’d known that microwave cakes could have such great texture (reminds me of the eggy sponge cakes from Chinatown), I would have used this cooking hack earlier. Thanks for sharing!
Stephanie says
Love this! Does fine grain sea salt substitute one for one for the kosher salt? I made it this morning and it was a tad salty, but still delicious!
Andrea says
Wow! Made the chocolate version as written, plus a tiny bit of instant coffee to enhance the chocolate flavor. It was absolutely delicious in both taste and texture. Will definitely be making this again, thanks for the recipe!
Kat says
A dash of cinnamon would be tasty too.
Kristin Morales says
Hi, I just tried this and I LOVED IT! Mine didn’t come out looking as appetizing as yours. I cooked it for 1 min 30 seconds and it IMMEDIATELY collapsed as soon as the heat stopped. Then it was pretty dense, it too didn’t look as light an fluffy as yours.
I think I’m going to pulse the almond flour a few times next time but do you have any other tips that might turn out a little better?
Thank you SO MUCH for this delicious treat!
Roxanne Lee Tornyi says
We made the vanilla version last night and it was really so simple and so yummy. Going to order some nice matcha for this recipe. This is definitely going into the “regular” circulation of things to make for the family. My daughter fully agreed that it was delicious and topped hers with vanilla ice cream.
Elle says
Can I substitute instant coffee for the matcha? Trying to cut the fat.
nomnompaleo says
I don’t think there’s fat in matcha. You can try it with instant coffee but I’ve never used it.
Julia Khan says
Love this! I made matcha version and followed recipe to the t and it came out perfectly! Wish I had patience to whip coconut cream but I had to just dive in! Best thing ever.
Jenny says
Holly buckets this was sooooo good and quick!!! Any suggestions for reducing sugar without screwing it up??
Love that in our house when my husband says “where’s ya find this delicious recipe” I just say “nom nom.” As always, thank you Michelle!
Margaret Chang says
Oh my goodness, this is so good! What a wonder the almond can do! So light and spongy! Thank you for this great recipe! I am not on paleo but love to follow you because your recipes are easy, practical and delicious!
missy b. says
Subbing the maple syrup for Lakinato Maple would make this keto!
M says
These look amazing! Do I have to use liquid sweetener or could I use a powder like coconut or maple sugar?
JD says
I made this except I used oat flour and didn’t add the salt. It taste fine but smells like ammmonia. I’m so sad! Would the almond flour and the salt make a difference? I’m wondering why it smells like that and I’m hoping to try to make it again!
Sof says
I made the recipe exactly and it also smelled like ammonia. I don’t understand why. It was fine otherwise but I basically couldn’t breathe in.
Michelle Tam says
Oh no! I haven’t had that happen to me, but some folks have reported a weird smell if the baking soda isn’t mixed in well and activated by the maple syrup. That’s why I recommend mixing the batter vigorously before microwaving it. You can also add a smidge of apple cider vinegar as well.
stella5310 says
This was delicious!! What a nice treat after dinner. Super easy to make, just the right amount of sweetness, great texture. I made the matcha version, but it actually tasted a little chocolatey. It was probably the powder I used. Can’t wait to try it with some kind of paleo ice cream.
Kris says
Made this with melted coconut oil, ended up tasting like pandan, magical lil cake, thank you!
Amy B says
Loved this!! Our microwave is 1000w. I tried different times, and 75 seconds worked perfectly! Also, I put warmed mixed frozen berries with a little maple syrup on top of the vanilla.. My fav! Thanks for the recipe!
Rachel says
Since I’m not on a paleo diet and don’t have almond flour at home I subbed it in with all-purpose flour. End-result still tastes great, you just have to add some milk or else it comes out dry.
Thank you for the recipe!
Debra says
I don’t know what I did wrong, but this cake (vanilla) smelled *really* bad, and had the texture of a salty egg =(
Amy says
I made the matcha and it came out great, and the vanilla, not quite as good.
Mary says
Love this recipe! I have made it with both almond flour and cassava flour. The cassava batter comes out really, really
thick and the cake is really dense. Not sure what to do to make it better. Any suggestions?
Michelle Tam says
Not sure! I prefer it with almond flour because the texture is better.
Amy Mandel-Burington says
I make the vanilla one for my daughter (11 yo) and she loves it. I think it’s a pretty solid breakfast, lots of protein (an egg, almond flour) . I use the honey and it takes a little over 2 minutes in my microwave. I love the matcha but I don’t really eat cake even if it’s paleo. Fun little recipe. I made it for her friends too once and they liked it also.
Janet Carmichael says
The matcha version is absolutely delicious. And, I didn’t even make it right. I put all the ingredients together, opened the fridge and realized I was out of eggs. I googled egg replacement and decided on applesauce. Well, your cake will not rise with appleauce but honestly, that was ok since it was semi firm and tasted more like cake batter – I mean, what’s not to love.
I was looking for a nice dessert after dinner and this will be my Go-to!
Love the offer of flavor variations.
Katie O. says
This is going to get me into trouble with how fast and easy it is! The texture was better than I expected and I love how my 10 year old can make her own right beside me.
Diana says
Can you substitute with coconut flour?
Michelle Tam says
I haven’t tried it! You will definitely need to decrease the amount of coconut flour compared with almond flour, though.
Sam Scott says
I just made the vanilla variation and it was delicious!! I added some dairy free chocolate chips and they melted perfectly in the cake. Great small sweet treat!
Lisa says
This was fast, delicious and perfect for a healthy sweet craving. It reminded me of the sponge cakes my mom used to buy at the dim sum bakeries. Thank you for always inspiring to eat healthier without sacrificing the taste.
Julie Hutchinson says
Fantastic recipe! Made the vanilla one and also a spiced apple that turned our really well! Just add half a grated apple and a quarter tsp spice instead odd matcha. Thanks so much!
Tanya says
Leave out the baking soda, better texture 🙂
VSM says
Guess I’m coming late to the game, but…I used your chocolate version I found in your new Let’s Go! cookbook (Love it!), and it was exactly what I needed for a sweet treat tonight. My husband shared it with me, and he started talking about all the varieties we could make.**He is an ‘Eat-anything-I-want-sugar-and- all, skinny dude’ that loves your recipes too! Thanks!
Shanna says
Could the batter be made ahead and stored for a few hours before cooking?
Michelle Tam says
I wouldn’t make it ahead of time. You can mix the dry ingredients ahead of time and add the wet ingredients right before you cook the mug cake.
Jessica says
This is the best mug cake I’ve found! Cooks up well and tastes perfect.
Melissa says
Hi! Do you know if a flax egg would work as an egg substitute?
Regina Chan says
Michelle mentions in the post she doesn’t know if flax egg or another egg substitute would work. If you try it, please post your findings in the comments!