Satisfy your craving in just 2 minutes with this Funfetti Protein Mug Cake! This gluten-free microwave dessert is light, moist, and packed with 11 grams of protein, making it an easy way to enjoy a treat while still working toward your goals. Perfect for when you want something sweet without the wait.
"I had this for a mid-afternoon snack and it was perfect. I needed something healthy and this did the trick. So good!" - Gina
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 2 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 1
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 143 kcals and 11 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Gluten-free baking flour, collagen powder, sugar, vanilla, and dairy-free yogurt.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free and gluten-free.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Quick and fluffy but ready in minutes, and makes the perfect high-protein dessert when cravings hit fast.
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Making dessert doesn’t get much easier than this collagen mug cake. As a busy mom, I love having quick desserts like this on hand when a craving hits, especially when they still bring a bit of fuel to the table, and I don't have to share, just like this single-serve, high-protein banana bread.
Mug cakes have been a favorite quick dessert for years, but adding collagen gives them a protein boost without making them heavy. Just like this apple mug cake, this birthday cake-flavored version is a tasty way to indulge while sneaking in a little extra protein. If you're trying to bump up your intake without overthinking meals, learn more about the benefits of a high-protein diet and why you might want to amp it up!
💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: This gluten-free protein mug cake is made with basic pantry staples and is baked in the microwave, making it come together in just 2 minutes.
No sharing: Since mug cakes tend to be single serve, this means you can hoard it all for yourself!
Texture: This collagen mug cake has a fluffy cake texture thanks to both the gluten-free flour and collagen powder. You wouldn't even realize it was protein-packed if you didn't know!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Gluten-Free Baking Flour: Use 1:1 baking flour as that’s what holds the cake together in this recipe and this carrot mug cake, too.
- Collagen powder: One of the purest sources of protein and a great way to bump up your intake, especially in protein mug cake recipes! Learn more about the differences between protein powder and collagen.
- Dairy-free yogurt: Any non-dairy yogurt will work in the mug cake recipe. I personally use a dairy-free Greek yogurt. I haven’t tried regular yogurt, but I can't imagine why it wouldn't work (and bump up the protein).
- Milk: We use homemade hemp milk the most, but almond milk works just as well. You only need a dash to lighten up the batter.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Add-ins: In place of Funfetti sprinkles, you could add in chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or even some M&Ms if that's your thing (you can add them to dairy-free protein cookie dough, too!). Know that heavier things will sink to the bottom, though, so add them just before microwaving.
Drizzle: To make this into a total dessert, drizzle some coconut milk caramel sauce or dairy-free chocolate glaze on top.
Chocolate: Make this into a chocolate mug cake by adding some raw cacao powder to the mix. To do this, remove about 1 tablespoon of the flour and use cacao instead. Or, just make this chocolate protein powder mug cake if you want that flavor switch-up.
Expert Tips
The gluten-free protein mug cake does rise and deflate. It stays super light, but it will deflate a bit (unlike this protein chocolate chip mug cake that stays fluffed up).
Having a high-quality collagen powder is important so that the birthday mug cake tastes good (and not gritty). I use Perfect Supplements for this as they're super transparent about their products. If you try it, code mamabear10 saves you money. Learn more about what collagen powder is.
Any size mug works for this recipe, but knowing that it deflates a little bit I would use a normal or smaller mug so that you're not digging down. A ramekin works well, too!
Want a more traditional dessert? Top it with Whole30 whipped cream for extra indulgence or whip up a dairy-free birthday cake for the real thing.
Choosing the best protein: I haven't tried this collagen mug cake recipe with protein powder. I think it would work well with whey protein or Paleo Pro, but it won't work with vegan protein powder or some beef proteins that create a sticky texture. Vegan proteins absorb too much liquid, and the cake would come out dry. Most beef isolate protein powders (which is what I have switched to for health reasons) would make a delicious mug cake, but not a fluffy one.
Funfetti Protein Mug Cake FAQs
Yes! Collagen powder is a great way to bump up the protein content of baked goods. That said, it doesn’t bind as regular flour does, so it cannot be substituted for regular flour in this protein mug cake recipe.
Making a protein mug cake is super simple. All you need to do is whisk together the ingredients in a microwave-safe mug and heat for 60-90 seconds until cooked through.
Mug cakes, especially protein mug cakes, are best eaten fresh. If stored in the fridge, they can become rubbery or hard.
The size of the mug will alter the cooking time slightly. If your mug is wide and short, the mug cake will cook faster than if it is taller. If your mug cake seems undercooked, pop it back into the microwave and cook in 5-10 second increments until your desired texture is achieved.
Other Easy Protein Dessert Recipes
If you tried this Funfetti Protein Mug Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
High Protein Funfetti Mug Cake (gluten-free)
Video
Equipment
- 1 Regular sized mug
Ingredients
- 2.5 tbs 1:1 gluten-free baking flour
- 1.5 tbs collagen powder
- 1 tbs dairy-free yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ tbs sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1.5 tbs unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a regular mug.
- Mix well until no clumps remain (especially the collagen!)
- Microwave for 75-90 seconds. Let cool and enjoy.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Gina Abernathy says
I had this for a mid afternoon snack and it was perfect. I needed something healthy and this did the trick. So good!
fitasamamabear says
So glad to hear it! it's a tasty one when you're a cake lover and need it FAST lol
fitasamamabear says
So happy to hear it!
Michelle Kadera says
Okay this is adorable! I cannot wait to make this for my kiddos. Healthy, delicious, and wholesome! My type of sweet treat! Thanks for sharing!
fitasamamabear says
It's honestly so great, my kids were crazy excited!
GRETA says
This was delicious. I looking for more vegan protein desserts nowadays and thus was just perfect. Thank you!
fitasamamabear says
Amazing to hear!
Liz says
I've been trying to eat more high protein snacks in the afternoon and this has been my go-to! I love the flavor!
fitasamamabear says
Happy to help, glad you enjoy it!
Addison says
This mug cake was the best little dessert! I love the added protein too. Yum!
fitasamamabear says
Wahoo! Yes the protein is a nice addition 🙂
Brooke says
This was so good and so easy! The perfect, guilt free sweet treat I needed and SUPER FAST! Thanks!!
fitasamamabear says
Super fast is crucial lol
Elizabeth S says
This was an easy and delicious treat... definitely will be making again.
fitasamamabear says
Happy you enjoyed it! Cake is always a nice addition to the day lol