A pumpkin protein mug cake is the quick fix you need this fall to indulge your favorite pumpkin spice craving. Ready in just 2 minutes and packed with warm pumpkin spice flavor and 18 grams of protein, it’s soft, gooey, and the perfect way to indulge your sweet tooth and fuel your goals.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 2 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 1
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 228 kcals and 18 grams of protein
- 📋 Main Ingredients: Pumpkin puree, maple syrup, collagen powder, and coconut flour.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: This cozy protein pumpkin mug cake is ready in 2 minutes, satisfies your sweet tooth, and is loaded with cozy fall flavors.
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Looking for easy ways to bump up your daily protein intake while still enjoying what you eat? I used to think more protein meant endless grilled chicken… until I figured out how to turn cozy cravings into fuel. This healthy pumpkin mug cake is totally paleo, gluten-free, and ready in just two minutes, making it a go-to fall snack when I want something warm, sweet, and energizing. I love topping it with a swirl of coconut whipped cream and calling it a win (alongside this pumpkin protein pudding or these protein pumpkin muffins).
This is exactly the kind of recipe you’ll find in the Strong and Sweet Protein Guide, because boosting your protein shouldn’t mean giving up on cravings. Want to understand why it works? Here are the benefits of a high-protein diet you actually want to pay attention to.
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💭Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy: This pumpkin protein mug cake is ready to eat in under 2 minutes, making it a quick fix for a sugar craving- just like this pancake in a bowl.
Healthy: Made with healthy ingredients, this recipe is naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, and paleo.
Versatile: Use the protein mug cake as a dessert or a high-protein snack. Make it into whatever you need it to be at the time.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Most of the ingredients are just everyday protein food staples you should have on hand.
- Pumpkin puree: Make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling; otherwise, the mug cake will become too sweet. This is the case for this pumpkin pie smoothie too.
- Collagen powder: Used to bump up the protein in this pumpkin cake in a mug. Learn more about types of collagen powder and why it's one of the cleanest sources of protein.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Toppings and Flavor Variations
The pumpkin protein mug cake is delicious as-is, but it’s even better if you top it with one of the following!
- Toppings: Top your mug cake with coconut whipped cream (you don’t even need to whip it, canned coconut milk works fine and melts into a gooey yum), or chopped pecans for some crunch.
- Double chocolate flavor: Make this protein mug cake into a rich chocolate dessert by adding one to two teaspoons of raw cacao powder to the batter, along with a few chocolate chips to make the center gooey.
Expert Tips
You’ll want to use a taller mug versus a short ramekin for the mug cake. If you use a short ramekin, the batter will swell up and over the sides (said from experience). The cake will rise up regardless and settle once it’s out of the microwave, though.
If you LOVE pumpkin pie spice, add a dash more. This is the same for pumpkin protein muffins.
Add the wet ingredients to the mug first, as it makes it easier to mix in the dry ones without leaving half of the flour on the bottom of the mug.
Let it cool for 20 seconds out of the microwave. Not only so that you don’t burn your tongue, but also because this is the time in which the cake settles and ever so slightly thickens. When in doubt, it’s always better to underbake it slightly.
Protein mug cakes are best enjoyed as soon as they're made and do not store well in the fridge or freezer, as they lose their softness.
How To Make the Pumpkin Protein Mug Cake
Step 1: Add the flours to the bottom of your mug.
Step 2: Add in the remaining ingredients and mix until it's well combined.
Step 4: Microwave the protein pumpkin cake for 75 seconds and let it cool for 20 seconds before topping it and enjoying.
Which Protein To Use
This pumpkin protein mug cake doesn’t use a traditional protein powder. Instead, it uses pure collagen powder to amp up the intake.
Collagen is one of the cleanest protein sources around, and bakes SO well that I use it to make protein donuts, protein muffins, and things like protein pudding.
Though you cannot use a vegan protein powder for the recipe as it will absorb too much liquid, you could try a beef protein powder instead, as some of them blend similarly to collagen (particularly the Paleo Pro Protein).
Pumpkin Protein Mug Cake FAQs
Pumpkin protein mug cakes can be made with a variety of protein powders depending on your goals. However, collagen powder or beef-based protein powders work best as they tend to keep a lighter texture.
To make a pumpkin protein mug cake without eggs, use vegan protein powder in place of the egg as well as the collagen powder. You may need to add a bit more liquid, like dairy-free milk, to thin it out before microwaving, though, as vegan protein powders absorb a lot of liquid.
A mug cake will become rubbery when it has been overcooked. Since each microwave is different, cook your mug cake for 60 seconds and then continue to cook it in intervals of 10 seconds, checking it between each interval until a soft texture is reached.
More Dairy-Free Protein Desserts You'll Love
If you tried this Pumpkin 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 Pumpkin Mug Cake
Video
Equipment
- Regular size mug
Ingredients
- 1 Egg
- 1.5 tablespoons Pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
- 1.5 tablespoons Maple syrup the real stuff
- 2 tablespoons Collagen powder
- 1 tablespoons Coconut Flour
Instructions
- Add the flours into the bottom of your mug.
- Add in the remaining ingredients.
- Mix well until combined.
- Microwave for 75 seconds and let cool for 20 seconds.
- Enjoy
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Shelby S says
The best kind of fall comfort, this mug cake is dessert that makes you feel good.