6 High-Protein Mug Cake Recipes for a Healthy Dessert in Minutes

Let's be honest, baking a full cake requires quite a bit of skill and patience — not to mention supplies and ingredients. Without all of these elements at your disposal, the bar of chocolate in your cabinet probably sounds way more enticing.

Enter the mug cake. If you've scrolled through Pinterest or Instagram lately, you're probably no stranger to this miraculous dessert — a small, mug-sized cake you can make right in your microwave.

You can make this decadent, easy-to-prep dessert a little bit healthier by opting for a high-protein mug cake. Satiating protein will keep you feeling fuller for longer on this perfectly portioned treat. Next time a sweet craving strikes, give one of these high-protein mug cake recipes a try.

• ‌Calories:‌ 170
• ‌Protein:‌ 24 grams

High-protein is definitely an understatement where this recipe is concerned. With 24 grams of protein total, this dessert is sure to keep you feeling full throughout the evening.

Compared to fat or carbohydrates, protein is the most satiating macronutrient, according to a July 2017 study in ‌Food Hydrocolloids‌. So, eating foods with higher protein levels can help you monitor your food intake, which can help promote weight loss and weight maintenance.

• ‌Calories:‌ 372
• ‌Protein:‌ 27 grams

Your average strawberry shortcake will take more than an hour to bake. This quick recipe will have you devouring a strawberry dessert in a matter of minutes.

To give this mug cake its thick texture, the recipe calls for vanilla Greek yogurt, a high-protein staple that also offers probiotics, friendly gut bacteria that can help keep your digestive health in check, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

• ‌Calories:‌ 530
• ‌Protein:‌ 44 grams

While this mug cake is a little higher in calories, you can cut the icing or pecans to trim the total fat and calorie count.

Instead of standard white flour, this recipe calls for a coconut flour alternative. Lower in carbohydrates than wheat flour, coconut flour is made from coconut meat after the oil is extracted.

Coconut flour is also a great source of filling fiber, a crucial nutrient your body needs to regulate your blood sugar and digestive health, according to the Mayo Clinic.

• ‌Calories:‌ 170
• ‌Protein:‌ 29 grams

You've probably heard that dessert is a no-go when it comes to the keto diet. But this keto-friendly mug cake is ready to prove those naysayers wrong.

This recipe has only 7 grams of carbohydrates, making it simple to incorporate into even an ultra-low daily carb count. You can also make this recipe plant-based by omitting the egg and adding a plant milk to give the cake batter a thicker consistency.

• ‌Calories:‌ 265
• ‌Protein:‌ 26 grams

Who said you can only enjoy birthday cake on your birthday? Whether you're celebrating or not, this eight-minute mug cake is an easy addition to your dessert repertoire.

Instead of eggs, this recipe uses unsweetened applesauce as the binding agent. Applesauce cuts back on fat and delivers a boost of vitamin C, providing about 25 percent of your daily recommended value per ounce, according to the USDA.

• ‌Calories:‌ 280
• ‌Protein:‌ 27 grams

Pumpkins may only be in season in the fall, but you can enjoy this high-protein mug cake year-round, thanks to canned pumpkin. Pumpkin provides about 6 grams of fiber per cup and about 19 percent of your daily iron intake, according to the USDA.