Vegan Protein Mug Cake: 4 Minutes in the Microwave

Or: cutting body fat in the time of coronavirus.

I can't read another news story. All I want to do is head into the kitchen and try the recipes bouncing around in my head.

The kitchen and the gym are my escape from the stress of life right now. (I'm considering washing my hands after every set.)

Over the past week, I've been mixing different flours, protein powders, and fruits, trying to come up with something sweet, quick, lower in carbs, high in protein, and actually delicious.

You should see my kitchen right now.

I think it needs to be declared a disaster zone. Possibly a coronavirus zone, too. You have no idea how much of a mess I've made.

Maybe you're sitting in quarantine, scratching your head and wondering: Huh? Why?

What's wrong with regular cake—the kind with plenty of sugar and fat?

Here's the simple answer:

I've been in a calorie deficit for 2 months because I want to lose body fat while holding on to the muscle I built over the winter.

Sweets that are high in carbs and fat pack a lot of calories into a small serving. Eating too much of them can contribute to gaining body fat.

So right now, I'm focusing on plant-based foods that are high in protein and lower in carbs. (I've written more about that here.)

As for why I'm using the microwave instead of the oven: these days, I'm not really in the mood to preheat anything. Or practice delayed gratification.

A Little About This Vegan Mug Cake

The recipe starts with soy flour and coffee-flavored protein powder from Alfa (an Israeli sports nutrition brand).

Teva Bari (an Israeli health-products retailer) also carries a wide range of vegan products for people who work out.

If you're not sure which products to choose, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram 🙂

Don't want to use protein powder? You don't have to. Just add another tablespoon of soy flour instead.

The reverse works, too: if you don't have soy flour, add another scoop of protein powder.

For sweetness, I used maple syrup. Its higher water content makes it relatively lower in calories and carbs than silan (date syrup)—maple syrup is runnier.

But I'm only using a little maple syrup here. Most of the sweetness comes from the protein powder.

If you leave out the protein powder, or use an unsweetened one, the cake won't be sweet on its own.

So check the sweetness and adjust to your taste.

To help the cake hold together and stay moist, I used half a ripe banana, mashed with a fork. You can substitute 1 or 2 tablespoons of applesauce.

Measure the baking powder carefully. Too much, and the cake will overflow. Too little, and it won't rise.

The dark chocolate is optional. I added just a little, because life needs chocolate.

The microwave keeps things moving, but choose your mug or cup carefully. A tall, narrow mug can leave you with cake spilling over the sides.

Prefer the oven? Go for it. Transfer the batter to a baking dish and bake for about 20 minutes at 170°C (340°F).

Nutrition Facts

One cake, out of 2, weighing 80 g (2.8 oz), contains:

• 135 calories
• 15 g protein
• 14 g carbohydrates
• 2 g fat

Vegan Protein Mug Cake

An easy, high-protein chocolate cake you can make in the microwave.

Yield 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 20 g (0.7 oz) soy flour 1 heaping tablespoon
• 20 g (0.7 oz) vegan protein powder 3/4 scoop
• 0.5 tablespoon cocoa powder 9 g (0.3 oz)
• 50 ml (about 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon) light soy milk a scant 1/4 US cup
• 10 g (0.35 oz) maple syrup 1 tablespoon
• 0.5 level teaspoon baking powder
• 5 g (0.18 oz) vegan chocolate chips 1 teaspoon

Instructions

1. In a small, deep bowl, mix the dry ingredients first: protein powder, soy flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips.

2. Add the wet ingredients, mashing the banana first, and mix well until you have an evenly combined, very sticky batter.

3. Divide the batter between 2 microwave-safe mugs and microwave for 4 minutes.

4. Add a little more chocolate and baking powder, and dig in.

Recipe Video