Hello! It’s my FIRST mug cake on the blog! Are you ready for the most delicious, easiest dessert recipe of all time? Good, me too.
This vegan banana mug cake combines your favorite banana bread recipe (is it this one?) with a perfectly moist cake texture to give you an incredibly satisfying dessert you can eat any time. It literally takes 5 minutes from start to finish and uses just a handful of ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. It’s seriously one of my new favorite ways to use up the overripe bananas chillin’ on my counter.
OH, and did I mention you make it in the microwave? That’s right! No oven required, so we’ll call it a no bake dessert.
If you’ve never made a mug cake before get ready to be mind blown. This easy banana bread mug cake can also be made gluten free, and is extra special with chocolate chips and some chopped walnuts! Make one for yourself and maybe for a loved one, too. It’s the ultimate dessert for date night, girls’ night, evenings with the kiddos, or just when that sweet tooth hits.
What is a mug cake?
Have you ever wanted just one delicious slice of cake but didn’t want to bake up a whole one? Well, you’re going to absolutely LOVE making mug cakes. A mug cake is literally just ingredients for cake mixed into a mug and microwaved. The result is an absolutely wonderful, single-serve cake that tastes like the real deal!
This banana mug cake comes together in just 5 minutes (right in your fav mug) and seriously tastes like an amazing banana cake. Get your mugs ready, kids!
Ingredients in this vegan banana mug cake
This easy banana bread mug cake uses super simple ingredients and the result is oh-so-delicious. Plus, it’s 100% vegan, so no need to deal with cracking eggs into your mug! You probably have all of these ingredients in your pantry:
- Banana: you’ll just need 1/2 of an extra ripe banana for that banana bread flavor and to sweeten the mug cake.
- Coconut oil: add the perfect amount of moisture with a little coconut oil.
- Brown sugar: you’ll only need a tablespoon of brown sugar for sweetening. Feel free to use coconut sugar instead to keep it refined sugar free.
- Flour: we’re keeping it simple with just a bit of all purpose flour.
- Cinnamon: get that cozy, warming flavor with ground cinnamon.
- Baking staples: just like any baking recipe you’ll also need vanilla extract, baking soda and salt.
- Optional: I LOVE adding some mini chocolate chips in the cake itself and on top. Get extra fancy with some chopped walnuts, too! If you’d like to keep the banana mug cake vegan, be sure to use vegan/dairy free chocolate chips like the ones linked.
Can I make it gluten free?
Yep! Feel free to simply use a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour in place of the regular flour.
Make this banana mug cake in 5 simple steps
That’s right, this mug cake comes together in just a few steps and in 5 minutes total — including prep time:
- Mix the wet ingredients. Start by mashing the banana in a small bowl, then mix in the coconut oil, brown sugar and vanilla.
- Add the dry. In the same bowl, mix in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts if you’re using them.
- Prep your mug. Spray a microwave safe mug with non-stick cooking spray, then pour the batter in. Top with more chocolate chips and walnuts if you’d like.
- Cook it up. Microwave the mug cake on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds until the batter is set.
- Cool & enjoy. Let the mug cake cool, then enjoy it straight from the mug!
Our best mug cake tips
Yes, this banana mug cake is incredibly easy to make, but these tips and tricks will ensure that it’s perfect every time:
- Use an extra ripe banana so that the mug cake is nice and sweet.
- Don’t forget the baking soda! No one likes a flat mug cake.
- Mix the ingredients in a bowl first before adding them to your mug so that everything is evenly distributed.
- Be sure not to overcook the mug cake or it can get dense. It will be done when the top doesn’t look “wet” anymore.
Add some delicious toppings
While this vegan banana bread mug cake is delicious as-is straight from the microwave, we love topping it with:
- A drizzle of nut butter and maybe a sprinkle of sea salt
- Some vegan peanut butter caramel (OMG yes)
- Make a small batch of my famous peanut butter frosting to top your cake
- Melt a tablespoon of chocolate chips with a teaspoon of coconut oil and drizzle it up!
- Go traditional and top this banana mug cake with a scoop of your fav ice cream
Can I store it for later?
This banana bread mug cake is meant to be enjoyed right away as it is a single serving dessert. Grab a spoon and dig in while it’s warm!
More vegan desserts to try
- Blow Ya Mind Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free, too!)
- Peanut Butter Cup Freezer Fudge
- Grain Free Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie (vegan + paleo)
- Healthy 4 Ingredient Reese’s Eggs
- Vegan & Paleo Pecan Pie Bars
Get all of our amazing vegan dessert recipes here!
I hope you love this vegan banana bread mug cake! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Vegan Banana Bread Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 extra ripe banana (about 1/4 cup mashed banana)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour (or sub 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour)
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Optional:
- 1 tablespoon mini or regular chocolate chips, plus more for topping
- 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts, plus more for topping
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mash the banana half. Add in the coconut oil, brown sugar and vanilla extract and mix with a fork or whisk until well combined.
- Next stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.
- Spray a microwave safe mug with non-stick cooking spray, then pour the batter into the mug.
- Sprinkle a few more chocolate chips and chopped walnuts onto the batter if you’d like.
- Place the mug in the microwave and microwave on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds, or until the batter is no longer wet on top. Be careful not to cook for too long, or the cake will get tough.
- Remove the mug from the microwave and let cool for a few minutes. Top with your favorite nut or seed butter, let cool, and dig in!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by Eat Love
70 comments
Just made this – love it! I swirled some Nutella in before microwaving. It was the perfect quick mid afternoon treat!
OMG BRILLIANT! I have to try that next time! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
This is so delicious! Thank you for a great recipe, this one is for keepers.
Yay!! I’m happy you enjoyed it, Neha!
OMG! I even forgot the sugar and it turned out wonderful. Made one for myself and another for my girls to split. Texture was great and so was the taste. Mmmmmm. Thanks for another amazing recipe 😋 ❤
Yay! I’m so glad you guys loved it 🙂 Thanks for leaving a review!
This was so easy and WILDLY tastey- I put a tbs of pb on top and let it melt..omg soooo good
Yaaay! I’m so happy you loved it, Lily! Thanks for the review 🙂
Hi there, would this work with almond flour?
I haven’t tried it so not sure, but let me know if you do! 🙂
We made this for a quick dessert yesterday and LOVED it! Thanks so much for sharing; this is going to be on our menu regularly from now on.
Woohoo! So happy you guys loved it!
I have made a lot of mug cakes, this is by far the best. Moist, light and fluffy and so easy to make. 10/10 like usual Monique!
WOOHOOOO! So happy to hear you’re loving it, Aubrie!!
OH SO YUMMY!!
Quick and delicious 😋
Thanks Monique for yet another amazing recipe!
You’re welcome, so happy you loved it, Kelly!
Doubled recipe and made exactly as directed. AMAZING! Husband and I were both so happy with our delicious mug cakes. Very easy and just wonderful.
Woohooo! So glad you guys loved them!
So so good! I think I liked this better than a lot of regular banana breads or muffins I’ve had and this was way easier. The only thing I did differently was I mixed it right in the mug. Worked great. I added chocolate chips and could see it being great with the suggested walnuts also.
Oh wait. I lied. I used whole wheat flour!
So happy you loved this, Kerri! Good to know about mixing it in the mug–I thought it might stick to the sides too much that way but glad it worked for you!
This is so fast and easy, perfect serving size, so delicious. I’ve made it twice this week and wouldn’t be surprised if I make it again tomorrow, ha. Super yummy!
Awesome!! So happy you’re loving this one, Miriam! 🙂
This was so easy to put together and incredibly delicious!
This is a genius idea!! Soooo good. Definitely a new go-to for when I haven’t used my bananas fast enough.
Yay!! So glad you loved it, Jackie 🙂
I finally made this! Used a gf flour blend and baked it in the oven! Delicious!
Just made one and it is delicious, fluffy, and moist. I used whole grain sprouted spelt flour, maple sugar, and light olive oil for the oil, and it’s perfect. I also added pecans. Lots of flexibility here and I love that this is vegan. You can taste the batter, no egg necessary! Yummy warm healthy banana bread for one for breakfast. Thank you for this recipe!
Ooh that all sounds amazing in here! Happy to hear you enjoyed it, Heidi 🙂 Thanks for the review.
Omg another ambitious kitchen winner!! Wildly tasty and SOOO easy! Will be on normal late night rotation 🙂
Yaaaay I’m so glad you loved this one!
I’m allergic to coconut, any suggestions for oil substitute?
Melted butter or vegan butter will work well, or even olive oil or canola oil!
Greetings. Thank you for sharing this recipe; your banana mug cake looks phenomenal and I cannot wait to try it. I was wondering what size mug works best for this recipe. I have many of various volumes, and was not sure what has worked the best for you.
Many thanks for your time and all the best.
Elizabeth
Hi, Elizabeth! I think most mugs would work well for this, but I’d make sure it’s at least 8 ounces.
This does taste a lot like banana bread! A bit dry, so I would definitely recommend putting that nut butter on top (I used Nutella!) Mine also came out a bit salty-ish…not sure why. : /
Hi, Melinda! It’s possible it got a little overcooked because it should be pretty moist. But love the idea of nutella on top! And feel free to leave out the salt next time if you prefer 🙂
My kids and I love this with a slab of avocado oil butter. Used almond flour and honey. No brown sugar. Came out great, dense but not flat!
Happy you all loved this one, Elizabeth — thank you! 🙂
First of all, I love your recipe collection! This mug cake was amazing! I substituted brown sugar for raw, unprocessed sugar, I used carob chocolate pieces instead of chocolate and added a dollop of peanut butter to the middle of the mug. Yum!
Thanks so much for the love! SO happy you loved it. I need to try it with the dollop of PB omg 😍
Wow! I desperately needed a little something to satisfy my sweet tooth yesterday afternoon and I couldn’t have imagined anything better! I used chopped up part of a Lindt 85% dark chocolate bar to mix in and then put a square on top to melt while it baked. SO good!
Nice!! LOVE the addition of chopped chocolate in here. Sounds amazing.
I love your website and am constantly making your recipes- ty 🙂 this recipe was spot on for my late nite craving – simple and easy and so delicious!!!
Doubled the recipe as followed to make two brownie mugs. I only had to microwave the mugs for 1 minute each. Turned out delicious! My banana was not very ripe so I was worried but it still tasted great. I mixed 1 part peanut butter, 2 parts Greek yogurt, and a dash of almond milk for “icing” and we loved it!
Any instructions for baking this instead of using microwave? Thanks!
Best!!
I was looking for a recipe to satisfy my craving for something sweet without ending up with 12 muffins or multiple slices of cake and this is perfect!! It tastes just like banana bread, just simplified! It has become my go to for a snack. I reduced the sugar to .5 tablespoon and and used light butter with canola oil instead of coconut oil. Honestly it’s so good I don’t even feel the need to add the chocolate chips most times. Thank you Monique, you’re recipes are always amazing!
Absolutely! I am so glad you are enjoying this recipe ❤️🙂
So good, a favorite of my kids to make!
I’ve made this recipe several times, and it’s consistently turned out soft and fluffy with a great flavor. I subbed two teaspoons of maple syrup for brown sugar and made sure to use extra ripe bananas. Sometimes I added chopped dark chocolate and sometimes pecans. Definitely a winner!
Yesss! The best! So glad you’re enjoying this recipe, Joy ❤️
Pretty yummy !!
I’m so glad ❤️
Hello, just a curiosity: do you really mean baking soda or baking powder? Thanks.
Yep, the recipe you see is correct.
Super good. I did a whole banana on accident but it turned out just as good!
Haha glad it still turned out great!! Thanks!
How can something be so easy to make, with so little ingredients and in a short amount of time and be so delicious? I made it just as written and it was perfect!
Right?! Such a delicious, easy treat!
This was yummy! I used coconut sugar and it was just the right sweetness. In my microwave it only took 1 minute and 20 seconds. Delicious and I didn’t need any special ingredients. Will definitely make again!
Love it! So happy it was a hit!
I love mug cakes. The hardest part is always waiting for them to cool off enough to eat. Made this as written except for swapping butter for the coconut oil (knocking it out of the vegan category). Chopped dark chocolate bar for the add-in, coconut sugar for the sweetener. Absolutely delightful treat, even my husband, who doesn’t much care for sweets, said it was a winner! I guess I’ll be making it again!
Amazing! So glad you both loved it!
Mug cakes are always a letdown for me. This one was not!! Used Cup 4 Cup gf flour, coconut sugar & some Ghirardelli’s chips. Really incredible!!! I’m sure nut butter could take it up even a notch further but honestly it was perfect as is! Yum!
Amazing! So glad it turned out for you!
I’ve made a lot of mug cakes and this one takes the cake! It’s the perfect amount of sweet and it fluffs up so nicely! I sub half the flour for whole wheat. I’ve also subbed the coconut oil for tahini with excellent results. Enjoy!
So happy to hear that!
I had low expectations based on previous mug recipes I’ve tried, but this is AMAZING. Really hit the spot!! Love that it’s on the healthier side, too. Highly recommend!
I made this recipe the gluten free way but instead of gf flour blend I used 1/4 cup of almond flour. At first I thought it hadn’t turned out b/c it looked really mushy and uncooked… but after letting it sit for 5 minutes in the fridge, I ate it not expecting much but it was AMAZING. So I’m leaving this review (which I never do) to let anyone else know that almond flour works – it’s mushier and different so prepare for more of a molten lava cake texture… but it’s still delicious!!