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Delicious, easy to make, flavorful and packed with nutrients, this mug cake with banana and coconut is one of those recipes that you simply have to try in order to appreciate it. Definitely low in carbs and gluten-free, this banana and coconut mug cake is super healthy and child friendly. It’s also one of the best ways to get started with low-carb eating!
Why you will love this banana coconut mug cake recipe
Calling all healthy cake lovers out there, this delicious mini-cake was delicious and here’s why. It was:
Easy to make
Nourishing
Low in carbs
Banana Sweet
Coconutty
Satisfying
Packed with nutrients
Healing
Surprising
Filling
Paleo friendly
Ingredients for banana coconut mug cake
Coconut Flour – We use a combination of coconut flour and almond flour as the base for our cake. Both of these low-carb flours are gluten-free and super healthy when used in recipes like cakes or brownies.
Almond Flour – Most of the base is made-up of coconut flour, with a bit of almond flour. Both of these healthy flours are packed with gut-friendly fiber and will help with the overall texture of our mug cake.
Eggs – We use eggs to bind all the ingredients together into that cake-like texture. In fact, eggs are used in all kinds of cakes, not only low-carb paleo cakes like this one.
Banana – Banana adds lots of benefits to our cake. It’s a way to make the cake natural sweet, plus banana will add that special banana flavor as well healthy fiber, enhancing the cake’s characteristics.
Cranberries – For this recipe I used frozen cranberries but you can definitely use fresh berries. Sweet and sour, these little red berries will balance the aroma of our mug cake, while keeping it low-carb and sugar-free. Cranberries will also add phytonutrients, as well as vitamins and minerals, plus healthy fiber. Told you it’s a great recipe!
Cinnamon powder – Use the best cinnamon powder that you can buy and go organic if possible. The flavor of true organic cinnamon is a-ma-zing!
Vanilla powder – As with the cinnamon above, my advice is to use the best vanilla powder that you can buy, and go organic if possible.
Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (melted) – A nice way to boost the healthy fats content of our recipe, coconut oil is so much more than this. For instance, coconut oil will help us keep the cake moist and fluffy during the baking process without making it too fatty in the end.
Coconut Sugar – We use coconut sugar as a sweetener for our recipe (along with the sweetness that comes from the banana). Keep in mind that a little goes a long way here! Personally, I prefer to use coconut sugar as a sweetener instead of maple syrup or similar choices, and I always choose organic coconut sugar. I also love the flavor that coconut sugar adds to desserts.
Pinch of Himalayan Salt (optional) – Optionally, you can add a pinch of Himalayan salt as a way to balance all those healthy fats, giving this cake a slightly salt-ish flavor. You won’t actually feel the salt but you’ll know that it’s there, if you know what I mean.
Steps to make this paleo mug cake
- Start by adding all dry ingredients into a bowl and stir until combined.
- Crack the eggs and incorporate them slowly with the dry ingredients.
- Add banana slices on top of everything and incorporate as well.
- Next, it’s time to incorporate melted coconut oil, forming a thick and creamy batter.
- Pour batter into mugs, leaving a bit of space at the top.
- Decorate with cranberries and bake for 30-40 minutes at 170 Celsius, or until the batter turns solid.
- Remove from the oven when done and set aside to cool down.
- DONE! Enjoy this mug cake and share it with others!
Notes for making this cake perfectly
- IMPORTANT – Instead of using a mug you can also use a small heat resistant ceramic dish (as I did). If you choose a mug, make sure that it’s resistant to temperatures over 250 Celsius (just to be on the safe side).
- How to prep the batter. Prepare the batter in a separate bowl and, once it has the right consistency, transfer it into each of the mugs.
- Batter consistency. The batter should be rather thick and creamy, and you should be able to pour it into the mugs. In case the batter looks a bit too solid (and maybe sticky), try adding one more egg or a bit more coconut oil (melted).
- Do not overbake the cake. Be careful not to overbake your cake or it will turn a bit dry and not so fluffy as initially expected (actually mine was a bit over cooked). Hence, it is always better to undercook it slightly and let it sit for a few minutes in the oven with the door opened, rather than overcook.
- Note about coconut flour. Keep in mind that coconut flour will absorb more liquid compared to almond flour. If you decide to only use coconut flour, my advice is to use a bit less than the total quantity of almond flour specified in the recipe.
- Use your favorite berries. Instead of cranberries you can definitely use other types of berries. Feel free to use raspberries, blueberries or strawberries, or experiment with different choices and combinations.
- Play with those spices! When it comes to spices, I decided to use both vanilla and cinnamon powder. You can go your way here and choose to use either or both, or you could replace cinnamon powder with cardamom powder, for a more “oriental” aroma.
- Want to use extra berries? If you want to add some more berries inside the cake as well, do it after the batter is ready. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of extra berries and slowly mix them into the batter. The batter will probably change color a bit but that’s ok!
- How sweet do you like your cake? In terms of sweetness, I used raw banana and coconut sugar. If you ask me, using a normally ripen big banana and a few teaspoons of coconut sugar was quite enough. But in case you like you cake on the sweet side, you can definitely use one more banana or a bit more coconut sugar.
How to serve this delicious mug cake
This recipe can be served as is or topped with your favorite extras. Here are a few ideas to inspire you:
- With a scoop of your favorite low-carb ice-cream
- Nut butters like cashew butter or almond butter will match this mug cake perfectly (best in winter time).
- How about adding a few teaspoons of homemade chocolate sauce on top? Make sure to keep it low carb and healthy though.
- Fresh or frozen fruits – Berries, sliced bananas, apple chunks or other favorite fruits.
- Top it with some chocolate chips or chopped raw nuts of your choice!
I hope you’ll come to appreciate this banana coconut mug cake as much as we did. If you like it, please make some time to drop us a few lines and maybe a 5-star rating. Reviews help other people to decide while it’s worth-it to try a recipe, and it helps our website grow as well.
What was your favorite part about this mug cake? Share your experience below!
Low-Carb Banana Coconut Mug Cake
Equipment
- Bowl
- Heat Resistant Mugs
Ingredients
- 100 g coconut flour
- 30 g almond flour
- 5 eggs
- 1 big banana (peeled and cubed)
- 100 g cranberries (I used frozen berries)
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp vanilla powder
- 6 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil (melted)
- 5 tsp coconut sugar
- pinch of Himalayan salt (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, add all dry ingredients and stir until combined.
- Crack eggs and use a fork to incorporate them into the dry ingredients.
- Next, add banana slices and incorporate them slowly with the above.
- Add melted coconut oil (liquid) as well and incorporate slowly, forming a thick and creamy batter.
- Pour batter into each mug, in equal quantities, leaving a bit of space at the top.
- Decorate with cranberries on top of each mug. Optionally, you can use a teaspoon and mix some of the cranberries into the batter (inside the mugs).
- Move into the oven and bake at 170 Celsius for 30-40 minutes, or until the batter turns solid. Do not over bake as these mug cakes will dry up pretty quickly.
- Remove from the oven when done and set aside to cool down and do its thing. You can serve this mug cake hot or at room temperature.
- DONE! Enjoy without guilt and share with others!
I absolutely love mug cakes and this gluten-free recipe suits me well 🙂