5 Minute Double Chocolate Pumpkin Mug Cake

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This double chocolate pumpkin mug cake is a quick and easy fudgy chocolate dessert. This healthy vegan treat is moist and rich tasting but light! It’s perfect when you’re in the mood for a little treat rich with fall flavors.

Made with no eggs, no milk, and much less sugar and fat than most mug cakes. Enjoy it with some plant-based milk, coffee, or tea for a terrific snack. The pumpkin gives it a fudgy and rich texture: somewhere between a baked muffin and a lava cake (or Carnival cruise ship’s chocolate melting cake – yum!).

Mug cakes are perfect for portion control. I love to bake cakes, but find it tempting to eat more than one piece! And it’s a fun dessert to make with the family. No need to get out a mixer, bowls, spatula, etc. On a warm day, it won’t heat up your kitchen. Less fuss and less clean-up means more time for fun and relaxation!

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Ingredient Notes

Plant-based milk substitute – I like vanilla soy milk or oat milk for this recipe.

Cocoa: I use regular cocoa powder, not Dutch-processed cocoa. it is important to sift it so you don’t have pockets of cocoa powder in the cake – these taste bitter.

Chocolate: choose milk-free dark chocolate from a bar or chips: it has a rich flavor and you don’t need too much, plus it’s lower in sugar than semi-sweet or milk chocolate.

Pumpkin: use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. You can open a can and freeze it in small portions for baking of smoothies, like ¼ to ½ cup each. While I imagine this mug cake could be made with cooked pureed sugar pumpkin, I haven’t tested it with this.

Nutrition in Double Chocolate Pumpkin Mug Cake

This mug cake is both significantly lower in calories and higher in nutrients than standard cakes: that’s the definition of nutrient-dense!

This perfectly portioned dessert has just 266 calories. That is less than half of the calories in a slice (1/12) of chocolate cake, which has 537 calories (source: USDA FoodData Central).

According to this University of Illinois Extension article about pumpkin, it is a good source of vitamin A and potassium. And, one cup provides 3 grams of fiber! Including vegetables (or fruits) in baked goods also adds phytochemicals, which are disease-fighting substances found in plant foods.

Fiber: using mostly whole wheat flour adds fiber too, plus phosphorus and potassium.

Fat: the fats from olive oil and plant-based milk make the cake tender and are a good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

Cooking Tips

The recipe is for one serving, but you can easily increase it. I think it is easier to measure out and mix each one individually in its own mug because the batter is on the thick side. You can set up the mugs and drop each ingredient into them assembly-line style.

I stir it about 15 – 20 times with a tablespoon. Make sure you get all of the dry ingredients mixed in well by scraping the bottom of the mug.

I suggest microwaving each one individually to ensure even cooking. I tested it in a microwave with 1,100 watts. You want to make sure the middle reaches 165 degrees F for food safety. While there are no eggs in this, the flour should be fully cooked.

Mug Cake Flavor Variations

• Switch the seasoning to cinnamon or a combination of cinnamon with nutmeg, ground cloves, and mace.
• Add chopped almonds, walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts
• Include dried cranberries or blueberries
• Use instant coffee crystals instead of pumpkin pie spice
• Top with a little vegan caramel sauce by cooking plant-based butter with brown sugar
• Top with chocolate mocha nice cream for some extra melty chocolate goodness!

If you love chocolate, also check out these delicious chocolates from zChocolat: including vegan selections!

More Recipes You May Enjoy

• Vegan peanut butter brownies – Instant Pot recipe
• Banana bread with dark chocolate chunks
• Cranberry orange oatmeal muffins
• Amazing spiced carrot raisin muffins
• The best chocolate banana smoothie
• Berry smoothie – vegan – this also uses cashew yogurt
• Looking for more desserts? Check out these tips for the Healthiest Girl Scout Cookies.

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How did you like these double chocolate pumpkin mug cakes? Please rate them and leave a comment below:

Originally published 8/30/2020. Updated 10/22/2023.