Keto Lemon Mug Cake

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Big flavor, light texture: Try this easy, moist keto lemon mug cake with a deliciously zingy lemon glaze. It contains only 6 ingredients and cooks in 90 seconds.

This flavorful keto mug cake is a new favourite of mine and I have made it several times already.

It is an almond flour sponge cake with a moist yet light and airy crumb texture and it is packed with zingy lemon flavor. I have topped it with a creamy lemon glaze.

Think of this cake as a super-speedy cheat's version of this Keto Lemon Pound Cake.

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🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
Recipe FAQs
Variations
Microwave Timings
Oven Instructions
Storage
Related Recipes
Recipe

🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe

This cake is ready from scratch in 3 minutes. It is brilliant as a spontaneous treat or as a last-minute dessert.
It is naturally gluten-free and keto friendly with only 2.7g net carbs per portion.
I shared the cake in the recipe video with a diabetic neighbour who popped by. She thought it was "divine". But, my carb-loving children also enjoyed the taste. This is a sugar free dessert that does not taste sugar free!

Ingredients

You only need 6 ingredients!

Almond flour - I've made this cake with both super-fine almond flour and with ground almonds. When using almond meal or ground almonds, add 1-2 additional tablespoons.
Heavy cream - also called double cream. We are using this instead of butter.
Powdered sweetener - I used powdered erythritol. You can also use monk fruit sweetener or erythritol blends such as Swerve. Xylitol and allulose work as well.
Egg - large
Lemon juice - Fresh lemon juice tastes best. However, bottled lemon juice will also work.
Baking powder

Instructions

This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients - almond flour, powdered sweetener and baking powder in a small bowl.

Mixing the wet ingredients into the dry.

Step 2: Add the wet ingredients - lemon juice, cream and an egg. Mix with a fork until combined.

Pouring the cake batter into a greased bowl.

Step 3: If you want to turn the cake out onto a plate later, transfer the cake batter into a well-greased bowl or ramekin. Or, separate the mix into 2 mugs.

If you want to eat it straight from the bowl, microwave in the bowl you mixed the batter in.

Step 4: Microwave on high for 90 seconds.

Step 5: Turn the keto lemon mug cake out onto a plate and top with lemon drizzle glaze.

Or, enjoy it straight from the bowl!

Top Tip

I've had my fair share of microwave mug cake accidents! If your mug, ramekin or dessert bowl is too small, the batter will overflow as it rises and make a mighty mess.

It's important that your vessel has a volume of at least 200 millilitres and is wider rather than narrow and tall. Mugs or ramekins should not be filled with batter more than half. Always have a few fingers of free space between the batter and the rim.

Recipe FAQs

How can I make this dairy-free?

Use coconut cream or coconut oil instead of the cream.

Can I use coconut flour instead?

No, you would have to change other parts of the recipe too. Make my coconut flour mug cake and add lemon.

Do I have to add the glaze?

It's not necessary for the recipe. However, I think it makes the cake taste even better.

A lemon cake with lemon glaze on a plate.

Variations

Here are ideas how you can change up the recipe:

Poke little holes into the finished cake. When you pour over the glaze it sinks into the holes and makes the cake even more moist.
Add 1 teaspoon of poppy seeds.
Grate lemon zest into the batter.
Add a few blueberries or raspberries into the batter.
Use lime instead of lemon
Blend the egg with an electric mixer until double in size and pale in colour. This will make for an even lighter sponge.
Add a cream cheese frosting (2 tablespoon cream cheese, 1 teaspoon sweetener and a little lemon juice)
Top with sugar free whipped cream

Microwave Timings

My microwave operates at 900 watts and my cake took 90 seconds to cook. Here's a quick overview of recommended baking times for this sugar free lemon mug cake recipe:

600W = low power. 110+ seconds.
800W = 100 seconds.
900W = 90 seconds.
1000W = 80 seconds
1200W = 60-70 seconds.

After these times, check whether the cake is done. If it's still undercooked, add increments of 10 seconds.

Oven Instructions

To make this cake in the oven, bake for around 12-15 minutes at 180 Celsius (160C fan) or 350 F (320F fan assisted). Test with a toothpick of knife to make sure it's fully cooked.

Baking in 2 ramekins means less oven time, using one larger ramekin will increase the baking duration.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezer: All almond flour cakes are suitable for freezing. Freeze for up to 3 months.

I adore mug cakes. My first attempt at making a cake in the microwave was this divine low carb Christmas pudding.

Since we don't eat Christmas food all year round, I expanded my repertoire quickly. Try this keto chocolate mug cake, my vanilla keto mug cake or this divine keto peanut butter mug cake. Here are more keto mug cakes to try: