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
- 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.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients - lemon juice, cream and an egg. Mix with a fork until combined.
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
Use coconut cream or coconut oil instead of the cream.
No, you would have to change other parts of the recipe too. Make my coconut flour mug cake and add lemon.
It's not necessary for the recipe. However, I think it makes the cake taste even better.
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.
Related Recipes
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:
- Keto Blueberry Mug Cake4 Minutes
- Keto Lava Mug Cake4 Minutes
- Cinnamon Swirl Coconut Flour Mug Cake4 Minutes
- Keto Mug Cheesecake (Microwave Recipe)8 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Keto Lemon Mug Cake
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 4 tablespoon almond flour extra fine, or 5-6 tablespoons ground almonds
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 ½ tablespoon powdered sweetener
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
For the glaze
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon powdered sweetener
Instructions
Cake
- Grease 2 ramekins, mugs or 1 microwave-safe bowl with melted butter. I used a glass dessert bowl.
- Mix all dry ingredients - almond flour, sweetener and baking powder - in a separate bowl.
- Add all wet ingredients and mix thoroughly with a fork. If you find your dough is too liquid add more almond flour.
- Transfer batter into your bowl or mugs and level the top.
- Microwave on high for 90 seconds.
- Turn upside down onto a plate once cooled or enjoy straight from the bowl.
Glaze
- Melt the butter, then stir in the cream, lemon juice and sweetener.
- Let cool until the glaze begins to thicken. Spoon or pour over cake.
Video
Notes
- 600W = low power. 110+ seconds.
- 800W = 100 seconds.
- 900W = 90 seconds.
- 1000W = 80 seconds
- 1200W = 60-70 seconds.
Barbara
ebook
Recipes well written and easy to follow. Can't wait to try them.
Katrin Nürnberger
If you make something, do let me know how it went and give the recipe a star rating !
Linda Olson
Do you think I can substitute coconut flour?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, but I'd probably only use 1 1/2 tbsp because coconut flour absorbs more liquid. Wait for a couple of minutes and see if you have a good dough consistency!
Tracy N Regard
I used liquid stevia and I think i used too much. I did one tablespoon liquid sweetener and it was too “stevia” will cut in half next time
Katrin
Hi Tracy, my feeling is that 8 - 10 drops of stevia glycerite will probably provide enough sweetness. My stevia drops are 4 drops = equivalent to 1 tsp sugar. Let me know how much you ended up using, I'd be super interested to hear.
Nadi
I really love your recipes but this one tasted a bit eggy which doesn't really go with sweet 😉 I guess it would be better leaving it to cool
Katrin
Hi there, you can't really use less than 1 egg in a mug cake 😉 I'd love to hear if you thought the taste improved when it was cold!
Ron Bryant
This recipe looks amazing. I will attempt it later today. I thought I knew all abbreviations but I was wrong. I am not familiar with the term 'ca 30 seconds' or 'ca 15 minutes'. Can you enlighten me? Thanks in advance. Cheers!!
Katrin
Hi there, ‘ca’ is just an abbreviation for “circa”
Christina
I’m new to low carb/Keto. This was the first thing I attempted to make using almond flour. The cake was a little gritty with more of a biscuit taste. Is this to be expected or do I just need more practice? It wasn’t bad at all just not what I was expecting.
Katrin
If you used coarse almond flour or ground almonds you would definitely get a more rustic, moist texture to a cake made with wheat flour. Almonds do contain a lot more fat than wheat. If you get yourself superfine Almond flour the finish is more similar to that of regular cakes.
Melanie Caruso
I'm going to try making this lemon cake with a handful of Blueberries. Hope it works, will be my 1st try at Keto Mug Cake of any kind so don't know if I should be experimenting yet but what the heck. Love that it looks so simply. Holding my breath.... lol
Katrin
How did it go? I bet some blueberries in the cake tasted great!
nance
no microwave how long in a regular oven
Katrin
I think about 15 minutes at 180 Celsius should do the trick. Check with a skewer if it’s done and add another couple of mins if necessary
Myra Billson
Hi Katrin, Loved your lemon cake with lemon glaze - like some of your followers my mixture too wet due to using ground almonds - not as absorbent as super-fine almond flour. Simply added coconut flour (Super absorbent!) - worked a treat and gave it a nice coconut flavour. Go Girl! Myra.
Katrin
Great news! Glad you enjoyed the cake 🙂
Jill Holman
I had such a craving for something sweet yesterday that I made this lemon mug cake. The only thing I added was some lemon zest. Although this wasn't really sweet, it satisfied my craving and was absolutely delicious. I'm looking forward to the other half tonight. Such an easy recipe. Thank you.
Katrin
Good to hear it hit the spot!