Peanut Butter Vegan Mug Cake

Moist, tender, decadent peanut butter cake, but in one tiny individual serving! This Vegan Peanut Butter Mug Cake satisfies your sweet tooth and is ready in just 3 minutes.

A white fiesta ware mug with a vegan peanut butter mug cake inside, topped with chocolate chunks.

If you’re vegan and craving a mug cake, you’re in business! But if you’re not vegan and just don’t have many ingredients on hand, don’t want to divide an egg up in a weird way, and want a mug cake without eggs or dairy that’s going to blow your socks off, this peanut butter mug cake is for YOU, too!

Because trust me – this vegan mug cake plenty moist, decadent, and just plain delicious without the egg, cow’s milk, or butter. (Kind of perfect for when you’re short on groceries, too!)

Table of Contents

How I Created This Recipe

I adapted my recipe from this non-vegan one on Kirbie Cravings, swapping out the dairy milk for almond milk and replacing the sugar with pure maple syrup. Other than that, the biggest change I made was to cut the recipe in half – I found that this version produces just enough mug cake to satisfy my sweet tooth without feeling like I’ve just eaten way too much cake.

This vegan mug cake fits perfectly into my Fiestaware teacups, so I actually like to call it “teacup cake.” Except this cake is not dainty, my friends. Especially with a bit of chocolate sprinkled on top. It’s actually kind of pure grubbin’.

A mug with a peanut butter mug cake baked inside and a spoon on top.
Totally divine with or without the chocolate toppers.

Readers say …
“This recipe is amazing. So simple, but delicious. Usually mug cakes are dry, but this one was very moist. Love it.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

– Gladys

Peanut Butter Mug Cake Ingredients

  • Peanut butter – I like to use creamy PB for this mug cake, but you can use crunchy. I suggest salted peanut butter, but if you only have unsalted, make up for that by adding a tiny pinch of salt to your mug cake.
  • Flour – I use all-purpose flour usually, but you can use white whole wheat flour or your favorite 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend.
  • Milk – I like unsweetened almond milk or oat milk.
  • Pure maple syrup – A touch of sweetness. This is a one-serving decadent cake, after all!
  • Baking powder – Just a tiny bit to help it rise!
  • Vanilla – Optional, but recommended!
  • Chocolate chips or chunks – Choose dairy-free if necessary. These are optional too, but if you like chocolate with your peanut butter, go for it.

Recipe Variations & Adaptations

  • To make it gluten-free, just swap in a GF one-to-one flour blend. Readers have also shared that they have used oat flour with success.
  • For an almond butter or sunflower butter mug cake, just swap the PB out and add your favorite nut/seed butter instead.
  • For a lower sugar recipe, one reader reported substituting in stevia with success.

How to Make Vegan Mug Cake

Mix it all together in your mug and microwave it! If you know your microwave runs hot/cooks fast, check it after 30 seconds. Otherwise, go for 45-60 and cook it JUST until the top bounces back after poking it.

Top with chocolate chips, if you like. And enjoy your peanut butter mug cake!

A white mug full of peanut butter mug cake with a spoonful being pulled out, ready to eat.

More Dairy-Free & Vegan Cake Recipes

4.41 from 67 votes

Easy Peanut Butter Vegan Mug Cake

Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 1 minute
Total: 3 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 1 mug cake
You're 3 minutes away from sweet tooth attack to moist, rich cake in your hot little hands. I affectionately call this "teacup cake" because it's a petite version that makes just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon dairy-free chocolate chunks (optional)

Equipment

  • 1 small microwave-safe mug
  • 1 spoon

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients except the chocolate chips (if using) to an 8-ounce or larger microwave-safe mug. Use a fork to stir together until combined. If the batter is so thick that the lump of batter clings to the spoon when you lift it, splash in a little more milk just until it is thin enough to stay in the mug.
  • Microwave on high until the cake has risen and springs back slightly when you poke it, 45-60 seconds. If you have a microwave that runs especially hot/cooks fast, check it after 30 seconds. If it's not done after 60 seconds, try cooking in 15-second intervals until done but be sure not to overcook or it can end up dry and crumbly. (To bake in the oven, heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and place batter in an oven-safe ramekin or oven-safe mug. Bake until domed and the top springs back when you poke it, 15-20 minutes. )
  • Top with chocolate chips or chunks if desired and enjoy right away.

Notes

Nutrition information does not include chocolate chunks/chips. 

Substitutions:

  • Flour – Can substitute white whole wheat flour or your favorite gluten-free flour blend 
  • Peanut butter – Can sub crunchy or unsalted (just compensate for unsalted with a tiny pinch of fine-grain salt)
  • Milk – Can substitute oat milk, unsweetened soy milk, or  dairy milk for a non-vegan version
  • Pure maple syrup – Can substitute granulated sugar or brown sugar. You can also sub in honey, just keep in mind that honey is not vegan. 
  • Chocolate chunks – You can use chocolate chips too. 

Gluten-Free Option:

Sub in a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend.

3/16/2024 recipe update:

I didn’t change ingredients or quantities, but I updated the recipe by moving substitution information down to Recipe Notes from the Ingredients section for clarity. Also updated instructions to give more information about what the batter should look like before going in the microwave, and updated cooking time info to account for the fact that some microwaves cook faster than others. 
Recipe adapted from Kirbie Cravings.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1g, Calories: 310kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Sodium: 285mg, Potassium: 245mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 16g, Calcium: 135mg, Iron: 1mg