This Low-Carb Carrot Mug Cake uses almond flour instead of regular flour so you can still enjoy the wonderful warming spice and sweetness of a carrot cake, even while on a low-carb or keto diet.
Little treats like a mug cake can make a keto or low-carb diet easier to adhere to, if you have a bit of a sweet tooth. I’ve added quite a few low carb mug cake recipes to our website. If a quick mug cake can satisfy your craving for things like carrot cake, you’ll be more likely to adhere to the keto or low carb diet long term.
If carrot cake is one of my favorites, as it is mine, you can definitely make carrot cake in a low-carb way, so you aren’t ingesting 100+ grams of carbs in a single slice. Using almond flour and a sugar substitute, our mug cake, and this sugar-free carrot cake recipe, are just as tasty.
This low-carb carrot cake can be mixed up and microwaved in under 5 minutes. It’s large enough for about 3-4 small servings, a great way to keep the carbs low. Or it can be served as breakfast for 2.
There are 7 net grams of carbs per serving in this carrot mug cake when cut into 3 slices. If you divide it in two, there are 10 net grams of carbs per serving.
» Check out these great Keto Mug Cakes and these Homemade Low Carb Ice Cream Recipes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Shredded carrots – Use a cheese grater or food processor to shred the carrots.
- Almond flour – Unlike other keto recipes, I don’t recommend substituting the almond flour with coconut flour. First of all, it’s a very different measurement ratio, so a direct substitution won’t work, but mainly because it won’t be as moist with coconut four.
- Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice
- Baking powder
- Sugar substitute – I use allulose as a sugar substitute. You can use Swerve, monkfruit, Erythritol or Xylitol. It’s really up to you. Use any keto-friendly sweetener you prefer. The reason I use allulose is because it’s a no calorie no carb sweetener like erythritol, but it doesn’t have the cooling effect.
- Butter
- Heavy cream
- Egg
- Walnuts – Chopped and toasted.
- Frosting ingredients – Butter and a keto-friendly powdered sugar substitute.
Which sweetener is best for this Carrot Cake?
I use allulose as a sugar substitute. You can use Swerve, monkfruit, Erythritol, or Xylitol. It’s really up to you. The reason I use allulose is because it’s a no-calorie no-carb sweetener like erythritol, but it doesn’t have the cooling effect.
How to Make Carrot Mug Cake
The low carb cake is simple to make. You’ll need to grate the carrot. I just use a manual cheese grater. You can use a food processor, if you wish.
Then mix all the keto mug cake ingredients together in a bowl.
Mix together the carrots, almond flour, and spices until it’s well blended. A mixer or food processor isn’t necessary for this. It’s really easy to just stir it all up with a spoon.
You can bake this in two separate ramekins or mugs to make 2 individual carrot cakes, or you can put it all into a larger ramekin or a small baking dish. I use a 12oz ramekin. I like that it comes out looking like a little cake.
Just lightly grease the mug or ramekin before scooping in the batter to keep the cake from sticking to the sides.
Then spread the batter out evenly in the dish.
For me, it takes about 2 1/2 minutes to cook in the microwave on high. I have an 800 watt microwave. If you have a more powerful microwave, it might only take 2 minutes, or it might take slightly longer, like 3 minutes.
Start with 2 minutes. Then test the middle. If it’s jiggly at all in the middle, it’s not quite done. The top might still be a bit wet looking, but as long as the center is firm, it’s done. Try not to overcook it. Even though its a keto cake, we still want it to taste as good. To avoid that, cook in 15-30 second spurts after the 2 minute mark.
Finally, mix up the low carb glaze ingredients in a bowl. You’ll spoon this over the top of the carrot cake once it’s done baking, just before serving. It’s best to serve this low carb carrot cake while it’s still warm. The glaze will melt down the sides of the cake. It’s glorious.
Microwave vs. Oven-method For Carrot Mug Cake?
The microwave method is a good choice if you’re looking for quick and convenient individual servings with a more dense and moist texture. On the other hand, if you want a more traditional keto carrot cake texture, better flavor development, and the option to make multiple mug cakes at once, the oven method is preferable
Can you make this low carb recipe egg-free?
Yes, you can make this low carb carrot mug cake without eggs. However, you need to add an extra tablespoon of the double cream to maintain the soft consistency. Also, keep in mind that without the eggs, the cake won’t rise as much.
Substitutions For Carrot Mug Cake Recipe?
I don’t recommend substituting almond flour with coconut flour for this carrot cake recipe. This might work for other keto recipes, but not for this mug cake recipe. First of all, it’s a very different measurement ratio, so a direct substitution won’t work, but mainly because it won’t be as moist with coconut four.
If you don’t like the cooling effect of Erythritol sugar substitute, you can use Xylitol or another keto sweetener of your choice. Keep in mind that xylitol has more carbs and calories than Erythritol.
Tips and Notes For The Best Mug Cake
- This mug cake recipe is not designed for coconut flour.
- You can use your keto sugar substitute of choice such as: erythritol, xylitol, allulose, swerve.
- Can be split into 2 separate low carb cakes. Great tip especially for those on a strict keto diet.
How To Store Leftover Keto Carrot Cake
If you plan to store the mug cake for a short period (1-2 days), simply cover the mug with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or an airtight lid. If you intend to store it longer, consider transferring it to another airtight container and store it in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do mug cakes work?
Mug cakes are so easy to make that it gets you wondering how it works, especially since it takes so long to bake a cake in the oven. The magic of mug cakes is in the leavening agents: the egg and baking powder.
When heated, the baking powder reacts with the other ingredients and forms bubbles that help the mug cake rise while the rest cook.
What do I need to make a mug cake?
You’ll need the ingredients (obviously), but then the only other things you need are a microwave and a microwave-safe mug. I use my regular tea/coffee mugs. You could also use a ramekin. You just need a mug or ramekin larger than the cake ingredients because it does rise a couple of inches in the mug.
What wattage do I cook this on?
I cook my mug cake at full power in a 900-watt microwave. If you have a more powerful microwave, you may need to cook the cake for 70 or 80 seconds instead of 90. Once you’ve cooked one mug cake, you’ll know for next time.
In my opinion, it’s better to undercook than overcook, so if this is your first mug cake, cook it for 80 seconds on full power. If it’s still wet in the middle, cook for 10 seconds longer. If it’s a bit tough or dry, you can reduce it by 10 seconds the next time you make it.
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More Recipes from Delightfully Low Carb
Low Carb Carrot Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons shredded carrot
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons Erythritol
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons walnuts chopped and toasted
Frosting
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 2 tablespoons powdered Erythritol
Instructions
- Mix all of the cake ingredients together in a mixing bowl to form the batter.
- Lightly grease a microwave safe ramekin or baking dish that’s large enough for the ingredients to double in size as it cooks.
- Pour the batter into the dish and microwave for 2 minutes. Check for doneness by lightly touching the top of the cake. It should bounce back and not feel loose or uncooked. The very top might still be a bit wet to the touch, but will be spongy. If it’s loose or uncooked, put it back in for another 30 seconds.
Notes
- This recipe is not designed for coconut flour.
- You can use your choice of sugar substitute: erythritol, xylitol, allulose, swerve.
- Can be split into 2 separate cakes.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Other Keto Mug Cake Recipes To Try
Click for Even More Mug Cake Recipes
Read More About a Low-Carb Lifestyle
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Laura is dedicated to a low-carb lifestyle after losing 52 pounds on the keto diet. As many of us do, she struggles with her weight and has found that one of the only diet lifestyles that allows her to maintain a healthy weight is a low-carb diet. She shares her favorite low-carb recipes here that are both easy to make and full of flavor, so you don’t even miss the carbs.
Wow, this is what dreams are made of, this mug cake was so good. This recipe is one of my new favorites!
I love how quick this cake is to make and it’s so delicious. It definitely cured my carrot cake craving! thanks for the great recipe.
I’m loving all your mug cakes, but the way the glaze is dripping down this carrot cake is drool-worthy!
Thanks Sue! It’s nice to have a little something sweet after dinner!
A perfectly portioned for one carrot cake?? Sign me up, please! 😉
You just can’t beat a mug cake when you want that hit of sweetness really quickly. This sounds so delicious and I love that it is low carb!
Super delicious! The texture is amazing. I’m curious how you come up with your carb count of 11?? Assuming you are using net carbs but with my almond flour (9 net carbs for 3/4 c) Stevia powdered sugar (18 carbs in 2 Tbsp) and carrots (didn’t even add the walnuts), just wondering if you are doing something different? I’m counting 27 carbs. If splitting that’s still a pretty great low carb dessert, would just love to know if you have lower carb ingredients, thanks! Or maybe I’m calculating way incorrectly??
Hi Mindy. Glad you liked it! This mug cake has 3 servings, which will definitely change your carb count a bit. Also, the Erythritol does have total carbs, but zero net carbs, so it doesn’t count towards your daily carb allowance on keto.
Lovely cake that has become a daily staple. I have it with Greek yogurt and berries for my breakfast. Can I ask please, is it 352 calories for the whole recipe or per serving?
Hi Tara, we are so glad you like the carrot mug cake. It is one of our favorites. There are 3 servings in this recipe and 352 is the calorie count for one serving.
Thank you Angela, good job I checked then! 🙂
This looks wonderful! Carrot cake has been a favorite for many years. What can I use in place of “pie spice?”
Hi Beth, you can replace the pie spice with just cinnamon, or you could leave the spice out all together.