Healthy Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake

This healthy mug cake recipe is quick, easy, and delicious! Every spoonful is packed with warm, fluffy, perfect bites of cinnamon cake.

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What is a mug cake?

A mug cake is exactly what it sounds like: a mini cake made in a mug. It is typically cooked in the microwave. They are popular because they're a single-serving, easy-to-make treat! They are sweet, delicious, and satisfy the cake craving you might have while avoiding baking an entire cake. There are several easy mug cake recipes online with varying flavor options.

Healthy cinnamon roll mug cake

This healthy cinnamon roll mug cake is warm, cinnamon and sugary, and extra fluffy. This recipe only needs 6 ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your pantry. This version is healthier than a standard mug cake recipe and does not use butter, cake mix, or eggs. To make this healthy mug cake, it is as easy as combining all of the ingredients and cooking in the microwave for 1 minute. This recipe is a spin-off of my healthy double chocolate mug cake recipe.

What ingredients do I need?

I love recipes that require less than 10 ingredients. Not only does this recipe have minimal ingredients, but everything on this list are ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes Mix - I love to use Kodiak Cakes mix for the awesome flavor, nutritional components, and how easy it makes this recipe. The classic Buttermilk flavor is what I use for this recipe but any mix flavor would work well!
• Baking powder - Adding in a little bit of baking powder will increase the volume and lighten the texture of this mug cake.
• Cinnamon - Because this is mimicking a cinnamon roll flavor, adding cinnamon is important! Cinnamon has a strong flavor so you won't need a lot.
• Brown Sugar - This will be mixed into the batter and sprinkled on top. It will pair well with the cinnamon for the cinnamon roll flavor you're hoping for!
• Vanilla - I'm a firm believe that every recipe is better with vanilla, so adding a little bit will sweeten the cake and add some yummy flavor.
• Syrup - Using syrup will also serve as a natural sweetener and oil substitute for the mug cake.
• Water - This is added to create the correct cake batter consistency before placing the mug into the microwave.

Can I make substitutions to this recipe?

Yes! Definitely. I haven’t tested all of the ingredient swaps, but I would be you can make the necessary changes based on your dietary needs and available ingredients.

• Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes Mix - I love to use Kodiak Cakes mix instead of flour because it's packed with extra protein and makes the mug cake extra fluffy. Instead of Kodiak Cakes mix, you could use a different pancake mix, a cake mix, or even a flour. If you used a flour, you might need to add sugar and a little bit more baking powder so it will rise.
• Baking powder - Using this will increase the volume of the mug cake and create an extra fluffy texture. However, the taste will still be great if you don't use it.
• Cinnamon - This will add the cinnamon flavor to the cake so I would definitely keep this! You could add more or less depending on your preferences.
• Brown Sugar - This will add sweetness and yummy flavor to the cake. If you would rather use a coconut sugar or granulated sugar, that would also work.
• Vanilla - I think this adds some great flavor, but it would still taste okay without it.
• Syrup - This will make the cake sweeter, but you could also use a similar natural sweetener like honey.
• Water - Instead of water, you could swap another liquid like almond milk.
• Icing - Since cinnamon rolls usually have frosting, you could make a healthier frosting by mixing greek yogurt, powdered sugar, and vanilla together.

Is this recipe healthy?

Each person has their own definition of healthy, and this recipe absolutely is healthy for me! Kodiak Cakes does a really great job of creating nutritious mixes so they make it easy to add protein and keep recipes healthy. Instead of high-fat ingredients like butter and eggs, this recipe uses healthier alternatives like syrup, cinnamon and vanilla, which lower the amount of sugar in the recipe. With less than 200 calories per serving of cinnamon roll goodness, this recipe makes the perfect afternoon or late-night sweet treat!

What equipment do I need for this recipe?

One of the awesome parts of the recipe is that is can be made at home, in a dorm room, or even in most hotel rooms! The recipe requires:

• A 12-ounce microwave-safe ceramic mug
• Microwave

How long does this take to make?

This recipe is QUICK. It will take you about a minute to gather your materials, a minute to mix everything together, and another minute to cook. That's 3 minutes to make from start to finish!

What's the process to make this recipe?

The process to make this recipe is very easy! Here's what you'll do:

• Gather all ingredients.
• Mix all the dry ingredients together (Kodiak Cakes mix, baking powder, cinnamon, and brown sugar).
• Add the wet ingredients (syrup, vanilla, and water) and combine.
• Add 1 tsp of brown sugar for the topping.
• Place the mug into the microwave.
• Microwave on high for 1 minute.
• Let the mug cake cool and enjoy!

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Helpful tips for this recipe

• Add and mix together all of the dry ingredients into the mug before adding the wet ingredients.
• Don't overcook (more than 90 seconds) or the cake will be dry.
• Let the mug cake cool for 2-3 minutes before enjoying.

Looking for more recipes?

If you want more healthy dessert recipes, try these popular recipes:

• Healthy Double Chocolate Mug Cake
• Protein Pancake Pops
• Monster Cookie Protein Bars
• S'more Trail Mix

Can I have the recipe?

If you try this recipe and love it, please rate it and me know your thoughts!