Craving something sweet, citrusy, and fast? This recipe for a Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Mug Cake has you covered, including an easy sugar-free frosting!
My love for lemon is strong right now! I have eaten a box and a half of lemon larabars. I just ordered my favorite body butter in a lemon scent. And I’ve been craving something lemon poppyseed for days. So I fixed that in the form of a Frosted Lemon Poppy Seed Mug Cake. Or actually more like six Frosted Lemon Poppy Seed Mug Cakes in 48 hours. Let me explain…
Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Mug Cake
Oh good, a mug cake recipe, this won’t take long! Just mix, microwave, snap a few (hundred) pics, I’ll be eating it in no time. Uh uh, nope, little mister mugcake had other plans. Plans to be difficult.
First mugcake I forgot to frost. Second mugcake overflowed. Third mugcake overcooked and turned into mugrock. By the time I got to forth mugcake the sun was too low, pictures got weird. Fifth mugcake (next day) overbaked again (I’ll explain why momentarily). Sixth mugcake…SUCCESS! Spongy-soft lemon success!
I learned something very interesting in the process though. No not that I should’ve bought more lemons, although I should’ve. I learned that when I used agave nectar instead of maple syrup the mugcake overcooked much more easily. I’m no scientist, I don’t know why, but I’m just telling you my findings. So be careful with this one, especially if you opt for a different sweetener. Even with the maple syrup though, a minute and a half was plenty of time in my microwave. I’d suggest a minute and 15 seconds just to be safe.
If it sinks to form lemon poppy seed valley after you take it out of the microwave, then you didn’t go long enough. If it smells like burning cake and the center is rock hard, you went too far. Aren’t I helpful?
Fruit-Sweetened Pineapple Frosting
The frosting is almost all fruit! Inspired by Dee, Green Smoothie Gourmet, who made a pineapple lemon compote last week, I made a pineapple-based lemon glaze. Or frosting. It’s somewhere in the middle. Pineapple is so very sweet it balances out the lemon, and it’s just the right color too. A bit of tapioca starch and a few minutes in the microwave thickens it to the perfect glaze-frosting consistency.
And if you can’t tell already I am loving mug cakes right now, so I hope you don’t mind another mug recipe so soon after the Blueberry Muffin in a Mug. The next recipe will be in a proper pan I promise!
For now, onto this super quick mini cake…
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Frosted Lemon Poppy Seed Mug Cake
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: 1 mug cake 1x
Ingredients
- Mugcake
- 1/3 cup oat flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2–1 tsp lemon juice (depending on how lemony you like it)
- 1 tsp tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp applesauce
- 2 tbsps maple syrup
- Dash of turmeric (optional)
- 1/4 tsp poppy seeds
Frosting
- 1 cup chopped pineapple
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp tapioca starch or cornstarch
Instructions
- For the mugcake: Mix together all the ingredients in a microwave safe ramekin or mug. Make sure the batter only fills it about halfway, otherwise it will overflow.
- Microwave for 1-1.5 minutes.
- For the frosting: Blend all the ingredients till smooth.
- Pour into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes, stir, then an additional 1 minute on high. It should be thick a thick glaze-like consistency.
- Top your mugcake with the frosting and enjoy!
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It always depends on the microwave and the power you have it on :/ In my dorm last year, that microwave nuked everything, at home, my microwave needs more time to cook things…it’s all mug cake science!
I love lemon poppy seed…because I love poppy seeds! And this morning a blogger posted these muffins that used WHITE poppy seeds! Isn’t that awesome! I had no idea that was a thing!
Mug cake-ology, the art and science of making the perfect cake of yum! Yep microwave’s are all so different its always a bit of a guessing game. And white poppyseeds, say what!?! They are trying so hard to be chia with the two tones, but I’m sorry poppy you just aren’t!
This looks AMAZING Natalie!! At Whole Foods there’s this vegan lemon poppyseed cake with cream cheese frosting that is to die for!! And I’ve been itching to make a homemade version, and what better than to make a mug cake?? 😀
Mmmm that sounds amazing! I think it’s safer that I don’t live near a whole foods, so many vegan baked goodies <3 But makes for good recipe inspiration I'm sure 🙂
this looks so good…and that frosting! yummmmm
Thank you! I love the frosting, cake is better with frosting <3
Wha???? This looks insanely good!! I LOVE lemon poppyseed! This cake looks super fluffy and amazing! One minute 15 seconds you say? I’m in!
Well I suppose it depends on your microwave, but less than two mins I promise! Less than 2 mins to light lemony snacking 🙂
So in love with this recipe. I’m a huge nut for lemons everything! 🙂
Thanks Heather! Me too 🙂
Ahhh this looks SO good – I adore lemon-flavoured anything, and this is going to hit all sorts of spots! I totally admire your perseverance with the mug cakes – I tried one a fortnight or so ago and gave up after the first overflow :p
Seriously though, this is gorgeous and so bright! Definitely going to happen 😀
It’s so sad when they overflow, just watching it like ‘Nooooooo! Sll that cake just lost down the sides! :(‘ Go for an oversized mug or ramekin, its safer that way. But yes so bright, that’s why I love lemon 🙂
If at first you don’t succeed, try try again! So glad you kept trying, because lemon poppyseed is one of my favorite flavor combinations!
Yes I feel that way a lot in the kitchen! Good reminder 🙂
This looks incredible! I can’t believe how healthy you’ve made it too! Great recipe 🙂
Thanks Aimee! I love making cake healthy because that means cake for breakfast 🙂
Ooooh how I love lemons. Their color, their smell, their taste, everything! A big bowl of lemons sitting on my breakfast table always makes me smile. This mug cake is getting made soon. PInned and shared. Thanks, Natalie!
That would make me smile too! Their smell, their look, their flavor, I love everything about them! Thanks for sharing Linda 🙂
This mug cake is so beautiful Natalie, I love making individual desserts like this! Mug cakes are so fun and cute! Lemon and poppy seed is such a delicious combination too! It sounds so amazing. I love how decadent + healthy it is!! <3 The frosting is incredible!
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Thanks Harriet! I love single serve desserts too, it works with my flavor ADD, no committing to a whole batch of one flavor haha 😀
It’s so bright and cheery! I love it! Lemony anything is so good and that frosting/glaze-YUM! Pineapple is a major favorite of mine. And I’m mot mad at you for another mug cake. Single serve desserts are perfect because I can’t eat too much, haha!
Well I have actually been known to still go back for seconds with these little mug cakes, so maybe the single serve limit doesn’t work so well on me haha! Pineapple is great, I forget how much i love it. I need to bake with it more, its a great way to naturally sweeten! Thanks Melissa 🙂
OH MY DAYS! Your mugcakes are seriously the best! The ingredients are so clean and they look so delicious! I’ve no idea why I haven’t tried one yet! I’m so ashamed!! I love lemon desserts but haven’t had one in a while. Definitely need this in my life right now! PS such a clever idea adding turmeric to make it yellow 😉
Aww thanks Nadia <3 I know I've been in lemon dessert withdrawal, it had been months for me too until this one! Lemon juice doesn't really have much color but I wanted that bright sunshine hue to pop out so turmeric was perfect. Plus you can't even taste just that little bit. I hope you try one soon!
YUM. I was looking at this on the couch last nigh and my husband was like, WHAT IS THAT?! IT LOOKS SO GOOD. Haha. This looks so good. Such a fan of lemon.
Hahaha the bright cheeriness of yellow appeals to all of us right now I think as we are anxiously awaiting spring! Thanks Casey 🙂
Fun blog post & yummy looking recipe. Can’t wait to try it, especially since Lemon sounds really good right now.
Thanks Nicole 🙂
Mug rock! Hahaha! Yikes, it’s crazy how temperamental microwave cooking can be. I absolutely love how bright and summery these photos are! What a fun treat and healthy…what a creative frosting idea! Now that I know just how much you love lemon, I have a feeling I should have gone stronger with your butter!!! You’re the best! ❤️❤️
It was the most bizarre thing, the center burned and was rock solid but the outside still looked fine…microwaves haha! These past few days of warmer weather are definitely rubbing of on my tastebuds and photo style I think. I just kinda skipped the whole spring thing and went straight to summer vibes with this one. And I do love lemon a lot, I was excited to see that as a flavor choice! Ooooh can’t wait!!!
Oh Natalie, this looks soooo pretty, bright and lemony! I LOVE lemon and I love poppy seeds, the combo is so perfect together and just seeing these bright pics makes me so happy. Seriously, the yellow frosting on top is just screaming “SPRING” and it’s beautiful. I would probably easily want to eat 2 of these back to back, haha! Great, simple recipe. Love mug cakes too!
Me too, very happy-making! I am already excited to get back into spring flavors and photos and all those bright cheery things. And one mug cake is rarely enough for me either, so I just eat one and start mixing up another often times 😀 Nothing wrong with that!
Ok, weird question, do you use a plugin for your comment box because I’m needing the option for my readers to be notified via email after I answer their question on a recipe. But how I set that up without them being notified for every single comment that comes in on a recipe. That has happened to me before. But whenever I comment to your blog, I am only notified by email with your response, so was curious if you use a plugin! Thanks girl!
Based on the post in the group this morning I assume you figured it out, but yes I do use a plugin in its this one: https://wordpress.org/plugins/comment-reply-by-admins-notifier/
😀 if you smell burnt cake you went too far 😀 that reminds of my popcorn making attempts in an unfamiliar microwave. I hope I don’t burn this cake though, it looks amazing and I’ve been craving lemons lately (plus you know how I feel about poppy seeds 🙂 <3). I'm thinking test day tomorrow!
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Oh gosh, the smell of burning popcorn, I am all too familiar with that one too haha! Its a tricky business finding that right time frame before it burns but after it’s baked enough that it won’t collapse as soon as you open the microwave. You’ll make it work, I trust your keen baking intuition 🙂 Good luck!
This cake looks really good. I have to try it sometime. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thank you Shernell 🙂
loved your cake..I liked all flavor in this cake. Looks delicious.
Thanks you Uma 🙂
Do you have a version of this recipe that’s baked in an oven in a regular pan? I decided to stop using a microwave.
You can bake just a single serving like this in the oven in a ramekin. It will probably take about 12-15 mins at 350F. But no, I don’t have a full recipe for an entire batch. If you give me a couple of days I can test it, get the measurements right, and get back to you 🙂
Thank you so much! If this is as good as it looks, I’m sure it would disappear guickly.
I have just added the full-batch oven version. It makes half a dozen muffins, so you can double it if you want to make a full dozen. Thanks for your request, it gave me an excuse to eat more muffins 😀
You really outdid yourself this time Natalie! I can’t even tell you how delicious the lemon frosting looks. Pinned to every board I could logically share it on! 🙂
Thank you for sharing Gin, you are so kind 🙂
Love love love. I am ALL about lemon right now and this looks absolutely perfect! Love the addition of poppy seeds too. No better combo with lemon. And the pineapple frosting?! GENIUS!!!! OMG. Never thought of putting that with lemon but it sounds crazy good.
The best part about a mug cake is the ingredient wasting risk is so minimal it’s negligible… so lots of room for experiments in the process… delicious lemony experiments… mmmm… 🙂
Yes major perk there! I can totally see why you make 5 and 6 inch little cakes, I can’t imagine how large a cashew container you’d need if you didn’t 😮
Oh my gosh Natalie! This looks perfect! What a bright and beautiful recipe. So lovely to bring in Spring! Thanks for sharing girl! Hope that you have a great weekend!
xoxo Cailee!
Thanks Cailee! I am so SO ready for spring, if lemon cakes will usher it in fast than I’m all for it 😀 I hope you have a wonderful weekend too!
This looks incredible! I cannot wait to try jt!
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I seriously can’t stop making them, I hope you love it too!
I don’t think I’ve ever read a recipe that made me laugh as much as this did! With all that talk of mugcakes and mudrocks, I honestly had tears in my eyes from laughing – thank you!! Time to try this one out and see if I can manage it without any mudrocks!
Hahahaha well I’m glad my silliness can entertain you 😀 Thank you for your sweet comment. And if you are worried about the possibility of mug rocks the oven version decreases the chance of that!
This looks AWESOME Natalie!!! OMG…I love lemon poppy seed anything and this is beautiful. Love the photographs for this post. Your mug cake seems so simple and i have tons of lemons in my front yard, so trying this out soon…just need to go get some poppy seeds!
I used to love this time of year when my lemon tree was still alive, fresh lemons are so delicious for baking or lemonade! I love lemon poppy seed too, after the mug cake and then testing the full batch version I think I’ve eaten at least one lemon muffin everyday for for the past week and I’m not mad about it at all 😀 No clue why the poppy seeds are necessary, so I won’t tell anyone if you just leave them out 😉
Ha! Well I typically put in chia seeds instead since I don’t always have poppy seeds 🙂
I do that too 😀
This mug cake screams SPRING! Im so over winter, and the thought of a lemony cake that I can make in a few minutes makes me happy!
Thanks Bethany, that was exactly why I made it! I needed a snack to help me pretend it’s spring already 🙂
Can you believe it? I’ve never made or eaten a mug cake!! This one looks amazing, Natalie! 🙂
Really!?! Well you should change that! They are so easy, it’s hard to even call it baking. But it still tastes like baking 🙂
Lemon and poppyseed is one of my favorite combos! (besides apple + cinnamon, avocado + sesame, tomato + basil.. okay..there are so many awesome combos). But I really like this mugcake flavors! And it’s looking gorgeous too 🙂
Hahahaha I know I have a LOT of favorites too. Don’t forget lemon + blueberry, or chocolate + pb, or strawberry + banana, or this list could just go on forever and ever! But lemon poppyseed + mug is a great one too 🙂
I didn’t have all the ingredients at home.. So I made it with buckwheat flour and mashed banana instead of apple sauce and came out perfectly anyway!! I really love your recipes, thanks for sharing them!
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You are just nailing it with the successful substitutions! I’m glad you liked this one too. Thank YOU for trying them 🙂
I think I was just lucky!
Amazing photographs and recipe. Keep up the good work!
Thank you Ria for such a sweet supportive comment 🙂
I doubled the muffin recipe. Used 2 8″ cake pans, and made extra frosting. I turned this amazing recipe into a fantastic 2 layer cake with frosting between the layers and on top. AWESOME!! Thanks for a great dessert.
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That sounds awesome, I bet it was beautiful! I’m so glad this recipe worked, thank you for the feedback 🙂
Just delcious. Amything lemon, one of my faves this. Thanks .
Simon
I agree! Thanks Simon 🙂
Hi Natalie, I noticed that you bake a lot with apple sauce, may I ask what can I substitute for apple sauce ?
Will I get the same texture ?
Hi Murphy! The substitution options will vary from recipe to recipe, but most of the time the applesauce can be replaced with mashed banana, pumpkin puree, or date paste without affecting the texture very much 🙂
My family don’t like ‘vegan dessert’ (which is weird tho) so this mugcakes are my savior!! Just a problem, i’m intolerant to oats and gluten, so it can work a blend of brown rice, tapioca and quinoa flour? Thank you for the amazing recipeeees
Hi Dianna! Mugcakes are the best, like your own private vegan dessert 🙂 Yes those flours in combination should work, I would try half tapioca flour and half brown rice or quinoa to start. Quinoa would probably be better than brown rice. If it’s too gummy back off on the tapioca flour a little bit, and if it’s too crumbly add more tapioca. It might take a little experimentation to get it just right. Good luck!
Very good Natalie. And it was super easy to make. It was really good with a cup a tea! Thanks.
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That sounds like the perfect little quick cozy snack!! I am so happy you liked it Bex?
Made this sans frosting because I didn’t have pineapple and subbed the applesauce with mashed banana like another commenter…I have NEVER had a mug cake with such a delightful texture. It was super fluffy yet moist. Can’t wait to try it with applesauce instead because the banana definitely overpowered the lemon. Love this!
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I am so happy to hear it turned out well Alex! And even with a few swaps too, but yes the flavor will be much more predominantly lemony with applesauce. Thanks for the awesome feedback and I hope there are many more perfect little mugs of lemon cake in your future 🙂
Natalie, WOW. Just WOW! This mug cake is SO perfect!! It came out beautifully the first shot through. I’m trying to make this for my friend’s birthday as a little surprise as she comes over. I was wondering if one of these ever made it to the next day? Lol I wanted to know if the taste gets even better. Part of me misses the fat, but perhaps a non-dairy frosting will make me forget 🙂
Also how could I make this chocolate or ginger bready? Trying to think about ratios.
This was super yummy 😋 no. joke.
Thank you, Nat! 😊
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I am so happy you liked it!! Mug cakes are really best freshly made, they dry out pretty quick especially when low fat like this. You could try adding a couple tablespoons of cocoa powder and reducing the flour a little bit for chocolate, or adding a tablespoon of molasses in place of some of the maple syrup and gingerbread spices😋
Right on! Thank you Natalie!! I will try those! 😊😋 also I made a couple more last night and popped them in a ziplock leaving them in the microwave. They stayed moist that way and are pretty great still 😃 also I’m thinking maybe I should wait for these to cool more before eating. It’ probably needs to settle a bit before I dig in…waiting is always so hard lol. THANK YOU!!! 🙏 ☺️
Oh good to know! I will have to try saving them then, and yes it does have to cool/settle a little bit after baking so fast. Let me know if you venture out into other flavors too 🙂
Wait! I was wrong! 😶🙊 I only tasted the top of the cake. My friend loved the cake (loves everything lemon) but did say it was a little dry 🙁 I hope you didn’t make any yet! I’m so sorry
Ooh thanks for the update! Yeah the quick cook time does make mug cakes a little drier unfortunately😢
It is sooo frustrating reading comment after comment saying things like ‘Ooh can’t wait to try’ or ‘Wow, sounds delicious!’. Instead of bloggers scratching each other’s back it would be so much more beneficial if everyone could leave comments AFTER they’ve made it. That way they have something helpful to say. Or maybe it’s just me? I scrolled all the way to the end and in 20+ comments, not one person had actually made this recipe. So I guess I’m commenter 21 😂 I had hoped to read some feedback but I guess I’ll go ahead and be the guinea pig. I’ll be back with the FIRST review from someone who’s actually tried this recipe!!!
Well I have definitely have gotten good feedback on this one via instagram and such, but sorry for your frustration. We bloggers do like to support each other just like any other “coworkers” do, it can be a very solo job without that😊 Hope you enjoy it though Rachel!
Thank you! After I left the comment, of course I saw TWO feedback comments saying they loved it lol. I missed those, sorry 😉 I do totally understand supporting each other, that makes sense. I apologize, I just get tired sometimes of scrolling through comments that aren’t about having actually tried the recipe out. I think the greatest honor would be for them to try the recipe and then take the time to say that they loved it etc!
I totally understand your perspective too, and absolutely agree that is the ultimate scenario 🙂
Natalie I made two of these tonight. They were delicious and so simple. I love that the recipe called for applesauce instead of oil. I am looking forward to making the monkey bread mug cake next. Thank you!
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Oooh yay!! I am so happy you enjoyed this one😋 The monkey bread is so yummy too, I love mug cakes because you can have a different flavor of cake every night haha. Appreciate your feedback Jill!
Wow this was delicious and the fluffiest mug cake ever!! Love the bright lemon flavor. I am going to make this over and over again. Thanks so much for the recipe!
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YAY!! I am so so happy you loved it Sooki🤗
Omg my daughter would love this!!! Can it be turned into a regular sized cake? If what would the proportions be?
Hi Soni! You’d probably have to at least 4-5x the ingredients to fill a normal sized cake pan, and I cannot guarantee the texture will bake up very well that way since I’ve never tested it as a full cake. Perhaps try this recipe https://feastingonfruit.com/vegan-lemon-poppy-seed-muffins/ OR this recipe https://feastingonfruit.com/lemon-yogurt-bundt-cake/ instead!
made some substitutions (spelt for oat flour and butter for applesauce, just needed a little more moisture) but this recipe is phenomenal!! I cannot believe you’ve made it taste like this without cane sugar. love love love
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I am so happy you loved it, and I bet the butter swap made it EXTRA rich and delicious😋 appreciate your feedback Kyra!