It doesn’t have to be your birthday to have cake, ice cream, and sprinkles when it’s this healthy and easy. This Funfetti Mug Cake is a party for one in just minutes!
From the looks of this you would think it was my birthday or something. It is not.
It’s not my blogiversary. It’s not my veganiversary. It’s not any of my friends’ birthday. It’s not even my dog’s birthday.
There is no legitimate reason for cake today, but I’m certainly not objecting! No explanation, just cake. Usually my spontaneous dessert-ing looks more like a handful of chocolate chips or leftover {insert dessert here} from last week’s recipe. But sometimes its nice to treat yourself with a classy no-reason treat–frosting, sprinkles, the whole shebang.
If ever you did accidentally forget your dog/sister/mom/friend/whoever’s birthday, this would be the perfect recipe to save you from that embarrassment. It looks like a party but it all happens in about 10 minutes–mixing and blending time included. Baking time is only 2 minutes tops!
Why a Mug Cake?
I hinted at the cake to come when I posted this Homemade Vegan Sprinkle recipe earlier this week. You were probably thinking funfetti full sized cake not Funfetti Mug Cake, weren’t you?
Well it turns out all that time in an oven takes the fun right out of the homemade funfetti. As the coconut toasts the rainbow fades and you are left with just a tinge of the green, purple, yellow, and pink that once was. However 2 minutes in a microwave preserves all that color and still gives you cake!
Baking your Funfetti Mug Cake
Most mug cakes call for 1 or 2 minutes on high in the microwave. I find that tends to dry them out though, especially with an oil-free recipe like this one. I played around with cook times and power levels, and I found that a little more time at half power works better.
This recipe took about 1 minute at high power, or 1.5 minutes at half power in my microwave. But the half power cake had better texture and moisture. All microwaves are different, and it might take some mug cake experimentation of your own to find the sweet spot.
Funfetti Mug Cake
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 7 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup oat flour
- 1 tbsps unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tbsps maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch or corn starch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–2 tbsps coconut sprinkles
Toppings
- 3 frozen bananas (blended)
- More coconut sprinkles (or regular sprinkles)
Instructions
- Mix together all the ingredients except of the sprinkles.
- Gently fold in the sprinkles.
- Transfer to a microwave safe ramekin.
- Add a few more sprinkles on top for extra color.
- Microwave for 1.5 to 2 minutes at half power (see notes in the post).
- Cool briefly, then top with nicecream and sprinkles.
- Enjoy!
OK I really need to get a microwave…. I keep seeing these amazing mug cakes and feel left out! Such a fantastic way to use those gorgeous sprinkles!
With those black forest cupcakes and all your gorgeous cakes and cupcakes, trust me you aren’t missing very much! It’s just good for those lazy times 🙂
I love that close-up shot of the mug cake… the texture is absolutely perfect!! And I love that you can make it in the microwave, so convenient!
Laziness and cake at the same time! 😀 Thanks Sarah!
This mug cake is adorable Natalie! Love love love the coconut sprinkles too! They’re so fun to make!!! <3
★★★★★
They are so much fun! I was right in the middle of editing this recipe when you posted your sprinkles that’s why I cracked up with how in tune we are…what are the odds 😀 Although I only have about 2/3 of the rainbow here, I loved you true, every color batch!
Oh WOW Natalie…this is happening in my kitchen for the kids! Quick question…recipe says to add sprinkles in later, but the ingredients for the cake doesn’t list any sprinkles. I’m assuming the sprinkles listed under toppings is for garnish at the end. How much sprinkles do you add into the actual cake? And i’m assuming i can use regular vegan sprinkles i have instead of the coconut sprinkles? thanks! sharing btw!
Oops, my bad! That’s probably because I didn’t really measure haha 😀 But I would say 1-2 tbsps depending on just how much color you want showing through. I will add that. And yep, any sprinkles work! Yay I hope you try it Anjali 🙂
Omg, I’m dying over that frosting piled high shot!! In love!! This whole thing is so pretty and cute and perfect for a quick little cake fix! I was wondering if they stayed bright colors if they were to bake a long time, I laughed at your “take the fun out of funfetti” hahaha! And as I was scrolling through reading I was wondering if that icing concoction was bananas or not, it looks legit like traditional frosting!! Such a great idea to do frosting that way with the frozen bananas! Love that the mug cake version totally preserves the beautiful colors too!
I have to admit I’ve sort of given up on trying to find a true hclf vanilla frosting, so banana nicecream it is! But it does still have that fun factor since you can pipe it tall (and then hurry hurry scramble to take pictures in an 85 degree house lol!) Coconut cream frostings are my go-to, but I get so many people asking for a low fat option when I use it I try not to put it on everything. Just like the whole skillet cookie scenario, you know how it goes. Plus cake and ice cream is classic birthday style!
what the what!? I need this little cake in my life. This is absolutely perfect! Love that I don’t have to wait until my birthday to make this baby!
You don’t even have to wait for the oven to preheat! Cake asap!! 🙂
Is is it weird that I now want a microwave for the sole reason of making mug cakes?! You totally me convinced me with this cute, colorful funfetti mug cake! The video is G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S – as always! Also, eating cake without a reason is the best. 🙂
No not weird at all, but you can make mug cakes in the oven! Well maybe not this one because of the whole coconut toasting color fading issue, but in general they work that in there too. Possibly even better texture since the microwave can dry things out…but not as fast. And I’m an impatient girl 😀 And I agree, it totally is awesome to eat cake for no reason. Spontaneous indulgence–I love it!
How festive! And healthy, too 🙂
Thanks Dani 🙂
I am going to track down the microwave manual, I have no idea how to change the settings! It is definitely on high now though, it heats tea in half the time our previous one did, hmmmm
And then there will be cake for dinner ahem I-mean-dessert 🙂
Whoa sounds like super power microwave!! lol It shouldn’t be too hard, on mine there is a button that says “cook power” and so I just put in the time -> cook power -> 5 -> start. One for dinner, and another one for desert! They’re small 😉
I want try this! But how i can replace maple syrup? Can i use brown sugar maybe? Thanksss
Of course! Just use 2 tbsps of brown sugar and add 2 tbsps of a non-dairy milk to make up for the liquid element 🙂
Aw, so cute! Gosh all the funfetti things you can make now… Can’t wait to see some more pop-tarts with sprinkles… or some fairy bread… Or frosted cookies… <3 < 3 <3 My all time favorite donuts growing up were the Hawaiian ones Tim Horton's — vanilla glazed with sprinkles. I remember the look my husband gave me when I ordered that for the first time we went to the coffee shop together. I just shrugged. No shame. Sprinkles — they make me happy. If it wasn't for the junk in them I'd probably be eating them all the way to a retirement home ?
Hahahahaha!! Honestly I think retirement homes could use more sprinkles, so just bring them with you. Something about juvenile snacks makes me happy too 🙂 Wow I hadn’t even thought of all these things that need to be made now that I have sprinkles in my arsenal, but yes yes and yes! I’m a little confused why they are called Hawaiian donuts if they are just vanilla + sprinkles, but that would be my order too! Sugar glazed in sugar with some sugar sprinkled on top–yep sounds good with me 🙂
I never quite got it either, but I think it’s just because they’re very colorful — like a hula dancer’s outfit sometimes… ? ?
So I’ve been sleeping, working, photographing, and breathing for how many days since I’ve seen this recipe? And it’s like, DUDE. Why can I not stop thinking about Natalie’s Funfetti Mug Cake? What is it about this recipe that gets me? Answers: 1. Topped with Nat’s homemade vegan sprinkles. No explanation needed.. 2. Mug cake–skipping all the fuss and getting straight to the good stuff? Yes. 3. So cute, I don’t even care if it’s my birthday or Sunday, it’s time to get my funfetti on. 4. EVERYTHING on FoF makes me drool. See: vegan caramel espresso cupcakes, dirt cups, and more. Finally, 5. Funfetti. Mug. Cake. Whaaaa?
P.S. I am literally counting down the days til I see Halloween-themed vegan sprinkles over here. Did I mention I LOVE Halloween? Hope you have an awesome weekend! And, do ya need any taste testers over there??? 😉
★★★★★
Bahahahahaha? Asking and then answering what could be rhetorical questions–this is what I love about your comments! And the casual inclusion of the word “DUDE”. And such a thorough answer too! I mean 5 whole reasons + references, that’s practically the scientific method…or something like that 😉 Reason #2 is my favorite. I already had a hunch you were on team Easy But Delicious too based on your recipes, but now it is confirmed. With your great love of Halloween I’m just excited to see what YOU create for it! And hopefully there are more candy story times involved too!
Wow this looks amazing. Love the frosting. Is it just frozen bananas?
Yep!
Might be delicious (I’m sure it is, as I have tried a couple of your other oatmel cupcake recipes) but it looks like vegetable-herb bread! You’re in for a big surprise! :S
Hahahaha!!! I can totally see that now that you point it out–that would be quite the flavor surprise? But also kind of a fun idea…?
Can I bake it instead ? If I triple the batch how long will that take 🙂
Yes you can bake it! In 3 individual mugs or? If you bake them in mugs still i’d try 12-15 mins at 350F.