Great news! My newest book, Low Sugar, So Simple, was finally published at the end of November! And one week after the launch, it became #1 on Amazon’s new releases in the gluten-free diets category! Words cannot describe how grateful I am to you, my dear reader, for your help in making this possible! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
So, in this blog post, I’m going to give you a recipe from the book, namely the Flourless 4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cake in a Mug, which is a real hit in my family (and they usually don’t even like peanut butter!). And the best part is, you can vary it to your heart’s content. Read on to find out more!
UPDATE: Video for drawing the winner in the end of the post!
Here is a sneak peek video for the book. Not only does Low Sugar, So Simple feature super-simple recipes (as the title suggests), the book also gives you valuable information about different types of sugars and the way in which sugar harms your whole body, from your head to your toes! (Remember that next time you’re tempted to fall off the low-carb wagon…!) You will also learn how best to avoid sugar and which ingredients to use to replace it healthfully and safely in your recipes.
Tips for making the Flourless 4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cake in a Mug
If you’ve already got my Low Sugar, So Simple book, just turn to page 167 and you’ll find the recipe there. If not, don’t despair: you can get the book here or straight from Amazon.
This is a really easy cake to make, so there are no any special tricks needed. If you are a beginner, or if you always fail in the kitchen, this one’s for you. That’s because this recipe is fool-proof and fail-proof—as long as you don’t overbake the cake. That will ruin the super-moist-and-scrumptious cake experience!
And here are step-by-step instructions:
First, grab a mug—a microwave-safe one and all the ingredients.
Place all the ingredients—that is, the peanut butter…
…erythritol…
…aluminum-free baking powder…
…and the egg—into the mug.
I also love to add a splash of vanilla extract.
Then just mix vigorously with a spoon…
…to form a smooth batter.
Place the mug into the microwave…
…and heat on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds. It’s better to set 1 minute first, though, and adjust the overall cooking time according to your microwave oven.
Watch the cake rise…
…and rise…
…and rise!
Check the cake after that 1 minute and adjust the overall cooking time according to your microwave oven. Don’t overbake, though! If you do, the cake will turn out dry and won’t be very appetizing. The idea is to keep it nicely moist.
Let cool until warm and serve.
I like to top mine with a squirt of whipped cream and a pat of sugar-free jam. Delish!
And here is the recipe:
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons erythritol crystals
- 1 organic free-range egg
- 1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
- Place all ingredients into a large microwave-safe mug and mix vigorously with a spoon to form a smooth batter.
- Microwave on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Check the cake after 1 minute and adjust the overall cooking time according to your microwave oven. Don't overbake.
- Let cool until warm and serve.
| Nutrition Information | In Total (recipe makes 1 serving) |
| Protein | 19.4 g |
| Fat | 32.6 g |
| Net carbs | 5.1 g |
| kcal | 395 kcal |
Tips for variation
I mention a couple of variations for this recipe in the book. For example, if you’re a chocoholic, you can add 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips to the batter just before baking. For a PB&J cake, drop 1 tablespoon sugar-free strawberry jam into the batter before baking. Create a swirl in the batter with a fork and bake.
Naturally, you can use sugar-free white chocolate chunks as well (there is a recipe for sugar-free white chocolate in the book, too, and it’s completely dairy-free! Or you can use commercial sugar-free white chocolate: KZ Clean Eating White Chocolate Vanilla Bar is my absolute favorite! It’s sweetened with Finnish xylitol which naturally makes me happy, as I’m a Finn and Finland is producing the best xylitol in the world. And if you order now from the KZ Clean Eating online store, you’ll get 15% off of your order with code LOWCARBSOSIMPLE).
Instead of strawberry jam, feel free to use any sugar-free jam you happen to fancy. I have great recipes for raspberry jam, blueberry jam, and just like cloudberry jam.
For the upcoming holiday season, you can add cranberries (either fresh or dried) and season the batter with Ceylon cinnamon. Doesn’t that sound like a cozy holiday treat!? Use Sukrin Gold to lend a warm, brown-sugary flavor to your cake. Can’t get any better than that!
Oh yes, and if you don’t have a microwave oven or are reluctant to use one, you can easily prepare this cake in a regular oven. You can actually make this recipe into mini muffins: Just double the ingredients and bake them in a mini-muffin pan at 300 °F (150 °C) for 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out almost clean. Again, be sure not to overbake. I prefer using a lower heat for erythritol-sweetened baked goods and also for those which use almonds or nuts, so that’s why I often bake this kind of recipe at 300 °F (150 °C).
By the way, if you’re not a fan of peanut butter (my family isn’t, but somehow they still just love this cake…!), you can replace it with other nut butters, like almond butter. Either way, the result is delicious. Also, if you are restricting your carbs radically, peanut butter is higher in carbs than, let’s say, almond butter, so you can make this cake with almond butter to reduce carb content. (If you replace the PB with almond butter, there will be 3.1 grams net carbs in one mug cake.)
If you’re having company, why not have a mug-cake party, and let everybody prepare their favorite version of this one-mug wonder!
Win a book and Amazon gift card!
And now, you have the chance to win a copy of the Low Sugar, So Simple book for yourself, plus an Amazon gift card worth $50! How to enter? Simply leave a comment below! The winner will be drawn on the 15th of December 2017 from my famous Hello Kitty hat. Good luck!!
UPDATE: Here is the video for drawing the winner. (My 6-year-old son was a great help!)
Still my favorite mug cake of all time. So simple and satisfying!
Happy to hear! <3
Great recipe and can’t believe how easy to
make! I just made it and added dark chocolate chips and it turned out very delicious
Many thanks for sharing!
You are so welcome, Raya!
This is my favorite keto mug cake. And I’ve made a bunch!
So wonderful to hear! <3
Can you use something else for sweetner?
Certainly!
These recipes look and sound delicious. I have tried every kind of diet known to man and the only diet that works for me is the low carb diet. I say diet, but, it’s healthy way of eating. Thank you for all the hard work that you do in getting the information out there to the ones who so desperately need it.
Sincerely,
Karen Laws
Hi Karen, thank you for your kind words! Makes me so happy that you have found the low-carb lifestyle and it works for you!
Best mug cake! Thanks!
Wonderful!! Great to hear you like it 🙂
Wow… That Looks yummy!
Would love to win your book!!! Can’t wait to try this mug cake!!!
I’d love to win this book too!!!
This was breakfast for me this morning. Delicious and easy! Thanks!
Perfect! You’re welcome 🙂
Thank you for the recipe. I’m currently in Ketosis, and I’m wondering how many carbs, calories and fat per serving. Can you let me know? Thank you!
Hi Carole, the nutrition info is under the recipe box: Protein: 19.4 g; Fat: 32.6 g; Carbs: 5.1 g; 395 kcal per serving (makes 1 serving). Hope this helps!
I can’t wait to make this!
i tried this today and it’s so yummy! my husband and i finished it in a few minutes. i love the feeling of eating a warm cake from a mug using a spoon.
And it literally only took me five minutes. i love how simple it is, limited ingredients, super fast cooking time, and you only need one mug instead of taking out all the bowls from the kitchen for mixing.
I can’t wait to get up to make two more of these and eat with my coffee.
thank you!
Thanks for the recipe. I can’t wait to try this!
Can’t wait to try this.
I would love to win your book and the Amazon gift card!
I LOVE anything peanut butter so I cant wait to try this thanks for sharing it. I would love to win thanks for the chance!
Thanks for oven instructions as well as microwave – I tend to overdo things in the micro.
Thank you so much for the baking vs microwaving directions! My counter only had room for one device so I went with toaster oven because I’m a texture snob and like my reheats crispy. I am off to make this right now and hope I don’t have to face two overwhelming puppy dog eyes from the hound as he smells the PB baking…. suppose I could make him his own, ha!
I am not sure dogs can have erythritol crystals.
It’s better not to give them erythritol, but if they happen to get some, it doesn’t kill them like xylitol.
Dear Elviira,
Your recipes never fail to surprise and inspire and prove that there are no excuses not to eat well and healthy. Elviira is one superb creator of healthy fat meals, snacks and desserts.
This Peanut Butter Mug Cake is a wonder! Who knew that 4 simple ingredients could create such a healthy cake! I cannot wait to try this one….oh, but first I must go out to buy a jar of peanut butter.
Let 2018 be the year of the ULTRA health for all of us who read Elviira’s blog. May we begin with a pledge to try ONE new recipe every week. The goal is to add to our everyday of “go to recipes.”
Let us not fall prey to cravings…and if we do KNOW and UNDERSTAND it is because on that day…WE did not eat enough good nourishing fat. And sugar is calling our name. Sugar be gone…give me fat and let me be healthy, more and more everyday. This is the call to head home and prepare a dessert! And eat!
Thank you Elviira for the wonderful work you do. Keep being inspired and generous in your sharing.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, to Elviira, her family and all her readers world-wide.
It would be great to win your fabulous book of outstanding cooking.
Gladys,
Toronto, Canada
Would LOVE to have this as a Christmas gift. Thanks for the chance!
Can’t wait to try this mug cake! YUM!!
Simple is what I like. Would love to win a copy of your book.
Mug cake looks and sounds delicious.
I would love to win, but the recipe looks absolutely delicious, can imagine having coffee with this cake! Thank you for this opportunity
This recipe book looks very interesting Would love to win it.
i AM DIABETIC AND THESE ARE A BLESSING. lOW CARB AND SMALL ENOUGH THAT YOU DONT OVER INDULGE .
Can’t wait to make this for my hubby, he’s a huge peanut butter fan!
Congratulations on your new cookbook! I would love to win a copy. Thank you for the opportunity.
I love quick recipes! I have all 4 ingredients on hand too.
This recipe looks so good and so easy I can’t wait to try it
Cheers for the holidays
I have been wanting sweets and this sounds and looks scrumptious
love easy 1-serving recipes like this. Yum and you’re done!
Yum! Can’t wait to try. Love how simple it is.
This looks amazing! Thanks for the opportunity to win!
Thank-you for the recipe .I am in a Christmas baking mood so i am going to give this a try.It would be nice to win your book.If not i will continue to make your recipe you give freely.
This is going to be AMAZING!!! Having as “dessert” this evening – thanks so much for your recipes, and your book would be a blessing… I am able to get friends involved in Low-Carb eating because they see the change in me… 50 lbs GONE!!! And I feel great!!! 🙂
Just tried this recipe. Very simple to make! The flavor was quite good, but mine turned out a bit spongy. Oh well, guess I’ll have to try it again. 🙂 I used Truvia as the sweetener in mine (powder), and I used 2 tsp. I thought this was quite sweet enough for me. I also added about 1/2 tsp. of vanilla. Thanks for a delicious recipe!
I love anything peanut butter! Can’t wait to try this mug cake!
I like that I can cook this recipe in the microwave or in the oven. I’ve been keto for a while but really struggle with the sweets.
That mug cake looks good, I would love your cookbook!
I was just diagnosed as diabetic and I
m looking for low carb recipes- especially desserts. This looks really good.
Hi Elviira,
Nice post & lovely pictures!
I bought your book ’Parantava ketoosi’ – a great buy recommended it to my friends, too
Thank you, Tuula! Unfortunately Parantava ketoosi is currently out of print but I will ask the publisher if they can print the second edition.
I would love to have this book! Fingers crossed!
This looks delicious! Will definitely give it a shot this weekend.
I love simple mug cakes. Thank you for the chance to win!
Looks sooo good 🙂 I cannot eat eggs ~ do you think it would work with a chia/flaxseed egg? Happy holidays, all the best!
I tried with chia egg and the result was okish. It needed longer cooking time than with regular egg. The texture is also different than when using regular egg. Please let me know how you liked it if you try out! Happy holidays!
Wow, looks so good.
Another great recipe — and with lots of variations you mentioned!!!
Would love to win your Cookbook. It would be a Christmas present to myself. Thanks for all you hard work that you share with all of us. Merry Christmas and Happy New to come.
I have been reading your blog for a while, so cannot wait to try your cookbook.
The mug cake looks delicious. I am always looking for delicious no/low sugar recipes.
Janet
Can’t wait to try
This recipe looks so good and easy! Just want I want in a mug cake (unlike those mug cake recipes with 20 ingredients!) . Five carbs is a little high for me for dessert, though, but I really want to try it with peanut butter. Do you think it would work with the same cook time and everything if I halved the recipe? Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Joanne, I’m totally with you when it comes to 20-ingredient recipes! I’m simply too impatient to read long ingredient lists… I think you have to decrease the cooking time if you halve the recipe. Maybe 30-45 sec would be enough? Btw, since dividing an egg is quite difficult, you can make two mug cakes and save one for tomorrow. How does that sound?
Aha! Good idea. I was just pondering how to half the egg. Thanks!
This looks so good and very easy!!!
Yummy peanut butter !
So easy recipe! I’m gonna try it. BTW, is this a paella dish on your book’s cover? Low carb paella? I can’t believe it!
Yes, there is also low-carb paella recipe in the book 🙂
Fantastic recepies, kiitos!
Recipe looks Awesome!
Looks scrumptious!! Thanks for the recipe. So thankful for your website and books. Merry Christmas!! <3
This looks delish. I’m going to make this as a dessert tonight.
I have tried a few of your recipes………They are so delicious………My grand kids also help me make them… and eat them………….we would be so happy to win your book so we can try all the recipes……………
Hi love the sound of this cake! I’m new to a low carb diet (amongst others restrictions). Is there anything apart from the eythrimol sweetener I can use please? Would stevia work just as well? Thanks and I look forward to reading your further posts
Just tried it with liquid vanilla stevia as the only sweetener. The result was good, but mixing the batter wasn’t easy; the PB and egg didn’t want to get mixed into a smooth batter. Maybe heating the PB a few seconds in the microwave would help.
Thanks. I have the powdered form of stevia. Will try tonight and let you all know
Grateful for the work you do! Love your recipes!
Would love to win a new cookbook.
Hmmm, looks so delicious! I can’t wait to try it out.
I am truly amazed at what can be made with no flour! Can’t wait to try this out.
This looks fantastic – can’t wait to try it!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It looks easy and tasty.
Thanks. I hope I win a book because I’m anxious to start using the info.
As snug as a bug in a rug…err I mean MUG is how #happy I would be to win this wonderful book!!
This is one that my go to evening snacks. Love it
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Your cookbook looks awesome as well!!
This looks so good and easy! Would love this cook book!!
Looks so yummy! Can’t wait to try it! 🙂
Looks delicious!I love your recipes. I’ve made several. Can’t wait to get this book. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
thanks for the awesome recipe pinned and printed to make i would love your book … HAPPY HOLIDAYS