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About This Recipe
My heavens y’all – we sure have stumbled amongst a winner here! This dessert came about one night when I NEEDED chocolate. It was late. I was tired, and I wasn’t about spending time or energy in the kitchen to whip up a healthy treat.
I decided I would give a go at a protein cake I could make in the microwave. To be honest, I had no idea how it would turn out, but I was hopeful (and desperate). So I mixed a couple of ingredients in bowl, put it in the microwave and crossed my fingers.
Lucky for me, it turned out amazing. More amazing than any other cake I had ever tried to microwave before in my life! This Protein Lava Cake has the best combination of actual cake + gooey fudgy batter.
The secret trick? I set the cook power on the microwave at 7 which allowed me to create the perfect texture for both. It’s not bad if you don’t change the microwave cook power, but I think it is better this way because the outer rim of the cake doesn’t cook as much, and therefore, is less spongy.
And the best part is it just takes 1 minute to make! Just like my other mug cake recipes, Healthy Coffee Cake in a Mug, Red Velvet Mug Cake or Banana Chocolate Chip Mug Cake) all you have to do is mix a few simple ingredients, microwave and enjoy!
Why You’ll Love This Protein Lava Cake
- All you have to do is mix up the ingredients and pop them in the microwave.
- It only takes one minute to make!
- You very likely have all of these ingredients already in your pantry.
- Enjoy the sweet flavor of molten lava cake without all the carbs and fat!
- The perfect single-serving dessert to curve your sweet tooth without extra leftovers!
- Protein powder – I used PEScience vanilla protein powder for this one but any flavor will work.
For all PEScience products, you can use code “LaurenFitFoodie” to save 10%. - Cocoa Powder – normal cocoa powder or dutch black cocoa powder (see below for differences)
- Peanut butter powder – I buy the big tub off Amazon like the one here to save a few bucks and because I know I’ll go through it.
- Jello-O sugar-free chocolate pudding mix – or any flavor for that matter, the chocolate just makes it more chocolatey, which we love right??
- Sweetener of choice – I typically just use a packet of Splenda, but really any sweetener will work.
- Baking powder
- Unsweetened almond milk – or any milk of choice!
- Vanilla extract – optional, but I like the flavor it adds.
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. In small bowl, add the protein powder, cocoa powder, peanut butter powder, pudding mix, baking powder and sweetener.
2. Stir until combined.
3. Add the almond milk and vanilla and stir again until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly. Add the chocolate batter and spread out evenly. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
4. Microwave at a power level of 7 for 1-1:20 minutes. Cooking time with depend both on the size of your bowl and how gooey or you want it. You want to keep the middle gooey so it’s like a lava cake!
Protein Lava Cake Tips!
- Make sure to mix the dry ingredients first – this will help make sure everything is mixed well and bakes evenly. Plus, no one likes getting baking powder clumps in their bite. Blah! Mixing the dry ingredients first helps prevent that.
- Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl sprayed with cooking spray after mixing everything. You don’t have to do this and it’s not that messy if you don’t – but really – clean up is next to none when you do and its not that hard. It’s literally just an empty bowl with no remains. Plus I just rinse the batter bowl immediately while this is microwaving so it’s not like I’m wasting extra dishes anyway.
- Change the cook power on your microwave! Again, not necessary, but if you’re all about having the most optimum experience here. 👏🏼
What’s the difference between black cocoa and dark cocoa powder?
Dark cocoa gives a rich classic chocolate flavor and the black cocoa gives a cookies and cream like chocolate flavor. I get my black cocoa from from Amazon (Wincrest Black Cocoa) or HIIT Nutrition! I have used both normal dark cocoa powder (Hershey’s brand) and dutch black cocoa. They are honestly BOTH amazing in their own ways.
Can this protein lava cake be made in advance?
Mug cakes should always be made fresh! If you want, you could always prep and measure out the dry ingredients into a couple of Ziplock bags to make the process a little quicker. But either way, this mug cake is super quick and easy to make!
Is this protein lava cake gluten-free?
Yes, this protein lava cake is gluten-free. To make dairy-free, just be sure to use a plant-based protein powder, vegan-friendly jello powder (like SimplyDelish) and dairy-free milk.
More Healthy Cake Recipes You’ll Love
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Protein Lava Cake (Single Serve)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder (30g)
- 2 Tbsp dutch black cocoa or dark cocoa powder (10g)
- 1 Tbsp peanut butter powder (8g)
- 1 Tbsp sugar free chocolate pudding mix (8g)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sweetener of choice
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (90g) or milk of choice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 Tbsp mini chocolate chips use dairy-free if needed
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes. Scroll for macros and MyFitnessPal code.
Instructions
- In small bowl, add the protein powder, cocoa powder, peanut butter powder, pudding mix, baking powder and sweetener. Stir until combined.
- Add the almond milk and vanilla and stir again until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
- Spray a separate microwave safe bowl with cooking spray (you can skip this step if you don't care that the cake may stick a little). Add the chocolate batter and spread out evenly. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Microwave at a power level of 7 for 1-1:20 minutes. Cooking time with depend both on the size of your bowl and how gooey or you want it. You want to keep the middle gooey so it's like a lava cake!
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
