This banana bread in a mug is a people pleaser in the best possible way. It’s a vegan banana bread mug cake that is also gluten-free, paleo, and completely delicious. It’s a healthy snack or healthy breakfast that you’ll crave!
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Banana Bread Mug Cake
This banana bread in a mug recipe was about a year in the making.
My most popular mug cake recipe on this site is this healthy single serving microwave banana bread. It has been shared over 100,000 times (this blows my freakin’ mind – thank you to everyone who has tried and shared my recipes!)
That banana bread mug cake is paleo, high protein, and gluten-free but it’s not vegan. I have had a bunch of requests over the years for a banana bread mug cake with no egg.
I thought, no problem, I got this. I once owned a vegan organic bakery, this will be easy.
I actually did make a vegan banana bread recipe, but it used regular flour and I wanted this to be gluten-free for my gf peeps.
This turned out to be not so easy.
I made many a delicious banana bread flavored pudding, but I could not get the consistency right so it would set well and taste like a cake.
I tried lots of different things to replace the egg and help this banana mug cake set well.
What worked?
Cha-cha-cha-chia!
Chia seeds are tiny little nutritional powerhouses.
They’re low-cal, high fiber, and high protein. Chia seeds can thicken jam instead of pectin, and they can act as an egg replacer in baking which is what I did here.
If you want to make this recipe uber-healthy and only use whole foods, you can skip the chocolate chips and then it’s a 3-ingredient banana mug cake (or make this one!).
I am a huge fan of chocolate so WILL be keeping in those chocolate chips.
This recipe is so easy, and you can make it right in the mug without needing a mixing bowl first. Yay for fewer dishes!
I didn’t even spray the mug first (I usually do when I make mug cakes) and it cooked up perfectly and didn’t stick to the insides.
I put the peeled banana in a large mug, and mashed it up with the back of a fork.
Add the chia seeds to the mashed banana and stir them in. Let that sit for a minute or two while you get out the other ingredients. This gives the chia seeds a chance to absorb liquid from the banana and plump up, which will help this mug cake without an egg set really well.
Stir in the almond flour and the chocolate chips.
If you love cinnamon, here is a cinnamon banana mug cake recipe that is paleo and gluten-free!
Microwave your banana bread in a mug for 90 seconds, and then check to see if it’s done. If it needs a bit more time to set, add 20 or 30 seconds at a time until it’s done.
Top with more chocolate chips, a drizzle of peanut butter, sliced banana, whipped coconut cream, vegan ice cream, so many toppings are delicious with this vegan banana bread mug cake.
Okay! Let’s make this banana bread in a mug asap!
Ingredients
4 tbsp almond flour
1 banana
½ tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp chocolate chips
Instructions
Mash a ripe banana in a microwave-safe mug or ramekin.
Stir in the chia seeds, then leave for a minute or two for them to absorb some of the liquid and soften up.
Add the almond flour into the mug and mix it in.
Add the chocolate chips.
Microwave on high for 90 seconds; check if done.
If it needs a bit more time to set in the middle, add 20-30 seconds at a time until done.
Top with more chocolate chips, sliced banana, coconut whip, vegan ice cream, a peanut butter drizzle, etc or enjoy as is!
