Vegan Matcha Mug Cake

Name: Vegan Matcha Mug Cake
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ ripe banana, mashed (see note 1); 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk; 1 tablespoon canned coconut milk (see note 2); 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar; ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract; A tiny pinch of salt (see note 3); ¼ cup all purpose flour (see note 4 and 5 for gluten-free option); ¼ heaping teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon ceremonial grade matcha powder (see note 6); 2-3 tablespoons organic powdered sugar; ¼ teaspoon ceremonial grade matcha powder; ¾ - 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk

Jump to Recipe

Fluffy, moist, and ready in 5 minutes, this Vegan Matcha Mug Cake is loaded with delicious matcha flavor. This is possibly the easiest dessert ever, but it also makes a great breakfast.

Jump to:

Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make a Vegan Matcha Mug Cake
Frequently Asked Questions
Pro Tips for Success
More Recipes Like This
Vegan Matcha Mug Cake

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for details.

Hey Internet, I love matcha. I’ve already got a vegan matcha pound cake, vegan matcha cookies, and an iced vegan matcha latte. I’m obviously a big fan.

My husband enjoys when I make mug desserts, so I already have a few of those recipes too including my vegan mug brownie, vegan protein mug cake, vegan vanilla mug cake, and vegan mug cookie.

This vegan matcha mug cake is the best of both worlds. It takes a simple fluffy vegan mug cake and infuses it with rich matcha flavor.

The kind of matcha you use matters. Though it can be pricey, the best matcha to use for this vegan matcha cake is ceremonial grade.

Culinary grade matcha is less expensive but it’s also less flavorful. In some instances it’s even bitter.

Luckily this vegan matcha mug cake only uses one whole teaspoon of matcha powder (unless you’re making the icing, then it uses 1 ¼ teaspoon total) so you don’t need much of the expensive stuff.

Why This Recipe Works

I tried a LOT of combinations to get this mug cake to work. Many of them resulted in green batter being thrown all over my microwave. Fun.

I finally figured out the ratios and proportions and I’ve got to tell you this vegan matcha mug cake is amazing!

All you have to do is mix the wet ingredients together in the mug, add in the dry ingredients, and mix those in there too. Then you microwave it!

Also the icing is made from matcha, organic powdered sugar, and non-dairy milk so that’s very quick and easy to make as well.

You could choose to skip the icing and add a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream on top if you prefer.

This vegan mug cake has very simple ingredients but with carefully crafted proportions. I provided a few substitutions below but please exercise caution when messing with the recipe.

As with all my recipes (but especially for any baking recipes), I recommend trying the recipe once or twice exactly as written before changing ingredients and experimenting.

P.S. While I've eaten this recipe primarily for breakfast (because caffeine), it also makes a great dessert. If you're into easy desserts, try my list of 50+ No Bake Vegan Desserts!

Never miss a recipe! Join my mailing list to receive a free copy of my e-book on my go-to plant based recipes as well as vegan tips, NEW recipes straight to your inbox. I will NEVER spam you or sell your information.

Ingredients and Substitutions

½ ripe banana, mashed: You’ll need a ripe (preferably spotty) banana for this recipe. Use half for one mug cake. You can either freeze the rest or make a mug cake for someone else too. I could not detect any banana flavor in the finished cake, but if you don’t have any overripe bananas, or you can’t have bananas, you can use a similar amount of sweet potato or pumpkin puree, unsweetened applesauce, or mashed avocado. Keep in mind some of these may change the color.
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk: It doesn’t really matter which kind. Soy milk tends to be creamier. If the non-dairy milk you have is vanilla flavored, use less vanilla extract.
1 tablespoon canned coconut milk: This adds some richness and increases the fluffy texture of the finished cake. It does not make it taste like coconut. If you don’t have coconut milk or you can’t eat it, you can use a tablespoon of vegan butter instead, OR just use 3 tablespoons total of non-dairy milk.
2 tablespoons organic cane sugar: I mention organic because (at least in the United States where I live), nonorganic sugar is sometimes filtered with animal bone char, making it not vegan. There are a few brands who do not do this. They will indicate vegan on the packaging in this case or you can research vegan cane sugar brands and you’ll find some.
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract: This improves the cake flavor, and does not overpower the matcha. Still, you can omit it if you prefer.
A tiny pinch of salt: A little salt is important for the flavor balance. However, the amount I used is less than ⅛ teaspoon, perhaps around half that or less. Use a tiny pinch between two fingers.
¼ cup all purpose flour: This recipe will work with all purpose gluten-free flour if needed. I have only tested one other flour: blanched almond flour. It turned out tasty but it does change the recipe significantly so I’ve included a separate recipe in the notes section of the recipe card below. You’re welcome to experiment but I cannot guarantee anything.
¼ heaping teaspoon baking powder: I tried this recipe with exactly ¼ teaspoon and it didn’t rise enough for my liking, and I tried it with ½ teaspoon and the cake rose too much and went over the sides of my mug. ¼ heaping teaspoon was just right.
1 teaspoon ceremonial matcha powder: As mentioned above, culinary grade matcha, while significantly less expensive than ceremonial grade matcha, will be less flavorful and sometimes even bitter. Ceremonial grade IS expensive, but if you love the taste of matcha, you may not be happy making your vegan matcha mug cake with culinary grade. Further, we’re only using a teaspoon of matcha powder here (or ¼ teaspoon extra if making the icing), so it’s not a large amount. My favorite matcha for this recipe (and for drinking, either hot or in an iced matcha latte) is always Ippodo Tea.
For the icing: 2-3 tablespoons organic powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon matcha powder, and ¾ - 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk: Use these ingredients and whisk them together with a small whisk (I do recommend using a sifter or mesh tea strainer to sift both the sugar and matcha to make a smooth icing) until drizzling consistency. If too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. If too thick, add a little more non-dairy milk, ½ teaspoon at a time.

How to Make a Vegan Matcha Mug Cake

Note about mug size: Mugs do come in all different shapes and sizes. I’ve made this in a relatively small 14-ounce mug. If you have a smaller mug, like an 8 oz mug, you may want to halve the recipe. You’ll need to cook it for less time too. If you have a larger mug, the cake will cook just fine, it will just be lower in the mug (it won’t come all the way to the top).
Start by mashing the half banana in a small bowl (or in the mug, I just find it easier in a small bowl) with a fork. Mash until it gets a little shiny or glossy. This helps it incorporate better into the batter.
Add the mashed banana to the mug first with the non-dairy milk, coconut milk (if using), sugar, and vanilla extract and mix well with the fork. Adding the dry ingredients first makes it hard to make sure you get every dry bit.
Now sprinkle the flour, baking powder, and salt on top of the wet mixture in the mug. Use a fine mesh tea strainer or a sifter to sift in the matcha so it doesn’t clump.
Mix again with the fork, but try not to overmix (can lead to a somewhat tough texture).
If you’d like, you could add vegan white chocolate chips or regular vegan chocolate chips, but I really like the vegan matcha mug cake as is.
Microwave for about 1-2.5 minutes. Don’t overcook it! Start with 1 minute and add 15 seconds at a time after checking it. How long it takes will vary by microwave. 1 minute and 31 seconds was actually perfect for our microwave. It’s done when the top of the cake appears mostly matte and an inserted toothpick comes out clean, or with tiny crumbs on it (which is the best doneness because it’s super tender at that point).
Let the vegan matcha mug cake cool for a few minutes before icing or eating.
To make the icing: Sift the powdered sugar and ¼ teaspoon matcha powder into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whisk in the non-dairy milk. If the icing is too thick, add a half teaspoon of non-dairy milk, or more as needed. If the icing is too thin, add in a teaspoon of powdered sugar, or more as needed. When you’re happy with the consistency, you can use a spoon to drizzle the icing over the cake.
This recipe makes a single serving so I recommend enjoying the whole thing immediately. If you do have leftovers, do your best to cover the mug and refrigerate until ready to finish.

Did you know I have books? Visit my shop page to see the various e-books I have available. My best seller is Plant-Based Jewish Recipes, and I’m in the middle of a second volume of that as well as a new book in the works that focuses on one of my favorite gluten-free vegan proteins.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between ceremonial grade matcha and culinary grade matcha?

Ceremonial grade matcha is just that, made for ceremonies in mind. It is premium quality and the flavor is more subtle, more true matcha than culinary. In contrast, culinary grade matcha is meant for cooking applications and is not as high quality. This recipe is not for a hot or iced matcha latte, so why do I recommend ceremonial grade? Because I’ve found that culinary grade is bitter and since we’re only using 1 teaspoon (or 1 + ¼ teaspoon if also making the icing), I’ve found that it is worth it to use my expensive ceremonial grade matcha for this recipe.

What is the best matcha powder?

Ippodo matcha tea is my favorite. You cannot go wrong with this brand in my opinion. A good starter is the Sayaka variety (not too strong). Other good brands include Kettl, Rishi, and Matchaful.

I don’t own a microwave—help!

Follow the steps in the recipe to make this vegan matcha mug cake—but place it in a ramekin instead and bake in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) oven for 10-20 minutes (will depend on the size and shape (diameter, depth, etc.) of your ramekin. You’ll know it’s done when the top looks set, the edges look browned, and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes but… spread that across two mugs otherwise the inside won’t cook. And don’t cook two mugs at once, otherwise they won’t heat evenly.

Can I use a big mug?

Sure, but keep the recipe the same.

Pro Tips for Success

Make sure your banana is ripe or overripe. It should have little brown spots all over the skin. The riper it is the sweeter it is. The banana serves many purposes in this recipe: egg and oil replacer, makes it sweeter, and helps make the cake more moist. Applesauce, pumpkin puree, or mashed avocado would work but it definitely will make the matcha mug cake less sweet.
Mash the banana well. You want the mixture to become smooth and glossy, otherwise you’ll have lumps of banana in your finished cake.
I highly recommend using a mesh tea strainer or a flour sifter to sift in the matcha (both with the cake and in the icing if making) to ensure no bitter lumps. With how expensive matcha is, you want to make sure the matcha gets evenly distributed in the vegan mug cake.
Make the recipe once or twice as written before experimenting with substitutions.
For a gluten-free version, check the notes section at the bottom of the recipe card. This version uses almond flour. If you prefer to use a 1:1 gluten-free flour replacement, then try the main recipe I wrote in the recipe card but with the same amount of gluten-free flour blend. I can’t guarantee it will work as there are many blends out there that produce different results but I have had good success with swapping flour in cake with brands like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour and King Arthur Baking Company Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour.
If you don’t want to make the icing, you don’t have to. You could also try adding vegan chocolate chips or vegan white chocolate chips.

More Recipes Like This

<3 Liz

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, or YouTube for more vegan tips, recipes, and to see all my recipe videos (I even have recipes not on the blog!).

Save this for later on Pinterest!