Healthy Lemon Pudding Cake – A High Protein, Sugar Free Mug

Beautiful and Healthy Lemon Pudding Cake is a low carb, sugar free dessert with 30g protein you can make in under 15 minutes! A perfect easy, healthy and gluten free lemon mug cake recipe.

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28 years, 10 months and 13 days of life and I found out that lemons are manmade! Yeah apparently they didn’t exist in nature, but were some hybrid that was created by humans.

I guess that’s our lesson for the day. OH WAIT! Maybe that’s why they say ‘when life gives you lemons’ coz they were given by human beings! Geez this getting extra.

Anyway, back to our lemon pudding mug cake here – I may have underbaked it a little to get that pudding texture, but it was a super smooth and delicious 

Ingredients for Healthy Lemon Pudding Cake

This easy, sugar free, healthy lemong pudding cake is made with a few ingredients, and has no flour, butter, oil or sugar! 

• Whey-Casein Vanilla Protein Powder is what adds the protein in this mug cake. I used Quest Nutrition Vanilla Milkshake protein powder here; The whey-casein is what gives it a cake-like texture.
• Lemon Zest: Provides fresh lemon-y flavor.
• Lemon Juice: Brings out the bright lemon flavor and helps with texture.
• Almond Flour: This makes the lemon pudding mug cake gluten free, low-carb and keto friendly. I use the one from Nature’s Eats.
• Egg Whites for extra protein and also add some structure
• Unsweetened Almond Milk
• Baking Powder: Helps the cake rise and gives it that fluffy.

If you need to add more sweetness, Stevia Powder or Zero Calorie Sugar Substitute; I recommend Lakanto monkfruit.

How to Make a High Protein Lemon Pudding Cake

This high protein lemon pudding cake really is a very easy and needs about 5 minutes to prep.

Step 1: Preheat & Prep

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 1-cup ramekin.
Greasing the ramekin is important so the mug cake comes off easily.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

In a bowl, whisk together the protein powder, almond flour, lemon zest, and baking powder. This ensures all the dry ingredients are evenly distributed. Feel free to use a spoon if you don’t want to use a whisk.

Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients

Slowly add unsweetened almond milk (1 tablespoon at a time), egg white, and lemon juice to the dry ingredients. Stir until fully combined, smooth and slightly thick.
Add the milk a little at a time or the mixture might turn too runny;
Don’t over-mix the batter or the protein powder will make your protein lemon mug cake tough, dense and gummy.

Step 4: Sweeten If Needed

Taste the batter and see if its sweet enough; Feel free to add some sweetener if desired; I recommend monk fruit, stevia, or erythritol to keep this healthy lemon pudding cake sugar free!

Step 5: Bake the Cake

Pour the batter into the greased ramekin. If you want to decorate it a little, top with crushed crackers or a lemon slice.
Bake for 10-12 minutes—the top should be mostly set but slightly wobbly. It will firm up as it cools.
Don’t overbake the mug cake. The top will should be just cooked. It might look soft, but will harden when it cools a bit.
It will continue to cook when out, and you want the proper fudgy center.

Step 6: Cool & Enjoy

Let the cake sit for a couple of minutes before digging in! Enjoy warm for a soft, pudding-like texture or let it cool for a firmer cake.

Storage Instructions for Flourless Lemon Pudding Mug Cake

This flourless high protein lemon mug cake is best eaten in one go, but you can make it ahead of time to have later in the week too. Or just to use up some of those fresh lemons, haha.

Refrigerator: Store the sugar free lemon protein mug cake an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat for 10-15 seconds in the microwave before serving.

Freezer: You can freeze it for up to 1 month (in an airtight container) and thaw overnight before eating.

Alternates for this Low Calorie Lemon Cake with Protein Powder

I recommend making this high protein, low carb, low calorie and low sugar lemon cake with the protein powder and ingredients listed since it gives the best results.

If you need other options, here’s some alternatives for a healthy banana cream pudding cake for one:

• Almond flour: Try using about 1 tablespoon of Coconut Flour

• Egg Whites: 2 tablespoon aquafaba (chickpea liquid). I haven’t given this a try yet though.
• Almond Milk: Any other milk

Want a Low Fat version?

Swap almond flour in this recipe for oat flour for a lower-fat, slightly higher-carb version of this mug cake.

A Dairy Free recipe?

Use vegan protein powder (I recommend this one from KOS and Truvani) instead of whey for a dairy free lemon protein mug cake.

More Single Serving Protein Pudding Cake Recipes

• Pecan Pie Protein Mug Cake
• Fudgy Peanut Butter Protein Mug Cake
• Protein Carrot Cake Bowl
• Healthy Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding 
• Protein Chocolate Lava Cake
• Healthy Biscoff Self Saucing Pudding