THM-S, Low-Carb
Sugar-Free Dulce de Leche Spiced Mug Cake is a quick-fix microwave cake with a real caramel frosting that can be enjoyed anytime. Up until a short while ago, a recipe of this type seemed so far out of reach to me, because first of all who wants to spend 20 minutes making a tiny caramel sauce for a single serve mug cake since, from my experience, the stove-top cooked caramel will crystallize if you cook a normal sized batch ahead of time and try to store it. But then Brooke’s Five Minute Caramel Sauce entered my world and along with it a whole host of recipe ideas that I’d been pushing from my mind because I thought they just weren’t doable.
In this recipe, I was actually able to reduce Brooke’s Five Minute Caramel Sauce down to a Quick Three Minute Single Serve Caramel Sauce and I plan to reach for this fast and fabulous sauce often in future recipes!
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If you read Brooke’s post you will see that she recommends adding xanthan gum to the recipe if you want to keep it from separating when you store it. This will stop the separation, although I’ve not had it do that when stored, but I didn’t enjoy the thickened version once it cooled, although still totally amazing hot.
This is a super easy recipe but it’s not particularly forgiving so be sure you don’t overcook it, and be very sure you always cook it in a heavy mug or bowl, a thin pyrex bowl might allow it to cook too quickly and burn (at least mine did.)
I really recommend making this smaller batch if you are alone in the house and absolutely adore caramel like I do. This stuff is just irresistible!
Dulce de Leche Spiced Mug Cake
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 1 Mug Cake
Sugar Free Dulce de Leche Spiced Mug Cake is a quick-fix microwave cake with a real caramel frosting that can be enjoyed anytime.
Ingredients
2-Minute Microwave Caramel Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter salted or unsalted
- 1 tablespoon powdered gentle sweet (1/2 tablespoon powdered Pyure or 2 tablespoons powdered Swerve)
- 1/8 tsp of blackstrap molasses
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- Salt to taste
Dulce D'Leche Mug Cakes
- 3 Minute Caramel Sauce ~ make it first so it will be ready to go on the warm cake.
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbs. of coconut oil (melted)
- 1 Tbs. of water
- 1 Tbs. of 0% Greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp. of vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. of baking powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut flour or 3 tablespoons THM Baking Blend
- 1 1/2 tablespoons golden flax meal or 1 tablespoon THM Baking Blend
- 1 tablespoon Gentle Sweet or 1/2 tablespoon Pyure or Truvia
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
For the 2-Minute Caramel Sauce
Melt the butter in the microwave in a small but thick heavy microwave bowl or mug for a few seconds until liquid. Remove from the oven and add in the sweetener, molasses, and cream. Return to the microwave and cook for 2 minutes. Although the full-size caramel takes 4 minutes this small amount has been getting a nice thick golden brown in 2 minutes.
One thing to remember is that is worked well in my oven. If you have a really high powered microwave....To be on the safe side you might want to cook this mixture for 30 seconds and stir then cook for 30 seconds and stir and stop when it turns a nice consistency and color. * It thickens more as it cools and it completely solid in the fridge. It will burn if overcooked.
* It thickens more as it cools and it completely solid in the fridge and will burn if overcooked.
One thing to remember is that this 2-minute cooking method worked perfectly in my oven. To be on the safe side you might want to cook this mixture for 1 minute and stir then cook for another minute. It will burn if overcooked.
Remove this mixture from the oven and add the *salt and vanilla. ~ Set the caramel aside and prepare and cook the cake.
For the Mug Cake
*Bake in some type mug (shallow cup) or little silicone bundt pan that will allow the caramel to penetrate or surround the cake for best results.
Add the ingredients to a small mixing bowl in the order listed if using the little baking pan or mix it right in the shallow mug and cook in the microwave for 1 minute. Remove the cake and pierce the top surface very deeply with a fork. Drizzle the caramel over the surface of the hot cake and let it soak in for a few seconds and enjoy warm.
Notes
*Alternatively, you can pour this cake into two small ramekins and cook in the microwave for 40 seconds and refrigerate half the caramel sauce and one of the cakes to reheat for later as this cake is very filling and can easily serve two for dessert.
*When adding the salt in just remember that a tiny bit will enhance the taste, a little more will give you salted caramel and much more will reduce the sweetness.
*The picture shows a little whip cream added for garnish which looks pretty but is not necessary in this dish.
Courses Snack or Dessert
Cuisine Mexican
This sounds so yummy!!!!!!!! I don’t have a microwave. Do have suggestions on making this without a microwave?
I haven’t tried mug cakes in the oven but I hear they work fine just allow more time. 🙂
Oh man! Thank you soooooooo much! I had to babysit my grandson all day! I could not wait for the day to be over so I could try this! I overslept this morning so I couldn’t make it for my breakfast! I ate the whole thing! It was amazing! If I had whipped cream I would have put it on there! It was so delicious!
I have a Pyrex glass baking dish, its a small rectangle one, I think its about a 5 by 7? I make all my single serve cakes in the oven because I just prefer that over the microwave! I bake them at 350 for 13 to 15 minutes. It takes forever when you are starving! 😀
That small amount of caramel sauce was soooooo freaking good! I licked the bowl! I love how you can make yummy tasting caramel sauce in the microwave in under two minutes flat!
Thank you so much for sharing!
Hugs!
Sharon
Hi, Sharon! I like these cakes better baked too but I wanted a fast caramel sauce delivery system and this microwave mug cake recipe seemed to fill the bill. So glad you got a chance to make it and enjoyed it. Thanks a bunch for taking the time to let me know 🙂
The cake was really yummy but the caramel sauce was the bomb! Thanks so much for posting this!
Thanks, Suzanne, and that cake is a caramel delivery system 🙂
Added 1 Tbsp cocoa and used 2.Tbsp super sweet instead of gentle sweet in cake.
Great chocolate cake!
Thanks for the tip Ronnie! I’m trying that one soon 🙂
I made this for breakfast this morning and it was SO YUMMY!!! The caramel sauce was so delucious and easy that I will be making it lots. I was out of heavy cream, so I subbed 1 T sour cream and 1 T milk: worked perfect. Thank you for another top notch recipe. ?
Is it better with the flours listed versus thm baking blend?
I like it a little better with the other flours Stephanie. I have a LOT of baking blend recipes but they are all extremely flavorful, as opposed to mildly flavored. For milder flavors I go with other flour combinations because these desserts can all start to taste alike if you’re not careful. For recipes with lots of spices and citrus and such it’s not a problem at all though.
Before I make this I just want to clarify: in the recipe sometimes it says 2 minute and sometimes 3 minute caramel sauce? Are they all the same sauce? Thanks!
It is two minutes Kathy and I’ll go check that out, thanks for letting me know. 🙂
This is so amazing! Any tips on a full size recipe?!
I have some plans in the works Nikki! Stay tuned 🙂
Really, really good . The caramel sauce is great. We will be making this anytime we need a quick dessert. Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Christy and thanks so much for stopping back by to let me know. These reviews are a big help to me and others who visit. 🙂 <3
Wow, Teresa, this looks too good to be THM! I love Your creativeness 😋.
Thanks, Linn! Glad you enjoyed. <3
Honestly, fellow foodies, you could put this caramel sauce on ANYTHING and it would be absolutely delish. The combination of spice cake and caramel sauce is unbelievable. I made a custard a few days ago that wasn’t my best effort, so I thought I would try to liven it up with some of the sauce, and it was great. Now I don’t have to toss the custard, I just have to make more caramel to go over it. Think of this sauce as a rescue for any dessert that isn’t quite up to par. Or just eat it on the cake as directed. You won’t be sorry. Nana has the best desserts on the Internet!
Hi Phyllis! I’m so glad the sauce worked out for you and thanks so much for the encouragement.