Fudgy Protein Mug Cake

This Fudgy Protein Mug Cake is a quick and easy, protein-packed, and guilt-free sweet treat. And, it’s single-serving so you won’t overinduldge.

If you’ve been around for awhile now, you know just how strongly I feel about the importance of real food. Real, whole foods should always trump packaged, processed food, in my opinion. For example, I don’t believe in replacing high quality meats and veggies with protein powders or bars. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t use these products to supplement my whole food, nutrient-rich diet. Sometimes a girl needs a little sweet treat. You feel me? 

When I indulge in something sweet, I prefer using high-quality protein powder, instead of dense gluten-free or nut- based flours. I’ve noticed I tend to digest protein powder better, which might be true for you, too. Plus, it’s always helpful to consume an extra protein dose in my sweet treat. 

Why Protein is Essential

As we know, protein is necessary for optimal health. We need plenty of protein in our diet to:

• Improve Metabolic Function – Protein requires the most energy to digest compared to carbs and fats. As a result, your metabolism works harder to promote healthy fat loss without losing muscle.
• Build and Repair –  Protein is the primary building block of muscle, tissue, and organs. Protein is responsible for building and maintaining muscle, which is why protein is essential before and after workouts. 
• Fight Infection – The antibodies in protein help your body fight off infections, destroy pathogens, and keep you healthy.
• Regulate Digestion – When eating protein as a part of a balanced meal, it can regulate the rate of digestion by slowing down the digestion of carbs. This improves blood sugar regulation and keeps you energized longer. 

As someone who eats high amounts of animal foods, I often still struggle to meet my protein needs for the day, like most Americans. If you aren’t sure how much protein you should be eating daily, follow this rule of thumb: 

Consume 1g of protein per pound of body weight. 

Protein Powder Recommendations

As for my protein powder recommendations, if you can tolerate goat dairy, I highly recommend this grass-fed goat whey powder by Mt. Capra. It’s the only animal-based protein powder that doesn’t bloat me, due to it’s easy digestibility. 

For those of you who don’t tolerate dairy well, this plant-based protein by Four Sigmatic is my favorite. It provides a nutrient-dense blend of various plant proteins, including the amino acids that are essential for muscle protein synthesis. Bonus: it doesn’t have any gums/fillers, as opposed to most other plant proteins.

If you make this recipe, I would love to know! Tag me on Instagram (@rawfitnessandnutrition) so I can see your beautiful, drool-worthy mug cake!