Easy Pumpkin Snack Cake Recipe

Pumpkin colored snack cake baked in a rectangular pan.

This easy pumpkin snack cake recipe is moist and fluffy. The perfect fall recipe to make with pumpkin puree. Add optional cream cheese frosting to make it a dessert!

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Servings: pieces

Author: Danika Vanderpyl

Equipment

1 9x13 baking pan

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups white flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg optional

Wet ingredients:

¾ cup oil
1 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs

Optional Icing:

1 cup cream cheese, soft 1 block, 250 grams
4 tablespoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional for extra flavor)

Instructions

Start by greasing a rectangular 9x13 pan and preheating the oven to 350°Fahrenheit (175°C). In a medium bowl, place the flour, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use a whisk to mix thoroughly.
In another bowl, place the oil, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and eggs. Use the whisk to combine well. Dump the flour mixture into the wet pumpkin mixture, using a scraper fold the mixture together just until mixed, don’t overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spread the batter until it is evenly distributed in the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C) (27 minutes comes out perfect for me every time), it will be ready when the middle of the cake slightly springs back when you touch it. Let it cool.
Optional Icing: Place the softened cream cheese, maple syrup and cinnamon if using, into a mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk for 2 minutes, then scrape down the sides of the bowl before whisking another 3-5 minutes until completely smooth. Spread icing on the cooled cake.

Notes

For step-by-step photos, scroll into the blog post.

Storage

This snack cake will last about three days on the counter (keep covered). If you want to make it last longer, place the cake in the fridge after that. If you are frosting this snack cake, store it in the fridge up to 7 days.
This healthy cake is also freezer-friendly. Cover the tray well with Saran Wrap and tin foil to freeze. To thaw, leave the cake on the counter at room temperature for a few hours or overnight. Enjoy the pumpkin cake within 3 months of freezing; after that, it won't go bad, it just may not taste as fresh.

Dairy-free

The cake is dairy free. To make the frosting dairy free, use lactose-free cream cheese commonly found in the cheese section at the grocery store.

Gluten-free

To make this cake gluten free, use your favorite gluten-free flour blend instead of regular flour.

Leftover pumpkin puree

If you have leftover pumpkin puree, you can add it to healthy protein hummus, one of my favorite ways to enjoy more pumpkin!

Nutrition