This Healthy Pumpkin Cake is super moist, packed with flavor, and easy to make. Just blend everything together! It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar-free.
author’s note
Snack, Breakfast, or Dessert!
Pumpkin desserts have always been a big deal in my house. I grew up helping my mom make pumpkin pie every Thanksgiving, but over the years I’ve wanted a pumpkin treat I could feel good about enjoying outside of the holidays, like for breakfast on a random Tuesday morning.
Last fall, I made my original pumpkin bars and my family devoured them so fast that I decided to test a healthier version. I swapped out refined sugar, used oats instead of flour, and tossed everything into my blender just to see what would happen.
The result was this Healthy Pumpkin Cake. It was so soft, flavorful, and satisfying that it instantly became a repeat recipe in my kitchen.
Healthy Pumpkin Cake Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swap/Tip |
|---|---|
| Pumpkin Purée | Use homemade pumpkin purée, but make sure it’s well-drained. |
| Cashews | Almonds or walnuts also work, but cashews make the smoothest batter. |
| Old-Fashioned Oats | Use certified GF oats to avoid cross-contamination. |
| Maple Syrup | Honey works, but the flavor will be slightly different. |
| Coconut Oil | Use refined coconut oil if you don’t want a coconut flavor. Melted butter also works. |
| Eggs | Flax eggs can work for a vegan option, though the texture will be slightly different. |
| Pumpkin Pie Spice | Make your own with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. |
Quick Tip
The items in this Healthy Pumpkin Cake are naturally occurring gluten-free, but look at labels to ensure they weren’t made in a place with gluten.
How To Make Healthy Pumpkin Cake
- Prep the Pan: Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Blend the Batter: Add cashews, oats, pumpkin, maple syrup, oil, eggs, and spices to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth, scraping sides if needed.
- Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until set and golden, about 30 minutes.
- Cool & Frost (optional): Let cool completely before frosting.
Healthy Pumpkin Cake Recipe Tips
- Use a high-powered blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec so the cashews break down smoothly.
- Check doneness by inserting a toothpick and look for just a few crumbs.
- Cool completely before frosting so the frosting doesn’t melt off.
- Use a light-colored 8×8-inch pan lined with parchment paper to remove easily.
Healthy Pumpkin Cake Frosting Options
The cream cheese frosting adds dairy and sugar but tastes amazing if you want it. Or skip it and use powdered sugar or cashew butter instead. I like finishing frosted cake with a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.
Use Leftover Canned Pumpkin In:
Shakes And Smoothies
Pumpkin Protein Shake
Desserts
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Soups And Stews
Pumpkin Soup (Using Canned Pumpkin!)
Healthy Pumpkin Cake
Video
Equipment
- Blender high-powered, see note 1
- 8 x 8-inch baking pan lined
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry-roasted and lightly salted cashews see note 2
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats see note 3
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil room temperature
- 3/4 cup maple syrup see note 4
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup pumpkin see note 5
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch see note 6
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice see note 7
- 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Add the cashews, oats, oil, maple syrup, eggs, and pumpkin to a large, powerful blender, and pulse until smooth, 90–120 seconds. Add in the rest of the cake ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 60–90 seconds. Stop and scrape down edges as needed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, using a spatula to scrape every bit into the pan.
- Smooth the top with the spatula and bake for 33–38 minutes or until cake is lightly browned at the edges and set in the middle. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean; 36 minutes is perfect in my oven!
- Place softened cream cheese in a large bowl with room temperature butter. Using a hand mixer, beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add in vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix until smooth. Slowly add in powdered sugar, beating between additions, until smooth, creamy, and your desired consistency.
- Frost the completely cooled cake with as much frosting as you’d like. The batch of frosting makes a lot, and you can certainly use it all if you’d like, but if you want a less frosted cake, you will likely have about 1/4 to 1/2 cup extra frosting. You can save it and add to your favorite pancakes or waffles! If desired, top the frosting with a light sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.
- Use the overhang of parchment paper to remove the pumpkin cake to a cutting board. Then use a sharp chef’s knife to make decisive cuts. Run the knife under warm water, dry it on a kitchen towel, and repeat for each cut.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Storage
Leftovers?
Store the bars in the fridge covered for 2-3 days.
Freezing: Unfrosted Healthy Pumpkin Cake freezes great for up to 3 months. Frosted bars don’t freeze well because of the cream cheese frosting.
Will this recipe work without the cashews? It sounds delicious, but I am allergic to nuts.
Sorry it won’t work without them unfortunately!
This cake is perfect! I wouldn’t change a thing, and you would never ever guess it was so wholesome. Thanks so much!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Alicia! 🙂
Do you think flax eggs or Bob’s Egg Replacer would work instead of the 2 Large Eggs? Thanks! Sounds delicious!
Sorry Amanda, I’ve never tried either and honestly not super familiar with baking using flax eggs or egg replacer!