Pumpkin Snack Cake
This pumpkin snack cake is moist, fluffy, lightly sweet, packed with pumpkin flavor and fall spices, and topped with an easy pumpkin spice cream cheese frosting. It's the perfect dessert for pumpkin lovers and a great alternative to pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving.
Servings: 12
Equipment
- 9x13 inch glass baking dish
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
- 2 c white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 3 eggs
- 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)
- ½ c unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ c canola oil
- ¾ c light or dark brown sugar
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz ⅓ less fat cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ c plant or unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2-4 c powdered sugar (as needed)
Instructions
Pumpkin Snack Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9"x13" baking dish.
- Mix together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl.
- In a stand mixer, whisk together the pumpkin puree, applesauce, oil, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix to incorporate.
- Spoon the cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Smooth with a spatula. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean (a few crumbs can be sticking to it). Cool for 45 minutes to an hour on a cooling rack before frosting.
Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed for 1 minute, or until fluffy.
- Add the vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Beat on high speed until incorporated.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar (about ½ cup at a time for the first 2 cups). Increase the speed to high for an additional 2 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy.We used about 2 cups of powdered sugar to get to our desired frosting thickness (which is a little runnier). Continue to add powdered sugar until you achieve the desired consistency (3 cups will get you a thicker, fluffier frosting).
- Once the cake is cooled, spread the frosting out on the cake. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The cake batter may be thicker depending on the brand of pumpkin used. Brands and cans of pumpkin vary in moisture content and your batter will be thicker or runnier based on this.
- If you prefer a thinner frosting you can add 1-2 tablespoons of milk, cut out the butter, or reduce the amount of powdered sugar. Each option yields thinner frosting, but will differ slightly in taste.
- Not a cream cheese frosting fan? Try this with our brown sugar buttercream.