If you've never tried pumpkin cake before, let me just say—you’re in for something special. This pumpkin cake recipe is low carb and gluten-free, thanks to almond flour, but you’d never guess it from the flavor and texture. It's so moist and full of fall spices that no one will even think twice about it being low carb. I took one to a big gathering recently, and it disappeared in no time—everyone was asking for the recipe! That’s always a good sign, right? Plus, it’s a favorite at home, too. Let’s dive into how to make it.
This recipe is: Low Carb, Keto, Gluten Free and Vegetarian
Table of Contents
8 Reasons To Love This Recipe
This pumpkin cake recipe is everything you'd want in a fall dessert—easy, tasty, and perfect for sharing. Here are some of the best things about it:
- Tastes just like a traditional pumpkin cake!
- The cream cheese frosting adds the perfect touch of sweetness!
- Tender and moist in every bite!
- Uses canned pumpkin and simple ingredients!
- Quick and easy to make!
- Keeps well in the fridge for up to a week!
- A delicious low carb dessert option!
- Only 3g net carbs, making it keto-friendly!
Is Pumpkin Cake Low Carb?
Traditional Pumpkin cake is typically not low carb due to the sugar and flour used in most recipes. However, you can make a low carb version by using low carb sweeteners and almond or coconut flour. If you're curious about the carb content of pumpkins, check out my article Is Pumpkin Low Carb for more details.
This recipe for pumpkin cake contains only 3 grams net carbs per slice. Keep in mind that each slice is just under ½ inch, so it is a really nice serving size too!
Pumpkin Cake Ingredient List
Below is the list of basic ingredients you'll need to make pumpkin sponge cake:
For the Pumpkin Cake
- 4 large eggs
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons psyllium husk, ground
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup pumpkin puree, unsweetened
- ½ cup erythritol
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Keto Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup erythritol, powdered
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional, to thin the frosting if needed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredient Substitutions
If you’re looking to switch things up, here are some tasty ingredient alternatives you can use for this healthy pumpkin cake recipe:
- Erythritol: I’ve made this cake with xylitol, monk fruit sweetener, and allulose. They all require about the same amount as indicated in the recipe. Stevia may need slightly less.
- Powdered erythritol: This is different from granulated erythritol—it's meant to be like powdered sugar, not granulated sugar. If you use a granulated sweetener, the frosting will turn out crunchy. You can use powdered xylitol, monk fruit sweetener, or allulose in the same amount. I also tried a liquid sweetener, but it completely changed the consistency and texture of the cream cheese frosting, and not in a good way.
Additional Ingredients
If you want to enhance the flavors even more, here are some extra ingredients that pair beautifully with this pumpkin dump cake recipe:
- Nuts: Try some chopped pecans or walnuts. About ¼ cup would be plenty. Toasting them before adding would be a really nice touch for added richness.
- Chocolate chips: It's a great idea to add sugar-free chocolate chips to the cake batter. Try adding about ⅓ cups for a decadent touch.
- Nutmeg: Freshly shaved nutmeg adds a layer of warmth to this cake, also it nutmeg is low carb so a win-win. Try to use only about ¼ teaspoons.
- Extracts: Add a drop or two of maple syrup extract or hazelnut extract to the cream cheese frosting. It will add a subtle hint of flavor that will be appreciated.
- Pumpkin spice: Mix about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of pumpkin spice into the cream cheese frosting. It makes the flavor really stand out and is delicious.
Note: These ingredients are not part of the original recipe- use them to enhance or customize the recipe to your liking.
Cooking Tools Required
Below is the list of cooking tools you'll need to make pumpkin cake:
How to Make Pumpkin Cake: Complete Cooking Guide
We'll make this recipe in two parts. First, we'll make the pumpkin cake. While it's baking, we'll move on to the sweet cream cheese frosting. Let's get started!
Cooking Method
- Baking
Preparation Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease your 9x5 inch loaf pan. If you have parchment paper, laying one rectangular square on the bottom of the pan will help to release the cake when it is done cooking.
- Measure all of the ingredients and set aside until ready to use.
- Take out a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and erythritol until smooth and creamy. Add in the eggs, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract and melted butter. Mix again until well combined.
- With the mixer turned off, add in the almond flour, psyllium husk, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, paking powder and salt. Start the mixer on low and gradually increase the speed until it is on the highest setting, incorporating air into the mixture. Mix for one minute on high speed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
Cooking Steps
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
- When the cake is cooked, let it cool in the loaf pan on a wire rack. Adding the frosting to the cake while hot will result in melted frosting. The frosted cake must be completely cooled before adding the frosting.
For the Keto Cream Cheese frosting:
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth.
- Add powdered erythritol and vanilla extract. Beat until completely combined and stiff peaks have formed.
- If the frosting is too thick or has a slightly “powdered” texture to it from the powdered sweetener, add in the heavy cream. This will even out the texture.
- Once the cake has cooled, use an offset spatula to spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the pumpkin cake. If you want, you could also pipe on the frosting. The choice is yours.
- Once the frosting is added to the fancy cake, slice evenly and enjoy your keto pumpkin cake recipe!
Step 1: Mix the eggs, cream cheese, and pumpkin puree with a hand mixer.
Step 2: Mix ingredients until smooth.
Step 3: Add erythrol and vanilla extract to the mixture.
Step 4: Add almond flour to the mixture.
Step 5: Pour batter into a greased loaf pan.
Step 6: Bake the cake until golden and set.
Step 7: Cool the baked cake on a wire rack.
Step 8: Spread frosting evenly over the cake.
Step 9: Ready for serving!
💡 My Pro Tips
Since we’re using almond flour instead of traditional wheat flour, there are a few things we need to do to make this cake turn out amazing. Here’s what you need to know and why it matters:
- Line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment paper: Almond flour doesn’t create the same kind of “crust” that wheat flour does. If the cake isn't cooked perfectly, it might stick to the pan. To avoid this, add a rectangle of parchment paper to the bottom of the pan, and remember to grease the sides as well.
- Use an electric mixer: After adding all the ingredients to the mixing bowl, beat the mixture on high speed. This helps incorporate air into the batter, making the cake lighter. When you pour the batter into the pan, avoid tapping it on the work surface—this will make the cake more dense.
- More baking powder than usual: Since we’re using almond flour, the cake needs extra leavening agent to rise properly, more than you’d use in a wheat flour cake.
Other than these quick tips, making this pumpkin spice cake is almost identical to any traditional recipe!
Tips for Perfecting Your Pumpkin Cake
To ensure your pumpkin cake turns out perfectly, consider these helpful tips:
- Balance Your Ingredients: Use the right ratio of dry ingredients to wet ingredients for optimal texture.
- Pumpkin Choices: For a richer and comforting flavor, opt for fresh pumpkins instead of canned puree, but ensure to drain any excess moisture for a better cake.
- Mixing Technique: When mixing, aim for a smooth batter to achieve a creamy texture. Avoid overmixing to keep your cake light and fluffy.
- Layer Cake Option: If you're feeling adventurous, transform your cake into a layer cake by dividing the batter into multiple pans, allowing for beautiful frosting layers in between.
- Moisture Matters: To ensure your cake remains moist, consider adding sour cream or yogurt to the batter. This will help create a tender crumb.
- Cooling Time: Let the cake cool completely before frosting. This helps the frosting set nicely and results in a beautifully presented finished cake.
⏲️ Time-Saving Tips
- Make the cake a day ahead: This delicious pumpkin cake takes some time to cool, and if you want it to be truly delicious, it’s best to make it the day before and refrigerate it overnight. Not only does the flavor develop more, but the cream cheese frosting goes on thick and smooth the next day.
- Double the recipe: Trust me, this cake will disappear faster than you think. The first time I made it, the whole thing was gone in one evening. Now, I always make a double batch, and even then, it usually only lasts a day or two.
- Prepare the frosting in advance: The tangy cream cheese frosting can easily be made a day ahead. Just make it, cover it with plastic wrap, and pop it in the fridge. It will be stiffer when you take it out, so apply it carefully to avoid tearing the cake. This way you'll be able to make pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting more quickly.
What To Serve With Pumpkin Cake?
Wondering what pairs perfectly with a slice of this favorite pumpkin spice cake? Here are a few tasty options that will make every bite even better:
- Keto Coffee: A rich, buttery keto coffee adds a creamy contrast that complements the spiced flavors of the pumpkin cake.
- Low Carb Iced Latte: A cool, smooth iced latte makes for a refreshing pairing, especially if you want to balance the warm spices of the cake.
- Pumpkin Spiced Latte:If you’re all about pumpkin, go for it! This cozy combo enhances the pumpkin flavor for the ultimate autumn treat.
- Whipped Cream: Adding a dollop of whipped cream on the side makes the cake extra indulgent without overwhelming it.
- Sugar-Free Lemonade: The tartness of lemonade brings a bright, zesty contrast to the sweetness of the cake, making each bite feel lighter.
- Strawberry Lemonade: The sweet and tangy notes of strawberry lemonade add a refreshing twist that balances out the cake’s rich flavors.
Pumpkin Treats to Explore
If you love the flavors of pumpkin, here are some delightful variations to try:
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake Recipe: A perfect pairing for your morning coffee, this cake is moist and flavorful, often topped with a crunchy streusel or glaze.
- Caramel Pumpkin Cake: Indulge in a rich dessert that combines the depth of flavor of pumpkin with a luscious caramel sauce, creating a decadent treat.
- Pumpkin Crumb Cake: With a buttery crumb topping and a soft pumpkin base, this cake is a delightful addition to any dessert table.
Storage, Freezing, And Reheating Instructions
This pumpkin spice cake recipe stores exceptionally well but tastes best and lasts longer when kept in the fridge.
Storage Tips
After the cake has cooled to room temperature and the frosting has been applied, it’s important to store it in the refrigerator. Why? Because there’s butter in the frosting, and we want to avoid leaving butter out on the counter. Plus, I promise this cake tastes its absolute best when it’s refrigerator cold.
To store it in the fridge, I cut the cake in half and place it in a deep glass container with an airtight lid. This method prevents the frosting from sticking to any plastic wrap. Since I slice the cake for presentation anyway, cutting it in half isn’t a hassle at all.
Freezing Tips
Yes, you can freeze this recipe! What I do is place the entire cake on a half sheet pan lined with parchment in the freezer. Once it’s frozen, I remove it from the freezer and wrap it in plastic wrap. Freezing it first keeps the cream cheese frosting from sticking to the plastic wrap.
After wrapping it in plastic, I wrap it again in a layer of foil to prevent freezer burn. You can store this in the freezer for up to 3 to 4 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, just remove it from the freezer, take off the foil and plastic wrap, and place it back on a half sheet lined with parchment paper to defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Slice and enjoy!
Reheating Tips
If you reheat the pumpkin spice cake, the cream cheese frosting will melt everywhere, so I do not recommend reheating this recipe.
Conclusion
If you’ve been following a low carb or keto diet for a while, like I have, discovering a dessert this delicious with just 3g net carbs per serving feels like finding a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s such a joy to savor a cake that truly tastes like cake, with frosting that’s even better than I remember. This dessert is truly exceptional and makes me feel good from the inside out.
This cake is also incredibly versatile. While the carb count does increase, you can easily swap out the fresh pumpkin puree for mashed bananas to create a delightful banana cake topped with sweet cream cheese frosting. My daughter adores this version, and for me, it’s a special treat to enjoy every now and then.
For those of you who might be hesitant—whether you're not on a low carb diet or have never baked with almond flour or psyllium husk—let me assure you that it’s easy, delicious, and well worth any perceived risks.
Please feel free to leave any questions or suggestions in the comments for your favorite cake. You can also connect with me on Facebook or Instagram!
Other Dessert Recipes To Try
If you can’t get enough of pumpkin goodness, here are some delightful recipes to satisfy your sweet cravings:
FAQs
If there is too much pumpkin puree in the cake mix, the cake will often not set correctly. It is best to use less pumpkin puree and have a cake that sets rather than too much.
They are the same product; however, many people interchange the names when writing recipes. All canned pumpkin is pumpkin puree.
Yes. The first thing that you have to do is make your own pumpkin spice mixture, without the cinnamon powder. Once you have that, you can easily make your pumpkin spice cake without cinnamon… by using ground ginger powder, fresh nutmeg or even some ground allspice.
Pumpkin Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake Ingredient List
- Below is the list of basic ingredients you'll need to make pumpkin sponge cake:
For the Pumpkin Cake
- 4 large eggs
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoon psyllium husk ground
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup pumpkin puree unsweetened
- ½ cup erythritol
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Keto Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup erythritol powdered
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream optional, to thin the frosting if needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease your 9x5 inch loaf pan. If you have parchment paper, laying one rectangular square on the bottom of the pan will help to release the cake when it is done cooking.
- Measure all of the ingredients and set aside until ready to use.
- Take out a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and erythritol until smooth and creamy. Add in the eggs, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract and melted butter. Mix again until well combined.
- With the mixer turned off, add in the almond flour, psyllium husk, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, paking powder and salt. Start the mixer on low and gradually increase the speed until it is on the highest setting, incorporating air into the mixture. Mix for one minute on high speed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
Cooking Steps
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
- When the cake is cooked, let it cool in the loaf pan on a wire rack. Adding the frosting to the cake while hot will result in melted frosting. The frosted cake must be completely cooled before adding the frosting.
For the Keto Cream Cheese frosting:
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth.
- Add powdered erythritol and vanilla extract. Beat until completely combined and stiff peaks have formed.
- If the frosting is too thick or has a slightly “powdered” texture to it from the powdered sweetener, add in the heavy cream. This will even out the texture.
- Once the cake has cooled, use an offset spatula to spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the pumpkin cake. If you want, you could also pipe on the frosting. The choice is yours.
- Once the frosting is added to the fancy cake, slice evenly and enjoy your keto pumpkin cake recipe!
Notes
Nutrition
“This website provides approximate nutrition data and information for convenience and as a courtesy only.”
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2 Responses
Wow! The cream cheese frosting alone is worth making this recipe. Each bite was like heaven. I'm not sure how you came up with this recipe, but it is worth its weight in gold. Amazing.
Hi Rosemary:
I love your comment- thanks! I've made this for so many people who are not "low carb" and they never know the difference!
A very similar frosting is used in the Pumpkin Whoopie Cookies too- give them a try.
Have a great day in the kitchen-
Scott