Gluten Free Pumpkin Snack Cake
This vegan and Gluten Free Pumpkin Snack Cake is lightly sweetened and full of whole grains for a perfect fall snack you can make in 1 bowl, with just 7 ingredients and less than 30 minutes.
Gluten Free, Vegan, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Egg Free, Soy Free, Wheat Free
Helloooo PUMPKIN SEASON! This year I’m skipping over apple season and heading straight to pumpkin everything! I hope you don’t mind!
Pumpkin season is one of my favorites! First of all, I’m basic in many ways and is there anything more basic than PUMPKIN SPICE and everything nice?!
I also feel like I usually catch pumpkin season at the tail end and this year I’m trying to stay ahead of my content. So join me, won’t you, and let’s welcome the end of summer and dive into pumpkin everything!
I’m starting with everyone’s favorite meal- SNACK TIME!
This Gluten Free and Vegan Pumpkin Spice Snack Cake is perfect!
Snacks are a vital part of a well-balanced diet, for both kids and adults. Snack smart and you’ll boost your energy throughout the afternoon, ward off overeating at dinner, and feel more satisfied throughout the day.
So what’s a smart snack? A snack that…
- Keeps you full
- You’re in the mood for
- Smiles back (JK, but name that snack!)
In all seriousness, a smart snack is one that satisfies physical AND mental hunger. Because I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told to snack on an apple, and that is the LAST thing I want to eat. Is an apple on its own filling enough and satisfying? NO WAY! (At least not to me!)
Instead, I need a snack with more oomph.
And if I’m in the mood for something sweet, something that helps me feel good for hours – not just for a brief blip on my blood sugar radar, followed by a crash. (I’m looking at you individually packaged snack cakes!)
How does this snack cake fit in? It’s…
- Made with whole grains (oat flour is simply made from ground oats)
- Got a fruit/veggie in it (technically, pumpkin is a fruit, but some consider it a vegetable – I just got confused when researching!)
- Lightly sweetened with maple syrup. Yup, free from refined sweeteners, although sugar is sugar is sugar!
So yes, it’s definitely a smart snack! And did I mention DELICIOUS?!
Seriously, I should quadruple the recipe and freeze these squares because otherwise I’ll be re-making this recipe all fall long. And maybe into spring and next summer too.
I did freeze some from my original batch and they warmed up beautifully. In fact, I recommend reheating in the microwave for 30 seconds with extra chocolate chips on top and then a dollop of SunButter on top of that for the ultimate snack. Try it. You’ll thank me!
Here’s what you need for this recipe…
- Pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling, just the pumpkin!)
- Coconut oil
- Maple syrup
- Oat flour (see note below to DIY!)
- Baking powder
- Pumpkin pie spice (or a combination of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger)
- Salt (didn’t count this in my ingredient total!)
- Chocolate chips
I purposely used oat flour in this recipe because it’s allergy-friendly, gluten free, and easy to find. So easy that you probably can DIY from the oats you (likely) have in your pantry. Add oats to your high-powered blender, and blend until a flour consistency forms. Did you know it’s that easy?!
So let’s talk ingredient substitutions…
I write all of my recipes with the listed ingredients as the best possible outcomes. Buuuut since I know I’ll be asked, here are some ingredient substitutions for you…
For the flour: I have not tested this recipe with another flour! Oat flour is dense, so I assume a whole wheat pastry flour would work well, but I haven’t tested almond flour (I’m allergic!) or coconut flour. Coconut flour absorbs much more liquid than oat flour, however, so you would need a lot less. Let’s not go there.
For the pumpkin: I mean, the pumpkin is the highlight, HOWEVER, you can also use pureed butternut squash or sweet potato. Since sweet potato is sweeter, you may want to reduce the maple syrup.
For the maple syrup: Agave, honey, and date syrup should work, but don’t quote me (again, I haven’t tested it). I haven’t tested with coconut sugar or a dry sugar either, but it’s on my list to do!
For the pumpkin pie spice: DIY! Pumpkin pie spice is simply a spice blend heavy on the cinnamon, plus some cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Some blends also have all spice, but mine did not. You can play around with proportions to your liking (the benefits of DIY), or follow a recipe.
This Gluten Free Pumpkin Snack Cake is…
- Delicious
- Nutritious
- Easy to make in 1 bowl
- Made in less than 30 minutes
- Full of pumpkin flavor
- Allergy friendly (free from the top 8 food allergies)
- Perfect to pack for school lunch
- Also perfect as an after school snack
- Even more perfect for adults to enjoy!
Gluten Free Pumpkin Snack Cake
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 15oz can pumpkin purée
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/4 cup oat flour (I made my own blending gluten free old fashioned oats into flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips, divided
Topping: 1/2 tablespoon light brown sugar + 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together pumpkin puree, coconut oil, and maple syrup.
- Then add oat flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt and mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar topping on top, and add the additional 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until edges brown and slightly pull away from the sides of your pan. Let cool completely before slicing to enjoy!
Don’t forget to PIN IT…
I can’t wait to hear what you think of this one!!!
XO