This pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting is rich, sweet, tangy and perfect for a chilly fall evening! Gluten-free, animal-based.
Pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting is perfect for a cozy autumn evening.
I can’t believe how quickly autumn seems to go by. It’s already the middle of October here, and the trees seem to have changed color practically overnight here. The air is super crisp, and the wild animals are hard at work preparing for winter.
Meanwhile, I’m spending lots of time in the kitchen making delicious, cozy recipes such as this pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting. I used to not be the biggest fan of cream cheese, but it has definitely grown on me in recent years, and now it’s a no-brainer in certain recipes.
This pumpkin spice cake is very rich, packed with tons of creamy pumpkin puree, sweet maple syrup and warm spices. It’s well-balanced by the tang of the cream cheese frosting, and can be served to basically anyone with a sweet tooth. It’s easy to customize too, if you want it extra sweet, or even richer with chocolate chips added in.
It’s easy to make and even easier to eat.
To make this tasty pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Canned pumpkin puree. This has just one ingredient – pumpkin (not the canned pumpkin pie filling, which has sugar and other ingredients added)
- Maple syrup
- Egg
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Vanilla extract
- Sifted coconut or rice flour
- Cream cheese
Start by adding the pumpkin puree to a bowl and adding in maple syrup, an egg, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract. Stir until all ingredients are well-combined.
Add in sifted coconut flour or rice flour (see recipe card below for the proper amount to add), and stir again to combine.
Pour mixture into a greased 8″x8″ baking dish and bake in a preheated oven until no longer soft in the middle.
For the cream cheese frosting, add cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla extract to a bowl. Use a mixer to combine, until it is smooth and there are no longer any cream cheese clumps. Spread the mixture evenly over the cake once it has cooled completely.
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen for up to a month. I recommend slicing it up and separating them prior to freezing, so you can simply thaw a few pieces at a time, as needed.
Can I use a different type of flour in this recipe?
You can, but there is a lot of variation in how much liquid different types of flours absorb, so you will need to understand the type of flour you select. I recommend using rice flour or coconut flour, as I have tested the recipe for each of them and included the proper quantities below.
How do I store this pumpkin spice cake?
You will want to store the amount you will consume within 5 days in the fridge. If it won’t be consumed right away, you can store what is left in the freezer. I recommend slicing it up into squares and separating each piece prior to freezing, so that it is easy to grab a piece or two and thaw them out as needed, rather than thawing out the whole cake prior to slicing.
If you added the cream cheese frosting prior to freezing, I recommend thawing in the fridge overnight and not reheating in the microwave or oven, as the cream cheese will melt.
If you give this pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting a try, please let me know what you think in the comments below. Also be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest so you don’t miss a recipe!
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Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the cake
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature or unsalted and add a pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie seasoning
- 1/4 cup coconut flour or 1 cup white rice flour
For the cream cheese frosting
- 6 oz cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- splash vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, egg, butter, vanilla extract and pumpkin pie seasoning to a bowl and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Add in the coconut flour or white rice flour (I recommend sifting it first, to ensure there are no clumps), and stir well.
- Pour mixture into a 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish and place in the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- Allow to cool fully. In the mean time, make the cream cheese frosting by adding all ingredients to a mixing bowl. I recommend using a stand mixer or hand mixer, and blend until the frosting is smooth.
- Once the cake has cooled fully, spread the frosting over the top. Cut into slices and place in the fridge with an air-tight lid for up to 5 days. Alternatively, the cake can be frozen in an air-tight container for up to a month. I recommend separating the slices prior to freezing, so they do not stick to each other. Thaw in the fridge for several hours before consuming.
