• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Savory Lotus

simple clean eats + healthy treats

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Healthy Living
  • Resources
  • Safe Skincare
    • BEAUTYCOUNTER
    • PRIMALLY PURE
  • MEAL PLANS

By Katja Heino 18 Comments
Savory Lotus may receive commissions from purchases made through links in this post.

Easy Pumpkin Cake (gluten free and paleo)

Jump to Recipe

pumpkin cake cut into squaresA simple and straight forward pumpkin cake to keep the pumpkin party going this month.  Soft, moist, and perfectly spiced. 

This month is all about pumpkin. So I’m sharing my super easy pumpkin cake recipe with y’all.  It’s for all the pumpkin lovers out there who adore that rich pumpkin flavor and those cozy fall spices.

I have to admit that it is barely feels like fall here in Northern California this week. Despite cooler mornings, we’re still getting 80 degree weather in the afternoons.  It’s that time of year when you don’t know how to dress cuz you’re shivering in the morning and sweating in the afternoon. But I’m not letting that stop my fall baking season.

pumpkin cake with white frosting

pumpkin cake in white baking dish with nuts on top

Let me tell you why I LOVE this cake:

….pumpkin. Pumpkin desserts remind me of flannel shirts, changing leaves, and boot season.  While I could live eternally in summer, the fact that I get to bake all the pumpkin things makes the transition to cooler weather easier.

….spices.  Cozy, warming spices are the perfect side kick to anything pumpkin. The smell alone of this cake in the oven brings all the people running to the kitchen.

….the texture.  This cake is soft and moist without being too dense.  It’s got just the right amount of crumb.

….it’s healthy.  Because I use all real food ingredients and load it up with nutrient-dense protein goodness, I can feel good about eating this cake and serving it to the little humans in my life.

….the frosting.  I top this cake with a dairy free, silky smooth and velvety frosting that’s reminiscent of a traditional cream cheese frosting.  It’s made with soaked cashews, maple syrup, and a hint of lemon to give it that tang that we all love. The cake is delish all by itself, but I HIGHLY recommend giving this simple frosting a try.

….easy peasy. This cake entails combining your dry ingredients and wet ingredient and them mixing them together.  Bake and enjoy.  You can whip up the frosting while the cake is in the oven.  (Just don’t forget to pre-soak your cashews!!)

close up of a piece of pumpkin cake

As always, my pumpkin cake is gluten free. The base of this cake is almond flour and a bit of arrowroot and coconut flour for texture.  I use coconut sugar to sweeten it as it’s most similar to brown sugar, and I like a dry sweetener with moist cakes like this so it doesn’t come out too dense.  I use ghee as the fat, but you can use butter or coconut oil if that’s what you like. And to give it that fall time vibe, I add a generous dose of pumpkin pie spice.  I sneak in a bit of molasses to give it a richer, deeper flavor.

This pumpkin cake is the perfect fall dessert.  It’s a total crowd pleaser and makes between 8 and 16 servings, depending on the size you prefer.  Make it.  Do it.  Your people will thank you.

Hope y’all are having a wonderful fall so far.

Big love,

Katja

Print
clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon facebook facebook icon print print icon squares squares icon heart heart icon heart solid heart solid icon
Easy Pumpkin Cake (gluten free and paleo) | www.savorylotus.com

Pumpkin Cake (gluten free and paleo)

★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Katja from Savory Lotus
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 8-16 servings 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: bake
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

A simple and straight forward pumpkin cake that’s soft, moist, and perfectly spiced. Topped with a dairy free velvety frosting. Gluten free. Paleo.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups blanched almond flour (I use THIS brand)
  • 1/2 cup arrowroot powder (like this)
  • 2 tbsp coconut flour (I use THIS brand)
  • 2/3 cup coconut sugar (like this)
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (like this)
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder (I recommend using a corn free brand)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (I use THIS BPA free brand)
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup ghee, butter, or coconut oil – melted
  • 2 tbsp molasses (like this)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (I use THIS raw brand)

FOR THE FROSTING

  • 1 and 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours then drained and rinsed
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • any type of milk to thin

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350’F.  Grease an 8×8 glass baking pan and line bottom with strip of parchment paper that comes up the side on two of the sides of pan for easy removal.
  2. Combine almond flour, arrowroot, coconut flour, coconut sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
  3. In another large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, fat of choice, molasses, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar. Pour dry into wet and mix until just combined.
  4. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
  5. While cake is in oven, prepare frosting by adding cashews, maple syrup, lemon, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt to a high speed blender.  Start blender and add milk of choice one tablespoon at a time – just enough to get mixture moving. You don’t want your frosting to be runny (I use about 2-3 tbsp of milk.)  Scrape down sides often.  Process until creamy, smooth.  Transfer to a glass jar and place in fridge to thicken.

Notes

  • If you don’t have pumpkin spice powder, you can make your own: 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger powder, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon all spice, and 1/8 teaspoon clove powder. Use 1 tablespoon of this mixture for this recipe.
  • Baking powders traditionally have GMO corn in them. You can find a corn free brand HERE,   I prefer to make my own:  1 part baking soda, 2 parts cream of tartar, and 2 parts arrowroot powder.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @savorylotus on Instagram and hashtag it #savorylotus

Click HERE to PIN THIS!

Pumpkin Cake  with frosting and nuts on top

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Filed Under: Desserts Tagged With: gluten free cake, pumpkin, pumpkin cake, pumpkin desserts

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tessa Simpson says

    October 22, 2018 at 2:25 pm

    Oh my, that flavor of palm sugar and molasses is TOO much!! So good, thanks!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      October 23, 2018 at 1:18 pm

      I agree! I don’t use molasses much, but in the right recipe it’s the best!

      Reply
  2. Jean says

    October 22, 2018 at 6:24 pm

    This is the most scrumptious looking cake! Seriously drooling over that frosting. I have to make this for Thanksgiving!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      October 23, 2018 at 1:18 pm

      hanks, Jean! The frosting is super delish. Hope you get to try it. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Karen Wood says

    October 24, 2018 at 6:06 am

    Shared on facebook. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      October 28, 2018 at 8:41 am

      Thank you for sharing. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Don says

    October 24, 2018 at 10:10 am

    Looks delicious, can’t wait to try it. I think your prep time needs some adjusting. It’s going to take more than 10min. just to get everything out and set up.

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      October 28, 2018 at 8:40 am

      Hi, Don! Hope you get to try it. I try my best to estimate prep times. I know we are all different. It does take me less than 10 minutes to measure out and mix my wet and dry ingredients, but I have to admit that my kitchen is pretty well set up and organized with my ingredients. Either way, I think you’ll find that it’s a simple cake to make. Enjoy!!

      Reply
  5. ChihYu Smith says

    October 27, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    They are so lovely! Moist and delicious!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      October 28, 2018 at 8:29 am

      Thank, ChihYu!!

      Reply
  6. Gabz says

    October 13, 2019 at 5:02 pm

    Made this for my church small group and got rave reviews. Made some vegan cinnamon buttercream to go with it. Such a tasty dessert.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      November 1, 2019 at 5:20 pm

      Yum! I love a good buttercream. So glad everyone enjoyed it.

      Reply
  7. Heather says

    October 28, 2019 at 3:43 pm

    Is there any way to substitute cashews? I’m super allergic to them. I’ve tried macadamia nuts in the past but they impart a strong flavor… would blanched almonds work?

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      November 1, 2019 at 5:08 pm

      I haven’t tried any other nuts besides cashews. Maybe you could do a cream cheese frosting instead. I’ve seen some decent dairy free cream cheeses lately that would work.

      Reply
  8. Loren says

    May 10, 2020 at 12:23 pm

    This is my favorite recipe for pumpkin muffins. I don’t make the frosting and bake 12 muffins for about 25 minutes. So moist and delicious!! Yummy!!! Today I made them with dried cranberries and pepitas. 😊

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      May 12, 2020 at 1:18 pm

      Oh, yum! I love cranberries. I need to try that. I’m so happy to heat that you like them. 🙂

      Reply
  9. Janis says

    November 13, 2020 at 12:36 pm

    Can I sub tapioca flour for the arrowroot powder?

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      November 28, 2020 at 8:54 am

      Yes! 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi I’m Katja!

And this is how we do healthy in our family. Just REAL food. Simple. Easy. Gluten free. More about Savory Lotus

Follow Me on Instagram

🍓🍓 berry season is almost here • that mean 🍓🍓 berry season is almost here • that means i can start making STRAWBERRY BANANA BREAD again 🍓 🍌• soft, moist, and exploding with fresh strawberry flavor • it's next level banana bread 

🍓🍓 hands down the best smelling thing i have ever baked • seriously! •  it's gluten and grain free • no added sweeteners, just super ripe bananas 🍌🍌🍌• i could eat this EVERY day

🍓🍓recipe link in profile 

https://www.savorylotus.com/strawberry-banana-bread/
🍋🍋 if you’re looking for a healthy, delici 🍋🍋 if you’re looking for a healthy, delicious cake to make for mother’s day, a birthday, or just to celebrate another day of life, this BLACKBERRY LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE  is it 🍋🍋 • it's beautiful, it’s tasty, + it’s guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser 

🍋🍋 2 moist layers of light + fluffy cake, smothered in sweet blackberry chia jam, and finished off with indulgent whipped cream • what i love most is the simplicity of this cake • nothing better than fresh berries + cream, IMHO • my inner scandinavian adores this cake 🇫🇮🇫🇮

🍋🍋 recipe link in bio if you wanna bake

https://www.savorylotus.com/blackberry-lemon-poppy-seed-cake-gluten-free/
💧💧DRAINAGE IS ESSENTIAL • 3 easy things yo 💧💧DRAINAGE IS ESSENTIAL • 3 easy things you can do to get things flowing 💧💧

1️⃣ HYDRATION 💧💧💧• drink half your body weight in ounces every day • start the day with 32 ounces of clean water in the first 1-2 hours that you’re awake • drink clean, filtered water • tap water can be loaded with heavy metals, pesticides, + pharmaceuticals 😵• water makes up 60 percent of our total body weight + 90 percent of brain weight 🧠• adequate water intake is essential for the body to function properly • water delivers important nutrients to all of our cells, especially muscle cells (energy!!), helps to move the digestive process along through the system,  helps with constipation, moves toxins through the body faster, and optimizes kidney function (detox!) • without adequate water, toxins can’t be excreted + then can build up in the body 

2️⃣ BOWEL MOMENTS 💩💩 • aim for 1-2 good-sized bowel movements per day (think at least banana-sized 🍌) without feeling the need to strain or feeling of incomplete evacuation afterwards • if the food that we eat is not traveling through the body fast enough, it will sit in the bowels + ferment/rot and the toxins get reabsorbed into the body 😩+ can cause abdominal pain, bloating, + gas 💨• prioritize hydration to keep food moving + eat plenty of fiber to speed up digestion • avoid inflammatory foods • take magnesium to help things keep flowing • practice enemas to hydrate colon + to increase peristalsis • get a professional colonic to hydrate, tone, + clean large intestine • keep things flowing out • better out than in 😉

3️⃣ MOVEMENT 🤸🏽‍♀️🏃‍♀️💃🏻🚴🏽‍♂️• move your body every day • walk, run, jump, dance, ride a bike • take 2 minute movement tbreaks throughout the day • the lymphatic system is one of our main waste removal systems + relies on skeletal muscle contractions to keep flowing • prioritize exercise + walking • hot Epsom salt baths stimulate circulation, improve lymphatic drainage + promote sweating 🛁🛁• sweating in a sauna stimulates the lymphatic system to release excess water + toxins 💦💦
🥥🍋 COCONUT FLOUR LEMON CAKE would be PERFECT 🥥🍋 COCONUT FLOUR LEMON CAKE would be PERFECT for this weekend 🐇🐇 • made with 2 layers of my simple coconut flour cake • smothered in lemon curd 🍋🍋 and cream • it’s light with a bright lemon flavor 🍋🍋

🥥🍋 it’s gluten + gran free • really easy to throw together • if you’ve never made homemade lemon curd, do it 🍋🍋 • it’s SO good 

🥥🍋 recipe link in bio

https://www.savorylotus.com/coconut-flour-lemon-cake-gluten-free/
Load More... Follow Me!

Follow Me on Pinterest

Don't Miss These!

  • dry heels, cracked heels, how to heal, DIY Easy Home Remedy for Dry Cracked Heels
  • Simple Coconut Flour Cake (gluten free, grain free, nut free, paleo) | savorylotus.com Simple Coconut Flour Cake (gluten and grain free, paleo)
  • How to Make Butternut Squash Noodles | www.savorylotu.com How to Make Butternut Squash Noodles
  • Everyday Gluten Free Bread (dairy free + egg free)

Clean Swaps

Clean Swaps

My Cookbook!

My Cookbook!

Footer

Get More Recipes on Pinterest

Visit Savory Lotus' profile on Pinterest.

Get More Recipes on Facebook

The Savory Lotus on Facebook

Stay Connected

Copyright © 2021 Savory Lotus    ·    Affiliate Disclosure     Disclaimer     Privacy Policy     Terms of Service