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A spoon scooping up some pudding from a ramekin with healthy pumpkin cake.
Course Dessert

Healthy Pumpkin Cake with Applesauce

By: Elysia
Servings 8 servings
This healthy pumpkin cake with applesauce is like a cross between chocolate lava cake and pumpkin pie! With a creamy pumpkin pudding layer and moist and pumpkin spice flavourful cake, it makes the perfect decadent fall dessert! {Vegan & dairy-free}
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup + 3 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk can also use regular milk
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping:

  • 1/3 cup coconut palm sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 1/4 cups boiling water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray (preferably a dish with higher sides).
  • In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, coconut sugar and spices until combined. Set aside.
  • In a smaller bowl, stir pumpkin, milk, applesauce and vanilla together. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir together. It should form a thick batter.
  • Add batter to casserole dish, smoothing with a spatula until evenly distributed.
  • Sprinkle the coconut sugar and pecans evenly over top of the cake batter in the dish. Pour the boiling hot water over top. Do NOT stir!
  • Bake for 40 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the middle is still slightly gooey. {Be sure to place on a baking sheet incase it bubbles over.} Cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Notes

  • Whole-wheat pastry flour tends to have a shorter shelf life due to the oil content in the bran. Be sure to store whole wheat pastry flour in a cool and dry place or preferably in the freezer to prevent it from going rancid quickly.
  • If you can't find whole wheat pastry flour, the best substitution would be mixing together half all-purpose flour and half whole-wheat flour.
  • Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling. The two can be easily confused but the latter is much higher in sugar.
  • It’s very important that you don’t stir the coconut sugar and boiling water mixture since this is what forms the pudding layer.
  • You’ll know the cake is done when the edges start to brown and the centre is still a little gooey. Don’t over bake it or the pudding layer will start to solidify. 
  • You can bake this cake in a circular or square baking dish, preferably with higher sides so that the water doesn’t overflow over the top. I typically use an 8-inch baking dish.
  • Be sure to place the baking dish on a baking tray to catch any of the liquid if it overflows.

Nutrition

Calories: 142kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 297mgPotassium: 106mgFiber: 3gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 2383IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 1mg
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