Soft, tender and fluffy, this Almond Flour Pumpkin Cake is made with pure pumpkin, warm spices and almond flour. It's naturally gluten-free, like most of my almond flour recipes, and topped with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting, similar to the frosting for my banana cake with oil recipe!
If you prefer pumpkin and cream cheese in a portable muffin form, you'll want to try my gluten-free pumpkin cream cheese muffins!
Quick Look: Almond Flour Pumpkin Cake
- ⏱ Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 👩🏻🍳 Bake Time: 29 minutes
- 🆒 Cooling Time: 2 hours
- ⏳ Total Time: 2 hours 49 minutes
- 🎃 Servings: 16 pieces
- ⚡ Calories: 258 per piece
- 🍽 Diet: gluten-free and easily made dairy-free
- 🔥 Flavor/texture: Soft and tender with warm spices and a tangy, cinnamon frosting.
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy, but an electric mixer is required for the frosting.
- ❤️ Why you'll love: Single layer cake; easy to make ahead; perfect dessert for Thanksgiving.
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If you've been around here for a while, you know I love to create different almond flour cakes. So, with the fall season in full swing and the holidays quickly approaching, a pumpkin cake made with almond flour was on my list to try.
I love this one because it's so easy to make and has the perfect texture. The pumpkin adds an earthy, sweet flavor and pairs beautifully with the pumpkin spice and cinnamon. The almond flour keeps the cake moist and tender, and supplementing it with some tapioca flour ensures the cake stays soft and fluffy.
Other almond flour cakes that are perfect for the holidays include my almond flour orange cranberry bread and my almond flour gingerbread cake!
Table of Contents
Ingredient notes
- Pumpkin - Make sure you use pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, which already has sugar and spices added to it. (I usually buy a big can of pumpkin and use the leftovers to make my gluten-free pumpkin donuts).
- Almond flour - To keep the texture of this cake light and fluffy, I recommend using fine blanched almond flour and not almond meal, which has a coarser texture.
- Tapioca flour - Adding this to the dry ingredients enhances the soft and fluffy texture of the cake.
- Eggs - For leavening and moisture. Bring to room temperature so they easily whisk together with the sugar and other wet ingredients.
- Sugar - I tested this cake with brown sugar but preferred the texture of granulated sugar. You can also substitute with cane sugar.
- Maple syrup - Used for additional sweetness and moisture. Be sure to use pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup. I haven't tested this recipe with any other liquid sweetener.
- Oil - Helps create a tender cake texture. I tested the cake without oil and more pumpkin, but the texture was more dense and spongy.
How to make gluten-free pumpkin cake with almond flour
Step 1: Whisk together the flours, spices, baking powder and salt.
Step 2: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar.
Step 3: Add the pumpkin, maple syrup, oil and vanilla and whisk until combined.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and use a spatula to fold in until just combined.
Step 5: Spread the batter out into an 8-inch square pan lined with parchment paper.
Step 6: Bake for 27-29 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool.
Step 7: Beat together the butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and beat until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Step 8: Spread the frosting onto the cooled cake. Use the sides of the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan. Cut into squares and serve.
Measuring ingredients
For convenience, US cup measurements are included in the recipe card for this recipe. To ensure greater accuracy, however, weight and volume measurements are also provided. So, if you see grams (g), you'll want to use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients, and if you see milliliters (ml), you'll want to use a liquid measuring cup. Smaller quantities of ingredients are provided in teaspoons and tablespoons.
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Storage and freezing tips
Storage: The unfrosted cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The frosted cake should be stored covered in the fridge and will last for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Cool the cake fully and then wrap in layers of plastic wrap. Place in a freezer safe container or resealable bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, let thaw at room temperature and then top with frosting.
Expert tips
- Be careful not to over mix. This could result in a dense and heavy cake.
- Make dairy-free. Just use plant-based butter and cream cheese to make the frosting.
- Let cake fully cool. The cake should cool at room temperature for about 2 hours before adding the frosting. (It will melt off the cake if it is still warm).
- For a thicker and sweeter cream cheese frosting. Just add more powdered sugar.
- If you don't have a kitchen scale. Be sure to measure your flours using the spoon and level method with a dry measuring cup.
Almond flour pumpkin cake FAQs
My almond flour cake recipes always contain eggs, which help with leavening, moisture and structure. I haven't tested this recipe with an egg substitute.
I've only tested this recipe with the combination of almond flour and tapioca flour. For recipes made with wheat flours, check out this pumpkin bundt cake or pumpkin snack cake.
I prefer an 8-inch square pan for this recipe but you can also use a 9-inch round cake pan. If you only have a 9-inch square pan, you can still use it, but the cake will not be as high and you'll need to reduce the baking time by about 5 minutes. I haven't tested this cake in a loaf pan, but it could work in a 8.5 × 4.5 inch loaf pan but you'll need to increase the baking time by 20-25 minutes.
Homemade pumpkin puree made with fresh pumpkin tends to be a little watery so I usually avoid baking with it. The added liquid can really throw off the texture of baked goods.
Instead of the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, you can try my peanut butter cream cheese frosting, chocolate peanut butter frosting, whipped cream cheese frosting or vanilla sour cream frosting.
More almond flour cake recipes
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📖 Recipe
Almond Flour Pumpkin Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups (208 g) fine blanched almond flour
- ½ cup (65 g) tapioca flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (110 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (130 g) pure pumpkin
- ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 4 ounces (113 g) full fat cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar, sifted (plus more, if necessary)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8-inch square pan and line it with slightly overhanging parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar.
- Add the pumpkin, maple syrup, oil and vanilla to the egg mixture and whisk until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and use a spatula to fold in until just combined.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth out the top with an offset spatula.
- Bake for 27-29 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, add the cream cheese and butter to a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to cream together. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and beat until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Spread the frosting onto the cooled cake. Cut into pieces and serve, or store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make sure you use pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, which already has sugar and spices added to it.
- If you don't have a kitchen scale, be sure to measure your flours using the spoon and level method with a dry measuring cup.
- It's important not to over mix the batter as this could result in a dense and heavy cake.
- You can make this recipe dairy-free by using plant-based butter and cream cheese for the frosting. (Just follow the instructions in my banana cake with oil recipe).
- For a thicker and sweeter cream cheese frosting, add more powdered sugar.
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Nutrition Facts per Serving
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary depending on the substitutions made and the brands used.
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