Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Snack Cake

 
Towards the end of September, I flew back to Northern California to visit my parents and play with their new puppy. Since golden retrievers grow so quickly, I wanted to meet her while she was still small enough to hold and cuddle!  

Grandma dropped me off at the San Diego airport early that Friday afternoon with plenty of time to go through security… But when I reached the checkpoint, nobody else stood in line, so I got from the outside curb to my gate in less than 10 minutes. That never happens!
 

 
In that part of the terminal, a few restaurants sit in the middle of the circle of gates, so I watched as people grabbed food for a late lunch and early snacks. Bagel sandwiches full of bacon and eggs, gigantic custom made-to-order burgers, sizzling hot baskets of fries…

With French fries as one of my favorite foods (especially these healthier homemade ones!), I was sorely tempted to order some when the lady sitting across from me in the waiting area sat down with her cardboard to go box, the pile of those seasoned potato wedges threatening to spill out of the sides…
 

 
But this homemade Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Snack Cake was a much better option! And not just for my wallet… 😉 It’s full of cozy spices and sweet comforting pumpkin flavor, but it contains no refined flour or sugar and only 99 calories!

And yes—it’s made for snacking! And breakfast… And maybe even a pre-bedtime treat? I won’t judge!
 

HOW TO MAKE A HEALTHY PUMPKIN OATMEAL CAKE

To make your healthy pumpkin oatmeal snack cake, you’ll start with a mix of whole wheat flour (or gluten-free, if you prefer!) and instant oats. Instant oats are also called “quick-cooking” or “one-minute” oats, and they’re smaller and thinner than traditional rolled oats. This means they soften faster while baking, so your snack cake turns out incredibly moist and tender!

Tip: You can find one-minute oats right next to the old-fashioned oats at the grocery store! (Remember to buy gluten-free if needed!)
 

 
Next, you’ll need just 1 tablespoon of butter or coconut oil. Yes, that’s it! The rest of your cake’s tender texture comes from pumpkin purée (like this… not pumpkin pie mix!) and Greek yogurt. You know how much I ♡ Greek yogurt! It adds the same moisture as extra butter or oil for a fraction of the calories, and it gives your baked treats a protein boost, too!

And of course, we can’t forget the spices! They’re the best part! You’ll need a mix of cinnamon (I’m currently obsessed with this kind!), nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. You could easily substitute pumpkin pie spice if you prefer… But I already keep each of those on hand, and my spice cabinet doesn’t have enough space for a jar of store-bought pumpkin spice! 😉

Then spread your batter into your pan, set a timer, and…
 

 
Cut yourself a slice! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy pumpkin oatmeal snack cake!

Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Snack Cake

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 1 cake, 16 squares

This easy recipe is perfect for breakfast, snacks, and even pre-bedtime treats! It’s full of sweet pumpkin flavor, cozy spices, and hearty oats. It’s a pumpkin lover's dream! Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients 

• 1 ½ cups (150g) instant oats (measured like this and gluten-free, if necessary)
• 1 ¼ cups (150g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp (14g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (244g) pumpkin purée, room temperature (not pumpkin pie mix!)
• ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 6 tbsp (90mL) pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup (60mL) nonfat milk

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat a 9”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, egg whites, and vanilla. Stir in the pumpkin purée. Add in Greek yogurt, stirring until no large lumps of yogurt remain. Stir in the maple syrup. Alternate between adding the oat mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the oat mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the oat mixture in 3 equal parts.)
• Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for 25-28 minutes or until the center feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely to room temperature in the pan before slicing and serving.

Notes

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s extremely important to measure the flour and oats correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That's the one I own and love!) Too much of either will dry out your cake and give it a dry and/or crumbly texture — especially the oats! They act like little sponges and soak up moisture from your cake batter.

 

INSTANT OATS NOTES + ALTERNATIVE: Instant oats are also known as "quick cooking" or "one-minute" oats. (They are not the ones that come in individual packets with flavors like "apple cinnamon" and "maple brown sugar!") Instant oats only include one ingredient: oats! You can find them in canisters right next to the old-fashioned rolled oats at the grocery store.

 

In a pinch, to make your own DIY version, add the same amount of old-fashioned rolled oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times. (You’ll also use instant oats in all of these cookie recipes of mine, too!)

 

FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the regular whole wheat flour.

 

SPICES ALTERNATIVE: If you prefer, 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice may be substituted for the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

 

SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.

 

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.

 

GLUTEN FREE OPTION: For the gluten free flour, I recommend the following blend: ¾ cup (90g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten free flour blends (I like this one from Bob's Red Mill) will work as well, if measured like this.

 

{gluten free, clean eating, low fat}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amyshealthybaking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡   Healthy Banana Oatmeal Snack Cake
♡   Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
♡   Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Scones
♡   Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡   Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Energy Bites
♡   Healthy Pumpkin Pie Protein Overnight Oats
♡   …and the rest of Amy’s healthy pumpkin recipes!