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!
To make your healthy 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 snack cake and feature it in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Snack Cake | | Print |
- 1 ½ cups (150g) instant oats (measured like this and gluten-free, if necessary)
- 1 ¼ cups (150g) whole wheat 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
- 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.
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 will work as well, if measured like this.
White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the whole wheat flour.
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! Super affordable and reliable!) Too much of either will dry out your cake and give it a crumbly texture—especially the oats! They act like little sponges and soak up moisture from your cake batter.
If you prefer, 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice may be substituted for the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat}
View Nutrition Information
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
♡ Pumpkin Spice Latte Energy Bites
♡ Pumpkin Pie Protein Overnight Oats
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy pumpkin recipes!
This looks like a great recipe! What can I substitute for the Greek yogurt since I can’t eat dairy products. Should I just put in the amount of yogurt called for using almond milk with a little lemon juice to get the tanginess of yogurt? And maybe add a little bit more flour?
I’m honored that you’d like to try this recipe Deborah! If you can find non-dairy yogurt (ie soy-based, almond-based, coconut-based, even oat-based!), that will be the best substitute for the Greek yogurt. Almond milk and lemon juice are much thinner in consistency compared to yogurt, which can add too much liquid to the batter (and why I hesitate to recommend using them to replace the Greek yogurt!). Does that make sense? 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try making this snack cake!
I can wait to try this recipe!!!!! But I have a question, Can I substitute the spices for pumpkin spice? Thank you!
I’m honored that you’d like to try making this snack cake Ann! I’ve actually answered this exact question in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions). I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 I can’t wait to hear what you think of this cake!