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 friesâŚ
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 sidesâŚ
But this homemade Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Snack Cake was a much better option! And not just for my wallet⌠đ Itâs full of cozy spices and sweet comforting pumpkin flavor, but it contains no refined flour or sugar and only 99 calories!
And yesâitâs made for snacking! And breakfast⌠And maybe even a pre-bedtime treat? I wonât judge!
HOW TO MAKE A HEALTHY PUMPKIN OATMEAL CAKE
To make your healthy pumpkin oatmeal snack cake, youâll start with a mix of whole wheat flour (or gluten-free, if you prefer!) and instant oats. Instant oats are also called âquick-cookingâ or âone-minuteâ oats, and theyâre 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, youâll need just 1 tablespoon of butter or coconut oil. Yes, thatâs it! The rest of your cakeâs tender texture comes from pumpkin purĂŠe (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 canât forget the spices! Theyâre the best part! Youâll need a mix of cinnamon (Iâm 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 doesnât have enough space for a jar of store-bought pumpkin spice! đ
Then spread your batter into your pan, set a timer, andâŚ
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 Iâll see your picture! đ ) Iâd love to see your healthy pumpkin oatmeal snack cake!
Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Snack Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (150g) instant oats (measured like this and gluten-free, if necessary)
- 1 Âź 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
- Âź tsp ground nutmeg
- Âź 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 purĂŠe, room temperature (not pumpkin pie mix!)
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 6 tbsp (90mL) pure maple syrup
- Âź cup (60mL) nonfat milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat a 9â-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 purĂŠe. 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
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipesâŚ
⥠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
⥠âŚand 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? đ 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! đ I can’t wait to hear what you think of this cake!
I can’t wait to make these. I love muffins ans I love pumpkin and oatmeal. Ty
It means a lot that you’d like to try this recipe, Sally! I’d love to hear what you think of this snack cake if you do end up making it! đ
Amy, 3 years ago I went through extensive testing and learned I have serious allergies to gluten, eggs, and dairy. It would be so helpful to me if you would include alternatives in your comments to your delicious recipes. Thanks!
You can use a gluten free flour and the egg replacement powder and whatever type milk you use. Oat, almond,etc
Hi Amy,
This recipe sounds great. Just wanted to know, if I could substitute the non-fat milk with almond milk?
Thank You,
Art
This looks delicious! My question is can I substitute an equal volume of regular eggbeaters for the egg whites? Itâs what I have on hand.
Can I use whole eggs instead of just the whites?
Yes! If you’d like to use whole eggs, then use 2 whole large eggs, and decrease the milk by 1 tablespoon to compensate for the added volume from the yolks. đ I’d love to hear what you think of this pumpkin cake if you try making it, Myra!
I usually love and like Amy’s recipes enough to adapt it if I feel it has a good base and could improve on what I prefer, however this one did not make the cut. It was moist enough, but bland. I couldn’t taste much of the pumpkin, the spices or much of anything for that matter. Just a moist puck. Not a favorite.
It means a lot that you tried my recipe, Kaybee! That sounds disappointing and not like how this cake should turn out, so I’d love to work with you to figure out what happened. In order to do so, I have some questions for you! đ
Did you make any substitutions or modifications to the recipe, including those listed in the Notes section?
What brands of pumpkin purĂŠe and pure maple syrup did you use?
What brand did you use for each of the four spices? (I’ve found some spice brands aren’t as strong or flavorful as others, which is why I ask! đ )
If the texture was fine, the flavor is actually easier to fix, and I’m happy to help you do that too, if you’d like! I’m guessing that you’d like a stronger spice flavor. Would you prefer if the cake was sweeter too?
I know I just asked a lot of questions, but I’ll have a much better idea of the culprit and potential fixes once I know your answers to all of them!
Can I make muffins out of the pumpkin and carrot cake receipes?
Yes, you can! The baking temperature will be the same, but they may require less time to finish baking. I’d recommend checking on them after about 16-18 minutes. They may take more time than that, but it’s always easier to pop underdone muffins back in the oven than it is to salvage burnt ones! đ They’ll be done when the tops feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean or with some crumbs attached.
Alternatively, I also have recipes for carrot oatmeal muffins and pumpkin oatmeal muffins, if you’d like to follow either of those! đ
I’d love to hear what you think of your muffins if you end up making them, Jeanne!