This healthy pumpkin cake is made using raw pumpkin and comes with a simple dark chocolate drizzle. This delicious autumnal cake is full of pumpkin goodness and is made with oil for a light and fluffy consistency.
Desserts are not usually associated with healthy ingredients but this healthy pumpkin cake with dark chocolate drizzle is an exception. There is more pumpkin in this recipe than flour and certainly more than fat and sugar put together. This means that the cake is high in fibre and vitamins A and C, as well as potassium (all thanks to the pumpkin).
Pumpkin is also very low in calories, which makes it an ideal dessert ingredient.
Healthy pumpkin cake ingredients
In this recipe I used finely grated, raw pumpkin rather than the more popular pumpkin puree. I used a moderate amount of sugar so this cake is not overly sweet. The orange and lemon zest together with the spices and vanilla added more flavour while the oil helped make it fluffy and moist.
Despite adding a good portion of raw pumpkin into this recipe the cake is light and fluffy and you can't really taste the pumpkin. You will, however, be able to taste ginger and citrus (only a hint), which make a fantastic pairing with the chocolate.
Top tip
Ensure you use culinary/sugar pumpkin, not carving pumpkin.
How to prepare the pumpkin
Preparing the pumpkin is quite easy to do and not very time consuming. Cut the pumpkin in half then cut one half into 2 or 3 thick wedges (easier to work with). Place one wedge on its side on top of a cutting board and slice the peel off downwards (or use a vegetable peeler if preferred). Then finely grate the pumpkin and make the cake!
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1.Preheat the oven to 350 F. In one bowl combine the flour, baking powder, soda, ginger, zest of orange and lemon and pinch of salt. Stir using a whisk and set aside.
2. In another bowl beat together the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract for a couple of minutes until thick and fluffy.
3. Stir in the grated pumpkin.
4. Pour in the flour mixture and stir just to combine. Do NOT overstir the batter.
5. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 50 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and set aside for 15 minutes. Lift out of the pan and place on top of a rack or large plate to cool completely.
7. Heat up the chocolate in a microwave until almost completely melted. Stir in the butter (it will continue melting as you stir). Drizzle over the cake and set aside to set. Enjoy!
Top tips
- Use sugar/culinary pumpkin, NOT carving pumpkin.
- To prepare the pumpkin, place a thick wedge of fresh pumpkin on top of a cutting board and cut the peel off slicing downwards. Then finely grate the pumpkin and make the cake.
- I used cold pressed (bright yellow) rapeseed oil which added more colour to this cake but you can use another oil.
- Do NOT overstir the batter.
- For best results use good quality dark chocolate (approx. 70% cocoa solids).
- Use either salted or unsalted butter in the chocolate drizzle. I like my chocolate with a hint of saltiness.
- This pumpkin cake tastes delicious with the chocolate drizzle, but you can also enjoy it on its own or with a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Keep covered, refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
You might also like
- Healthy Easy Pumpkin Brownies
- Easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe with Pecans
- Healthy Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Pecans
Check out also this collection of 27 everyday healthy cacao recipes.
Keep in touch!
If you make this cake I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Healthy Pumpkin Cake with Dark Chocolate Drizzle
Equipment
- 23 cm/9 inch square pan
- Electric mixer
Ingredients
- 300 g pumpkin raw, peeled, finely grated
- 260 g flour (2.08 cups)
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 120 ml vegetable oil
- 160 g sugar (0.8 cups)
- 2 medium eggs
- 1½ tsp ground ginger
- Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
For the chocolate drizzle:
- 60 g dark chocolate broken into similar size small pieces
- 1½ tsp salted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4. Grease a 23 cm square baking pan with a little oil (I spread 1 tsp of oil around the tin using a small piece of paper towel) . Line with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder and soda, ginger, pinch of salt and orange and lemon zest. Stir well using a whisk and set aside.
- In another bowl beat together the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla for a couple of minutes until thick and fluffy.
- Add the grated pumpkin and stir thoroughly.
- Fold in the flour mixture and stir until the dry ingredients are no longer visible. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake in the centre of the oven for 50 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then lift out of the pan and place on a rack or large plate.
- While the cake is cooling make the chocolate drizzle. In the microwave heat up the chocolate until almost melted completely. Stir in the butter and drizzle the mixture over the cake. Wait for the drizzle to set then serve.
Notes
- Use sugar/culinary pumpkin, NOT carving pumpkin.
- To prepare the pumpkin, place a thick wedge of fresh pumpkin on top of a cutting board and cut the peel off slicing downwards. Then finely grate the pumpkin and make the cake.
- Use good quality vegetable oil. I used cold pressed (bright yellow) rapeseed oil which added more colour to this cake but you can use another oil.
- Do NOT overstir the batter.
- For best results use good quality dark chocolate (approx. 70% cocoa solids).
- Use either salted or unsalted butter in the chocolate drizzle. I like my chocolate with a hint of saltiness.
- This pumpkin cake tastes delicious with the chocolate drizzle, but you can also enjoy it on its own, with a dusting of powdered sugar or healthy cheese frosting I used in my easy pumpkin cake recipe.
- Keep covered, refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
Hi, I am Monika, welcome to Everyday Healthy Recipes! This blog is all about creatively simple recipes with a healthy twist, old classics with a modern take, and an occasional Polish dish thrown into the mix - all easy to make, healthy and delicious, perfect for everyday cooking. 
YUM!! Loving how this cake is healthy...and that chocolate drizzle - I keep wanting to lick it off the screen 😀 Eb x
Thanks Eb!
If you're telling me that this is healthy, I'm making it right away: I need to get some of this decadent-looking deliciousness into my face PRONTO. What amazing flavors this cake has going on! The ginger and turmeric are so unexpected—BRILLIANT!
Yes, it's pretty healthy (for a dessert recipe). Thanks!
If you're telling me that this is HEALTHY, then I'm going to make it right away: I need to get some of this decadent deliciousness in my face PRONTO. What amazing flavors this has going on! The ginger and turmeric are so unexpected—BRILLIANT!
The pumpkin cake sounds delicious and I love the addition of the chocolate drizzle.
Thank you! The chocolate drizzle really makes this cake I think. Thanks for stopping by:)
This cake looks delicious and perfect for this time of year! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Thank you! I find cooking in autumn is so rewarding with all the wonderful vegetables that grow at this time of year, and pumpkin is such an iconic autumn vegetable, it's great for Halloween but not only:)
Ooh yum! I love baking with pumpkin and love the addition of tumeric especially in this season of sniffles! x
I use turmeric whenever I can, it's such a great natural colouring and so healthy too! Thanks for stopping by:)
This cake sounds gorgeous! I'm really enjoying baking with pumpkin at the moment too and I've heard a lot about the health benefits of turmeric lately so I think it's a great idea to add some to this cake as well.
Thank you! I actually prefer using pumpkin in baking rather than cooking, I find it so bland it's easier to make it taste good with sweet rather than savoury dishes. Thanks for stopping by:)
This cake looks so yummy! I love pumpkin and chocolate together!
Thank you! They do work well together, don't they:)
This look great Monika, I love the contast in colours between the soft pumpkin yellow sponge to the dark chocolate drizzle.
Angela x
Thanks Angela! Contrasting colours look so good in food don't they? Thanks for stopping by:)
Oooh looks lovely!
Thanks:)