Name: Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Low Sugar)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 cup+1tbsp pumpkin puree (canned); 2 cups less 2tsp plain/all-purpose flour; 1⅔ teaspoons baking powder; ⅓ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda; ⅕ teaspoon fine sea salt; 1½ teaspoons pumpkin spice/mixed spice; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 3 large eggs; ¾ cup light brown sugar; 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar; ½ cup+1tbsp vegetable oil (plus a little for greasing the pan); 1 cup cream cheese; ⅖ cup ricotta cheese (firm, drained thoroughly); 2 tablespoons butter (room temperature); 6 tablespoons confectioners sugar/icing sugar; Zest of 1 lemon

Jump to Recipe

This pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting is a quick and delicious dessert, perfect for Halloween and throughout the pumpkin season. It comes with a citrussy twist, is simple to make and contains a moderate amount of sugar.

Side view of slices of pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting.

This pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting is one of my favourite autumnal desserts. It's full of flavour (a perfect marriage of citrus and spice), moist yet light and fluffy, quick to put together and comes with a healthy twist. Not only because pumpkin puree is naturally nutritious and low in carbs but also because the cake is not overly sweet.

Both the cake as well as the lemon cream cheese frosting are low in sugar!

This pumpkin cake with cream cheese is in fact for me an ideal dessert!

Pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting ingredients and substitutions

The cake

Pumpkin puree: see paragraph below.
Spices: use pumpkin spice or mixed spice. You can also combine it with ground ginger for a different flavour twist (50/50) if you like.
Vegetable oil: use rapeseed, grapeseed or another good quality mild tasting oil.
Flour.
Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
Sugar: I used a combination of light brown and dark brown sugars for added flavour and moisture. You can use light brown sugar only if you prefer.
Eggs.

The frosting

Cream cheese.
Ricotta cheese: used for a lighter, fluffier consistency. It also tones down the sourness of the cream cheese.
Butter.
Confectioners'/icing sugar: adjust the amount to your taste.
Lemon zest.

Ingredients for making pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting in individual dishes. — Pumpkin cake ingredients.

Can I use homemade pumpkin puree

I do NOT recommend it. Canned pumpkin puree tends to be more dense than homemade and will yield better results. If you use homemade pumpkin puree (which usually has more water than canned) your cake is likely to crack and have a generally uneven surface.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 23 cm/9'' pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, pumpkin spice and cinnamon.

Flour and spice mixture in large yellow bowl with green whisk.

2. In another bowl beat together the eggs, oil and sugars for a few minutes until pale and fluffy.

3. Add the pumpkin puree and stir well to combine.

Wet ingredients mixture with pumpkin puree in bowl.

4. Gradually add the flour mixture stirring until the dry ingredients are no longer visible (use a whisk or spoon). Do not overstir.

Whisking ingredients for pumpkin cake batter in bowl.

5. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth out the top. Bake in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes.

Pumpkin cake batter in square pan lined with parchment.

6. Remove from the oven and set aside for 15 minutes then lift out of the pan and place on a rack to cool completely before decorating.

7. To make the cream cheese frosting beat together all the ingredients for a couple of minutes until smooth and fluffy. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to decorate the cake.

Top tip

You can scatter more lemon zest over the top of your pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting before cutting.

Top down view of pumpkin cake with cheese frosting on white plate.

What other toppings can be used

This pumpkin cake is delicious with the lemon cream cheese frosting, but you can use other toppings to keep the calories down. For instance you can simply dust the cake with a little powdered sugar or drizzle it with an easy lemon/orange glaze. It's also delicious with dark chocolate drizzle.

You could also use orange or lime zest and juice instead of lemon in the cream cheese frosting.

Top tips

Use canned pumpkin puree, NOT homemade. Also make sure it's 100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
Do NOT overstir the batter.
Cool the cake completely before decorating with the frosting.
You can make the cream cheese frosting ahead and keep refrigerated, covered for up to 2 days. Decorate the cake just before serving.
You can scatter more lemon zest over the top of the cake if you like (as in photos).
Freeze for up to 3 months.

How to store this cake

What I really love about this pumpkin cake is the fact that it's delicious the next day too. If you have decorated it with the frosting refrigerate the leftovers, covered, for up to 3 days.

If you have leftover cake without the cream cheese frosting you can, but don't need to, refrigerate it. It will retain all its moisture (possibly become even more moist!) if you keep it covered (for example, in an airtight container). This cake will be delicious for up to 3 days.

Top tip

Make sure the cake has cooled completely before covering or refrigerating.

Why not check out all my healthier dessert ideas!

Keep in touch!

If you make this pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting I'd love to know how it turns out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Low Sugar)