• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Everyday Healthy Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Cookie Policy
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Cookie Policy
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sweet Things/Desserts

    Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Low Sugar)

    October 18, 2021 By Monika Last Updated September 11, 2022 21 Comments

    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.

    Eggs, sugar and oil in bowl.

    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.

    Baked pumpkin cake in square pan.

    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.

    Side view of pumpkin cake slices.

    You might also like

    • Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting
    • Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins with Buttermilk
    • Low Sugar Carrot Cake
    • Pumpkin Brownies (Dairy Free)

    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!

    Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular recipe updates! Or you could subscribe to this blog and receive all my latest recipes right into your mailbox!

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

    Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Low Sugar)

    This pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting is a quick and delicious dessert, perfect for Halloween and throughout the pumpkin season.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American, vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 12 squares
    Calories: 208kcal
    Author: Monika Dabrowski

    Equipment

    • 23 cm/ 9'' pan

    Ingredients

    For the cake

    • 1 cup+1tbsp (240 g) pumpkin puree canned
    • 2 cups less 2tsp (240 g) plain/all-purpose flour
    • 1â…” teaspoons baking powder
    • â…“ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    • â…• teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1½ teaspoons pumpkin spice/mixed spice
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 3 large eggs
    • ¾ cup (140 g) light brown sugar
    • 4 tablespoons (45 g) dark brown sugar
    • ½ cup+1tbsp (130 ml) vegetable oil plus a little for greasing the pan

    For the frosting

    • 1 cup (225 g) cream cheese
    • â…– cup (100 g) ricotta cheese firm, drained thoroughly
    • 2 tablespoons butter room temperature
    • 6 tablespoons confectioners sugar/icing sugar
    • Zest of 1 lemon

    Instructions

    • 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.
    • In another bowl beat together the eggs, oil and sugars for a few minutes until pale and fluffy.
    • Add the pumpkin puree and stir well to combine.
    • Gradually add the flour mixture stirring until the dry ingredients are no longer visible (use a whisk or spoon). Do not overstir.
    • Pour the batter into the pan and smooth out the top. Bake in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean).
    • 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.
    • To make the cream cheese frosting beat together the ingredients for a couple of minutes until smooth and fluffy.  Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to decorate the cake.

    Notes

    • 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.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1square | Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 3303IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 2mg

    *Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

    **A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @Monika8021 or tag #EverydayHealthyRecipes!

    « Pumpkin Carrot Soup 2 Ways
    Polish Gingerbread Loaf Cake (Piernik) »
    308 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Frances

      October 19, 2021 at 11:10 am

      It's a pity we can't get canned pumpkin puree in Australia and have to make our own, often too moist, etc. However, I shall persist. Am I missing something, raw pumpkin? mentioned in comments? Thanks

      Reply
      • Monika

        October 20, 2021 at 10:25 am

        Hi Frances, please ignore the comments, they were for another recipe, I've removed them now. Such a shame you can't get any canned pumpkin puree in Australia, I used to buy mine online but now it's started to appear in some supermarkets in the UK so I am thrilled (I am in the UK). As for using homemade pumpkin puree try adding another tablespoon of flour, or almond flour and perhaps a tablespoon of sugar too. Your cake might split or have an uneven surface because of the moisture but otherwise it should be ok. Let me know how it turns out if you do decide to make it.

        Reply
    2. Monika

      November 02, 2017 at 7:24 am

      Thanks Angie, and you are welcome, it was a pleasure to co-host:)

      Reply
    3. Jhuls

      October 31, 2017 at 5:18 am

      This cake looks so cute and delicious, Monika. Thank you for sharing and for co-hosting Fiesta Friday!

      Reply
      • Monika

        October 31, 2017 at 4:05 pm

        Thank you Jhuls:)

        Reply
    4. Monika

      October 30, 2017 at 10:41 pm

      Thank you Kat, this means a lot coming from a star baker like you:)

      Reply
    5. Monika

      October 30, 2017 at 10:35 pm

      Thank you! Raw pumpkin is similar to raw carrot, as in carrot cake, maybe a little more watery.

      Reply
    6. Angela / Only Crumbs Remain

      October 30, 2017 at 2:54 pm

      This cake sounds so delicious Monika, I just love the way you've decorated your cake 🙂 Thankyou for joining in with #BakingCrumbs,
      Angela x

      Reply
      • Monika

        October 30, 2017 at 10:40 pm

        Thank you for your kind words Angela:)

        Reply
    7. Recipes Made Easy

      October 30, 2017 at 10:34 am

      Wow I think this is a great looking cake. and I bet it tastes fantastic too.

      Reply
      • Monika

        October 30, 2017 at 10:42 pm

        Thank you Jacqui, it was fun to make and eat too:)

        Reply
    8. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness

      October 29, 2017 at 6:56 pm

      This cake looks amazing!! I have yet to make something with pumpkin, but I am hoping to start soon!

      Reply
    9. Monika

      October 29, 2017 at 11:21 am

      Thanks Kate:)

      Reply
    10. Monika

      October 29, 2017 at 11:17 am

      Thanks! I just cut out shapes from a sheet of paper:)

      Reply
      • Jenny

        October 29, 2017 at 4:49 pm

        Sorry for the weird sentence structure, I must have been tired typing it.

        Reply
    11. Monika

      October 29, 2017 at 11:08 am

      Thank you, I wish I had some left actually, just had my mid-morning coffee on its own:(

      Reply
    12. Monika

      October 28, 2017 at 9:14 am

      Thanks, it turned out pretty good:)

      Reply
    13. dtills

      October 27, 2017 at 8:15 pm

      Adorable! And, more importantly, I bet it is delicious 🙂

      Reply
      • Monika

        October 28, 2017 at 9:07 am

        Thank you:)

        Reply
    14. Midge @ Peachicks' Bakery

      October 27, 2017 at 8:01 pm

      YUM! Looks lovely!

      Reply
      • Monika

        October 28, 2017 at 9:09 am

        Thank you Midge:)

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I am Monika, welcome to Everyday Healthy Recipes! This blog is all about 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.

    Find out more about me →

    Popular Posts

    • Authentic Polish Potato Dumplings (Kopytka)
    • Spinach & Feta Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
    • Mediterranean Vegetable Stew with Beans
    • Leek and Potato Dumpling Stew (Vegan)

    Polish Recipes

    • Authentic Polish Bigos Stew Recipe
    • 6 Pierogi Recipes Plus Tips for Making Pierogi
    • Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Golabki) in Tomato Sauce
    • Polish Chicken Noodle Soup (Rosol)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • About

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for recipe updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2023 · Everyday Healthy Recipes