Pumpkin Pecan Snack Cake
Fall is baking season, and my favorite time of year. Since pumpkin is one of the prominent stars of the show right now, I decided to whip up something simple and lightly sweet to celebrate the change of seasons that wasn’t a pumpkin pie…
Enter: Pumpkin Pecan Snack Cake.
One of the great things about pumpkin is that its flavor not only makes things taste delicious — including cookies, muffins, breads, and lattes — but pumpkins, like most winter squashes, are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants!
Most parts of a pumpkin are edible, and each part offers some pretty impressive health benefits:
Pumpkin Fruit
Pumpkin fruit (or the fleshy part inside) is full of beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, and folate — all of which strengthen your immune system. Beta carotene is an antioxidant and the precursor to Vitamin A, which we all need, and helps with healthy skin, a strong immune system, and good eye health.
Pumpkin is also low in calories and can be a great substitute to use when baking! I also like to keep it simple and just roast pumpkin slices in the oven with a little salt and pepper. 😋
Pumpkin Seeds
I think we can all agree that one of the best parts of carving pumpkins is scooping out the seeds and roasting them up to snack on! 
While you won’t find seeds in my pumpkin pecan snack cake recipe, pumpkin seeds contain healthy fats, which can help reduce “bad” cholesterol and can lower the risk of heart disease. They’re rich in magnesium which supports a healthy immune system, keeps your heartbeat steady, and strengthens bones.
They also contain phytoestrogens, which are natural compounds similar to the hormone estrogen and may reduce the risk of breast cancer in some people.
Pumpkin Seed Oil
Pumpkin Seed Oil also has all of the great health benefits of pumpkin seeds, plus it’s a rich source of vitamin E, which may have powerful effects on skin appearance and texture. It can also help in joint lubrication and reduce the pain and discomfort that’s associated with arthritis. It’s even been shown to relieve anxiety and depression!
Pumpkin Pecan Snack Cake
If all of these health benefits don’t convince you to eat more pumpkin, then I’m sure this recipe will 
This pumpkin pecan snack cake treat falls somewhere between a blondie brownie and a dense cake, and it’s perfect for snacking on when you want a little taste of fall. Pair it with your favorite tea, hot chocolate, or warm it up and enjoy it on its own.
And if you love easy grain-free baking, grab a free copy of my original Paleo Sweets cookbook! (just cover a small shipping fee)
Pumpkin Pecan Snack Cake
Ingredients
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup creamy almond butter
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup arrowroot starch
1/4 cup coconut flour
2–3 tsp pumpkin pie spice or 1/2 tsp ginger + 1/4 tsp nutmeg + 2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Combine the pumpkin, almond butter, honey, maple syrup, and vanilla in a large bowl and mix well to combine.
- In a small bowl combine the arrowroot starch, spices, baking powder, and salt and mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to form a smooth batter. Allow the batter to sit and thicken 5-10 minutes.
- While the batter sets, preheat the oven to 325º.
- Finally fold in ⅓ cup chopped toasted pecans.
- Transfer the batter to a parchment lined 8×8 baking dish and sprinkle additional pecans over the top of the batter.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool completely before cutting and serving.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 5 days.
