Pumpkin Pie Cake with Coconut Cream Frosting

One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is the dessert! I have always been a huge sweets person, and finding healthier alternatives to those holiday staples can definitely prove to be a challenge. However, the longer I eat the way I do it becomes easier to know what ingredients will work well with others and what to substitute for the not so healthy stuff. I absolutely love creating new recipes and trying new ingredients together! This was one of those recipes that just came together perfectly.

This Pumpkin Pie Cake with Coconut Cream Frosting is by far one of the healthiest desserts I could possibly dream up for a holiday feast. And seriously guys, its even more delicious than it is healthy. Like right up there with my all time favorite classic pecan pie. Trust that that is a big statement coming from me.

I like to think of this dessert as a mix between a pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and chocolate cake! A vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and paleo pumpkin/pecan/chocolate/pie/cake!

The other thing that's so great about it is how easy it is to make! It requires one bowl, ten ingredients for the cake, and three for the frosting. Easy peasy! I mixed mine together in my KitchenAid but you could do it all by hand with a fork or hand mixer too.

One HUGE tip I have when making this cake is for the frosting. It is a must for the can of coconut cream to spend 24 hours in the fridge. Another tip would be to look for coconut cream without the ingredient guar gum. If you can not find a can without guar gum, its ok! Your frosting may not be quite as "whipped" but just as delicious and will still look just like it does in the photos. If you can not find coconut cream you could also use a can of full fat coconut milk and then scoop just the cream out, leaving the leftover liquid in the can. The can of coconut milk must also be refrigerated for 24 hours.

Pumpkin Pie Cake with Coconut Cream Frosting

(Makes 8 Servings)

Pumpkin Pie Cake Ingredients:
1 cup creamy, raw almond butter
1.5 cups + 2 Tbs pumpkin puree
2 medium ripe bananas
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
2 Tbs coconut flour
2 Tbs cacao powder
2-3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Coconut Cream Frosting Ingredients:
1 can coconut cream
1/2-1 tsp pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Place can of coconut cream in the fridge for 24 hours.

2. Place mixing bowl in the fridge for 5 minutes to chill before adding the can of coconut cream along with maple syrup and vanilla.

3. Whip coconut cream, maple syrup, and vanilla with a hand mixer or KitchenAid. Store frosting in the fridge until ready to use.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan with coconut oil.

5. Place all cake ingredients, except for chopped pecans, in a large mixing bowl or KitchenAid. Stir until smooth, then add pecans and stir again until all ingredients are combined.

6. Pour batter evenly into lightly greased cake pan. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. *This cake is very moist so a toothpick may not come out 100% clean even when baked for the full 45 minutes.

7. Let cool, then remove from pan and place on a cooling rack. Spread on frosting and top with some more chopped pecans (optional).

8. Let the holiday feasting begin! Store cake in the fridge for up to a week.