We all have our favorite food from holiday meals. That one most anticipated dish, or the combination of flavors that only happens once a year. For me it was the turkey stuffing and pumpkin spice cake. Although… looking back now, doing dishes with my grandma holds just as special a space in my heart.

I distinctly remember my grandma’s attic stairs around the holidays. They would be lined with all the baked goods she’d made, to keep them cool in what she referred to as her ‘extra ice box’. Each step held its own treasure; pumpkin chiffon, lemon meringue or apple pie, brownies, apricot strudel, lemon bars. But my favorite Thanksgiving dessert was the pumpkin spice cake! My Grandma was quite the baker.

Recipe Updates

I hope Grandma would still be proud of the recipe as I make it today. I’ve swapped and altered (quite) a few things. I make my own pumpkin puree, but there are decent organic canned versions out there now too! I use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. And I swap half of the regular flour with oat flour, which is simply whole rolled oats that I’ve pulsed in my Nutribullet until flour like. I’ve also doubled the spices- so know that you can make this recipe your own as well.

I’ve tried to get this to an all Gluten Free version, but because my taste buds are locked into all the other things associated with this dessert, half GF is as close as I can get. This is a splurge anyways, and worth every bite!

To make a roll, invert a jelly roll pan of baked recipe on a tea towel and gently roll up and let cool in rolled position. Unroll to frost, re-roll and enjoy!

The recipe is also quite versatile. I’ve made it as bars, bread, muffins, a two-layer cake and most recently even a ‘roll’. Delicious whatever the form takes.

A note on pumpkin puree: Making your own pumpkin puree is not hard, but you do have to plan ahead a bit. The process is easy; cut a pie pumpkin in half and scoop out guts, roast cut side up (some people roast whole and scoop out after baking- I’ve never tried that!) at 350F for 1.5 – 2 hours. Let cool, scoop out chunks, and puree. It tastes AMAZING!

With either homemade or purchased pumpkin puree, I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Pumpkin spice cake roll with cream cheese frosting on a plate

Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe:

  • 4 eggs
  • 1C Coconut Oil
  • 1.5 C Sugar (I use raw)
  • 2 C Pumpkin Puree
  • Thoroughly blend
Clockwise: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger
  • In a separate Bowl MIX
  • 1 C Oat Flour (grind/blender whole oats)
  • 1 C White Whole Wheat Flour (or whatever flour you have)
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 T Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 tsp Cloves
  • 1 tsp Ginger
    (Or sub all spices with 2 T pumpkin spice blend)

Add flour mixture to wet ingredients, mix well. Pour into greased pan.

I used to add chopped nuts before my boys outlawed them…
Bake at 350F for 20-40 minutes depending on what kind of pan you’re using; muffin tin – loaf pan.

Cream Cheese Frosting!

8 oz pkg of cream cheese
1 T milk
1-2 tsp vanilla
1 C + powdered sugar
*We add ground ginger to the frosting as well**
adjust milk to make as think or thin as you like.

In case you’re looking for more healthy recipes for your winter squash varieties, I’ve got you covered with my “Holiday Market Meals“.

Can’t wait for you to dig into this recipe with family and friends this season! Just try to save some for the guests 😉
Michelle