Baking can be hard. Baking can be complicated. Baking can be exhausting. It’s no secret that baking isn’t my favorite thing to do. It intimidates and scares me a lot. Which is why I’m forcing myself to do a whole lot more of it. I guess you could say that I’m overcoming my fear one cake at a time.
These Skinny Pumpkin Spice Bars are incredibly easy to make despite the slightly lengthy ingredient list, it comes together very very quickly. From start to finish (not including the cooling time) this cakes only takes about 30 minutes to mix and bake, frosting and all!
To healthily these pumpkin spice bars, I used a mix of all-purpose flour and also some whole wheat white flour. That’s not all though. There’s barely any oil in this cake at all. The applesauce and pumpkin puree in there keeps the cake light and moist.
And that maple cream cheese frosting? Unnngh… That stuff is amazing, right there. The frosting almost makes the cake. I was a little skeptical at first, and almost went without the maple syrup to leave it as just a cream cheese frosting but I am so glad that I didn’t do that!
All together, this makes one damn good cake. It’s great for this time of year to bring in all the most seasonal and festive flavors as we get in closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas too. Parties, events, potluck - you name it, and this cake would be a great fit.
And like I said, don’t skip out on the frosting!
TheSkinnyFork.com An easy lightened up pumpkin spice cake that's whipped up in no time and topped off with a maple cream cheese frosting! Prep Time: 15 Minutes • Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Servings: 12 • Serving Size: 1 Piece • Calories: 213 • Fat: 9 g • Saturated Fat: 4 g • Carb: 31 g • Fiber: 2 g • Protein: 6 g • Sugar: 8 g • Sodium: 233 mg
Pumpkin Cake:
• 1 C. All-Purpose Flour
• 1 C. Whole Wheat White Flour
• 1 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon
• 2 Tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 Tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 Tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/2 C. Unsweetened Applesauce
• 4 Whole Large Eggs
• 1 Tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 C. Pumpkin Puree
• 3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar/Stevia Blend
• 2 Tbsp. Agave
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 8 Oz. Reduced-Fat Neufchâtel Cream Cheese
• 2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
• 1 Tbsp. Confectioners' Sugar Substitute
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and lightly coat the inside of a 13x9” baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 C. flour, 1 C. whole wheat white flour, 1 Tbsp. cinnamon, 2 Tsp. pumpkin pie spice, 1 Tsp. baking powder and 1 Tsp. baking soda; set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat together the 1/2 C. apple sauce and 4 whole eggs until well blended.
Add in the 2 C. pumpkin puree, 3 Tbsp. brown sugar blend, 2 Tbsp. honey, and 1 Tsp. vanilla extract. Mix well to combine.
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and place into the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Set aside to cool.
While the cake is cooling, beat together the 8 Oz. cream cheese, 2 Tbsp. maple syrup, 1 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar substitute, and 1 Tsp. vanilla extract.
Place the frosting into the refrigerator to chill until the cake is completely cool.
Once the cake is completely cool, top with the cream cheese frosting and give it a light sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.
Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Step-by-Step Photos:
Nutritional Claims: Balanced • Kidney Friendly • Vegetarian • Pescatarian • Peanut Free • Tree Nut Free • Soy Free • Fish Free • Shellfish Free • Pork Free • Red Meat Free • Crustacean Free • Celery Free • Mustard Free • Sesame Free • Lupine Free • Mollusk Free • Alcohol Free • Kosher
