Ahhhhh the BER months. Although it is currently 97 degrees outside, I am content sitting inside curled up with a good book, a cozy cup of coffee, a giant sweater, and the smell of pumpkin in the air.
I have slowly but steadily been adding more fall things to my life. Decorations, outfits, food, drinks, all the things. A few days ago I woke up and went to check the mail and it was 60 DEGREES. I was so happy! But then it got hot again and I didn’t leave the house for the rest of the day.
I am back at school now so its all a lil stressful and overwhelming. That’s why I am thanking my past self for starting fall recipe testing over the summer, because now I’m not behind on baking. I have had a lot of big changes in the last few weeks but I have been finding comfort in the little things. I have been doing a lot of reading lately and that’s really helped to keep me calm, as well as trying to stay on top of my school work.
But the thing that’s giving me the most comfort? Dreaming of fall. Romanticizing fall. Watching aesthetic fall TikTok’s. COUNTING DOWN THE MINUTES UNTIL THE LEAVES ARE FALLING. And this cake. Definitely this cake. Because cake is always comforting.
I mean picture this: It’s a cool rainy September morning (hey, a girl can dream) and you’re sitting at a desk in your comfiest sweater with a mug of steaming coffee, a book in hand and a candle flickering in the background. And by your side is a slice of this cake to snack on as you read. BLISS.
Describe this Cake to Me
Taste: This is the first fall recipe I’m posting this year so of course it’s got to be pumpkin. This cake has that sweet spongey pumpkin flavor, with notes of warming maple and cinnamon. To add a little contrast and depth to this cake there are rivers of spicy chai brown sugar. Last year I posted a pumpkin spice latte cupcake recipe, so this is my pumpkin chai latte in baked form for this year.
Texture: Like every good pumpkin cake should be, this is moist and spongy. This snack cake doesn’t have any frosting to add moisture, so I wanted to make sure this wasn’t dry. Pumpkin is amazing at adding moisture to baked goods, so we’re really taking advantage of that with 2 whopping cups of pumpkin puree.
Ease: I love the simplicity of this cake. It’s a one bowl batter and no mixer required. You do have to dirty up another bowl for the chai swirl, but it is so worth it for those rivers of sweet spices. Then you can just throw that in the oven for an hour or so. This cake has no decoration or frosting/glaze so once it’s been baked and cooled you can just slice and enjoy.
What is a Snack Cake?
Ok, so I love cake just as much as the next person. But I personally don’t love frosting. Its just a lil too sweet for me. This cake has no frosting or glaze, just fluffy and moist pumpkin cake and a chai spice swirl. It’s perfect for slicing into bars and handing out to your loved ones, or taking with you to school/work. And I guess it’s a little on the healthier side which is nice. Its also super easy to make because there’s no decoration or stacking!
The Cake
This is a pretty classic pumpkin spice cake. It’s one bowl, and no mixer required. It’s filled to the brim with pumpkin puree and seasonal spices making it perfect for fall. It’s moist and fluffy, and a little bit healthy with maple syrup, coconut oil, and whole wheat flour. It’s baked in a sheet pan, not a round one, for that classic snack cake look we all know and love. It’s warming, sweet, and simply perfect. In other words, this cake rocks.
The Chai Swirl
Pumpkin cake is already great all by itself. But when you add rivers of chai spice? New level unlocked. I love a good chai. It’s one of my favorite kinds of tea, especially in the fall. Its warming spices really compliment the pumpkin in this cake. Chai has a lot of cardamom in it, which is great because I love cardamom. I feel like pumpkin and cardamom is a really underrated combo so its getting the spotlight today.
If you’re a fellow fall lover, stay tuned! I have a whole host of fall recipes coming your way. I have been working on some of these for a while, and I’ve made some pretty tasty stuff if I do say so myself. Not to mention some spooky desserts coming in October!
Pumpkin Chai Swirl Snack Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a 7×11 inch rectangular baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla until smooth and combined. Add both flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and fold it all together with a large spatula until smooth. Batter will be thick. Set aside
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, and chai spice until evenly combined. Add the melted butter and stir it together with a spatula until a thick crumble forms.
- Scoop half of the pumpkin batter into the prepared pan and smooth out into an even layer. Sprinkle the chai filling evenly over the batter. Spread the remaining pumpkin batter evenly on top. Sprinkle with oats if desired.
- Bake the cake for 55-65 minutes or until set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan before removing and slicing into squares. Cake stays fresh in a sealed container for up to 4 days.