This Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake is a moist almond flour pumpkin cake that is made with olive oil and pumpkin spice. It is frosted with a delicious cream cheese frosting. It’s the perfect Autumn or Thanksgiving pumpkin snacking cake.

piece of pumpkin olive oil cake cut by fork.

If you are looking for a healthy pumpkin cake that is full of flavor, then look no further! This Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake has a wonderful pumpkin and pumpkin spice taste.

It’s also made with healthier ingredients like almond flour and olive oil (instead of white flour and butter). And it is made with less sugar than many other pumpkin cakes, for a lighter grain-free and gluten-free pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. But, with all the same pumpkin cake flavor!

The tangy delicious cream cheese frosting, pairs so well with the cinnamon pumpkin flavor of the cake. And can easily be made dairy-free!

It took me several tries to get this pumpkin olive oil cake right.

The reason for this is because I used almond flour and olive oil, which changes up the ratios of everything else that needs to go into a pumpkin cake.

Once I finally got the ratios for the almond flour and olive oil right, man oh man, is this almond flour based pumpkin olive oil cake just perfect!

slice of pumpkin cake about to be lifted by spatula.

I am a huge fan of baking with olive oil. If you are as well, I have a delicious brownie recipe and sugar cookie recipe made with olive oil that you need to check out.

In general, olive oil cake is a classic Italian or Mediterranean dessert where olive oil is used as the fat content in a cake. You don’t taste the olive oil, but the result is a moist rich cake that is naturally dairy-free.

Ingredients needed for this Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake:

  • almond flour– blanched almond flour is best in baking so that the cake can be light and spongy
  • coconut flour– a good quality coconut flour works best here.
  • baking powder– this helps make the cake rise
  • baking soda– this also helps the cake rise and be fluffy
  • salt– any salt works
  • ground cinnamon– I like the flavor of Ceylon cinnamon best
  • pumpkin pie spice– I buy mine from Trader Joes, but you can also use a mixture of ground ginger, cloves, all spice and nutmeg to make your own pumpkin spice
  • olive oil– I like to use extra virgin olive oil.
  • eggs– these help bind everything together.
  • brown sugar– you can also use coconut sugar if you prefer
  • pumpkin puree– I used canned pumpkin puree here but you can use fresh
  • vanilla extract– one with or without alcohol works
  • cream cheese– I used regular cram cheese here, but you can use a non-dairy cream cheese like Kite Hill, if you want this recipe to be completely dairy-free.
  • powdered sugar– this is for the frosting.
  • lemon juice– this is for the frosting as well.
front view of pumpkin olive oil cake.

Step by Step Instructions:

Step 1- Make the pumpkin olive oil cake.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. ( The almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice).

In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients ( the olive oil, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract)

Mix the wet and dry ingredients together and let everything sit for a few minutes.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a tooth pick comes out clean when you test it.

Step 2- Make the cream cheese frosting.

Put the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon juice into a food processor and mix until smooth.

Once the cake is cool, you can frost it and then serve.

Tips and tricks

  • Let the batter of this cake sit: let the batter sit for a few minutes so that the coconut flour can absorb the way that it needs to.
  • To make a double layer cake: double the recipe!
  • To keep the cake from sticking to the pan: grease it with olive oil and then line it with parchment paper.
  • To make the cake dairy-free: you can easily use dairy-free cream cheese to make a dairy-free frosting. I like Kite Hill. The rest of the pumpkin cake is naturally dairy-free.

Garnish ideas for this cake

How to store it

You can store this cake in the fridge for up to 5 days.

bite taken out of pumpkin cake on a plate.

Recipe FAQs:

Do you have to use almond flour here?

Yes, it is an almond flour pumpkin cake. But you could try sunflower seed flour or other nut flours.

How can you make this cake dairy-free?

The pumpkin olive oil cake itself is dairy-free but the cream cheese frosting has dairy in it. You can easily use dairy-free cream cheese to make a dairy-free frosting. I like Kite Hill.

Is this cake Paleo?

No because baking powder, brown sugar, and powdered sugar are not Paleo.

Is this cake gluten-free?

Yes! This is a gluten-free pumpkin cake. Using almond flour and coconut flour instead of a flour containing wheat makes it naturally gluten-free.

What if I don’t have pumpkin pie spice?

You can make your own pumpkin spice using ground nutmeg, cloves, ginger and all spice.

What does olive oil cake taste like?

It doesn’t taste like olive oil if that is what you are wondering! This olive oil pumpkin cake just tastes like a yummy pumpkin cake with Fall spices.

fork in a piece of pumpkin olive oil cake.

Other healthier pumpkin recipes you may enjoy:

Gluten-free Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies– A delicious combo of pumpkin and chocolate in yummy Paleo brownie form.

Easy Paleo Pumpkin Muffins (Dairy-free, Gluten-free)– My favorite moist pumpkin muffin recipe.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug– The ultimate pumpkin cookie in a mug! Dairy-free, Gluten-free and Paleo!

Pumpkin Spice Cake Pops– These gluten-free cake pops have a great pumpkin spice flavor!

❤️ Don’t forget to check out my favorite Thanksgiving recipes here! ❤️

Note: this recipe was originally published in September 2021 and was updated September 2022.

Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!

Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake | Perchance to Cook, www.perchancetocook.com

Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake

Dominique
This Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake is a moist almond flour pumpkin cake that is made with olive oil and pumpkin spice.
5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 261 kcal

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin olive oil cake ingredients:

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 2 Tablespoons coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground all spice)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream cheese frosting ingredients:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature (dairy-free cream cheese can also be used)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • Grease a 9 inch round pan, and line with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together. Set aside.
  • In another bowl, whisk the olive oil, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract together until combined
  • Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and mix until completely combined. Let the batter sit for a few minutes.
  • Pour the batter into the round pan and bake for 25 minutes. The cake should be golden and a toothpick should come out clean.
  • While the cake cools, make the cream cheese frosting. Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon juice to a food processor and mix until smooth.
  • Once the cake has cooled, frost with the cream cheese frosting and serve.

Notes

  • Let the batter of this cake sit: let the batter sit for a few minutes so that the coconut flour can absorb the way that it needs to.
  • To make a double layer cake: double the recipe!
  • To keep the cake from sticking to the pan: grease it with olive oil and then line it with parchment paper.
  • To make the cake dairy-free: you can easily use dairy-free cream cheese to make a dairy-free frosting.  The rest of the pumpkin cake is naturally dairy-free.

Nutrition

Calories: 261kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 4.2gFat: 14.6g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!