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Last Updated on October 5, 2023

Pumpkin and chocolate go amazingly well together, and my pumpkin cake with chocolate ganache is really to die for. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar free and absolutely delicious!

Pumpkin Cake With Chocolate Ganache

This pumpkin cake with chocolate ganache has become a family favorite of ours. We’ve served it to friends and family and have gotten rave reviews so far.

If you like pumpkin pie spice and all-things things pumpkin, my pumpkin cake recipe is sure to be a big hit. It’s a healthier version of a chocolate pumpkin cake that is made with almond flour and a surprise ingredient – navy beans! Don’t let the sound of beans in this recipe deter you though, I promise you will love it!

My pumpkin cake with chocolate ganache recipe is a stunning testament to the art of guilt-free indulgence.

This mouthwatering masterpiece is meticulously crafted, keeping your health and taste buds in mind. It’s grain-free, dairy-free, and free from refined sugars, making it a delicious dessert you can savor without second thoughts.

This moist pumpkin cake is topped with a decadent chocolate ganache and perfect for the fall season, holiday dinners, parties, or anytime just because you love pumpkin.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cake With Chocolate Ganache

This moist and flavorful cake is made with fresh, aromatic pumpkin, a type of squash celebrated for its natural sweetness and soft texture. The pumpkin lends a gentle moistness to the cake, making it soft and tender to the touch, yet firm enough to hold its shape.

The cake is generously topped with a layer of chocolate ganache. The ganache, made with high-quality, dairy-free dark chocolate chips, oozes a rich and creamy texture. It complements the pumpkin base with a perfect contrast, creating a delightful blend of flavors that dance on your palate.

The inherent sweetness of the pumpkin paired with the bitter-sweet symphony of the chocolate ganache creates a divine balance. It’s a cake that is not just sweet, but also deeply satisfying. Each mouthful is a celebration of contrasting textures and flavors, making it impossible to resist.

Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined-Sugar-Free

Despite being free from grains, dairy, and refined sugars, this pumpkin cake with chocolate ganache retains a truly amazing flavor and delicious texture. It’s a testament to the fact that healthy can be delicious, and indulgence doesn’t always have to come with regret.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cake

Here’s the ingredients you will need to make my easy pumpkin cake with chocolate ganache. You can get the specific measurements from the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

cooked white navy beans (soaked 24 hours, cooked well and drained)
eggs
raw honey (you could try maple syrup, however I have not used that to make this recipe)
vanilla extract
apple cider vinegar
coconut oil
blanched almond flour
sea salt
baking soda
pumpkin pie spice
cinnamon

Ingredients for Ganache

Traditional chocolate ganache is made using heavy cream, but in order to keep it dairy-free, I use cashew milk. There are other plant-based milk options, but cashew milk tends to be the most creamy in my opinion, resulting in a silky-smooth texture. You could try another dairy-free milk, but you may end up with different results.

Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
cashew milk

Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

While you can certainly make your own pumpkin pie mix using warm spices, it’s easy to find a pre-made mix of pumpkin pie sice. If you’d like to make it yourself, here’s an easy recipe:

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice

Measure: Begin by meticulously measuring out all your spices. Accuracy is paramount in creating a balanced and harmonious spice blend.
Combine: In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
Mix: Thoroughly mix together all the spices until they are evenly distributed. The end result should be a uniform brown color, with no visible clumps of any one spice.
Store: Transfer the spice mix into a small, airtight jar to maintain the flavor potency. Store the container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

Your pumpkin pie spice mix is now ready to be used in your favorite pumpkin recipes.

Note: This recipe yields approximately 2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice mix. If you require a larger quantity, simply double or triple the measurements, keeping the spice ratios consistent.

How to Make Pumpkin Cake With Chocolate Ganache

Start by preheating the oven to 325F. Grease and flour bundt pan. (I use almond flour.)
Next, using a food processor, process cooked beans, eggs, honey, vanilla, apple cider vinegar and coconut oil. Scrape sides and process again until smooth.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.
Then, add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and pulse to combine. Scrape down sides of the bowl and pulse again.
Pour into prepared pan and tap pan on counter to remove air bubbles.
Bake according to the instructions below and your baking pan.

Note, if you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender to mix the wet ingredients. You can also try an electric mixer, however, you need to be sure you get a silky-smooth finish to the batter.

To Make Ganache:

First, using a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips. Add cashew milk and stir constantly until well mixed and smooth. (Mixture will start off with “flecks” of chocolate and then become smooth.)
Next, remove top of double boiler and allow to cool. Mixture will thicken some as it cools.
Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container and end up becoming a thick frosting-like ganache. It can be reheated at this point or whisked and used as a frosting.

To reheat the ganache, heat it on low in a small saucepan, Whisk continuously to avoid burning it. You can then spread spread ganache all over your pumkin cake or other sweet treat.

Topping the Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate Ganache

When you are ready to eat the cake, pour some melted chocolate ganache on the top. As a nice finish, you can sprinkle cocoa powder on the top of the cake in place of powdered sugar, to keep it refined-sugar free. You can also add some chocolate curls to dress it up.

How Long to Bake Pumpkin Cake

I began baking this cake in a traditional aluminum bundt pan which took about 55-60 minutes to bake. I am trying to replace aluminum baking pans one by one, so I recently bought a Princess House bundt pan. I’ve found this pan bakes up a cake in 35-45 minutes, so please adjust your baking time accordingly.

If you love pumpkin desserts, be sure to check out our AIP pumpkin recipes for more allergy-friendly and healthy treats to make during pumpkin season. You might also enjoy these pumpkin recipes:

Pumpkin Bread – This deliciously moist bread has a cinnamon and pecan topping and is grain free, gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free.
Pumpkin Custard – My creamy pumpkin custard recipe with toasted pecans is compliant for Paleo, SCD, and GAPS, diets. It’s also dairy free, gluten free, grain free and refined sugar free.
Pumpkin Muffins – These moist and fluffy pumpkin muffins are SCD legal and can be eaten on a GAPS diet as well. They’re grain free, refined sugar free and dairy free.

Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate Ganache (grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free)

Print Recipe

Author: Jen/ My BIG FAT Grain Free Life

Instructions

To Make the Pumpkin Cake:

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour bundt pan. (I use almond flour.)
In food processor, process beans, eggs, honey, vanilla, apple cider vinegar and coconut oil. Scrape sides and process again until smooth.
Meanwhile, in separate bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.
Add dry ingredients to wet and pulse to combine. Scrape down and pulse again.
Pour into prepared pan and tap pan on counter to remove air bubbles.
An aluminum bundt pan takes about 55-60 minutes to bake. A glass bundt pan takes about 35-45 minutes, so please adjust your baking time accordingly.

To Make Ganache:

In a double boiler, melt chocolate chips. Add cashew milk and stir constantly until well mixed and smooth. (Mixture will start off with “flecks” of chocolate and then become smooth.)
Remove top of double boiler and allow to cool. Mixture will thicken some as it cools.
Leftovers can be refrigerated and end up becoming a thick frosting-like ganache. It can be reheated at this point or whisked and used as a frosting.