Pumpkin Earthquake Cake: a deliciously twisted keto pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese, pecans, and chocolate chips. This post is sponsored by Pete and Gerry’s Eggs.
Every year, they say there will be a pumpkin shortage. Who “they” are is beyond me, but I have heard this almost every year I’ve been writing a food blog. And every year they are wrong.
Except this year. I decided to make a pumpkin spice version of my famous Keto Earthquake Cake, and I was confident that the so-called pumpkin shortage was yet again not real.
Alas I found myself haunting the baking aisles of my local grocery stores, with nary a can of pumpkin to be seen. There was plenty of the sugary pumpkin pie filling, but no plain, unsweetened pumpkin puree. I couldn’t believe I’d been so foolish as to not heed the warnings.
I did have one single can at home, bought a few months earlier, which I guarded jealously, trying to ascertain the best uses for it. So many delicious pumpkin possibilities, so little pumpkin.
The moral of the story is heed those pumpkin shortage warnings!
Pumpkin Spice Earthquake Cake
If you aren’t familiar with keto earthquake cake, it’s a wonderfully mixed up, mashed up, swirled up concoction of a cake. It’s easy and fun to make, and the mixed up layers of cake, cream cheese, nuts, and chocolate chips are absolutely delicious.
When Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs asked me to develop a Thanksgiving recipe with their exceptional eggs, a pumpkin flavored version of this keto cake instantly came to mind.
I took my basic almond flour cake recipe and modified it for a pumpkin spice flavor. I added pecans and the cream cheese swirl, and topped the whole thing off with keto friendly chocolate chips. It was gooey and delicious, and definitely a worthy project for some of my scarce pumpkin puree!
I always recommend using high quality organic eggs like Pete and Gerry’s in your holiday baking. Not only will your recipes be healthier and more delicious, but you will feel good knowing that your eggs come from humanely raised chickens. Being truly free range, with plenty of freedom to roam, scratch, and roost means healthier hens, healthier eggs, and a healthier planet.
Tips for Keto Pumpkin Earthquake Cake
This cake is a fun project and perfect for your healthy Thanksgiving celebrations. Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- I recommend using a glass or ceramic baking dish for this cake. You will be cutting the pieces right out of the pan and you don’t want to scratch up your non-stick bakeware!
- Do be advised that if you have to use metal, the cake will bake more quickly, as metal heats up faster in the oven than glass or ceramic.
- Depending on how thick your pumpkin puree is, you may need to add water to the cake batter. Keto batters should be thicker than their conventional counterparts, but you don’t want it so thick that you can’t spread it in the pan or swirl in the cream cheese.
- Pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice is a great option, but you can always mix up your own if you prefer. Try using 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg. I always like a touch of ground cloves too (about ⅛ teaspoon).
- Dollop the cream cheese mixture over the batter and use a knife to swirl. I recommend trying to get some of the cream cheese right to the edges so every piece of the cake is a bit more gooey.
- The cake won’t be totally firm when you remove it from the oven and you don’t want it to be. The center should have a bit of jiggle still when the pan is shaken. It will continue to set up as it sits and cools in the pan.
- Store this delicious cake in the fridge! It’s far too moist to sit on the counter.
So if you were smart and stocked up on pumpkin before the shortage, this is definitely a keto cake worthy of using a little of it up!
Click here to see my Keto Pumpkin Earthquake Cake on Pete and Gerry’s.
Nutritional information per serving (serves 20)
Calories: 237
Fat: 20.5g
Carbs: 6.7g
Fiber: 3.5g
Protein: 6.1g
Evelyn Hury says
I’m a huge fan of sweet potato casserole around the holidays. I wondered if I could find something similar using pumpkin instead to save about 30 grams of carbs. I figured if ANYBODY had tried it, it would be Carolyn. So I searched this site. Didn’t find what I initially was seeking. But stumbled upon this bit of deliciousness!! Y-U-M-M-Y!!
Jane says
I have tried a couple of different pumpkins muffin recipes but have not found one that is as scrumptious as this one. Love to eat for breakfast. Thank you so much!
Joanne says
There is no recipe listed here.
Carolyn says
No… but there is a link to it. 🙂
Tree says
So good! I made this to bring to a Thanksgiving dinner, which mostly consisted of non-keto eaters. Everyone who tried this cake loved it! I’ve made the chocolate version a few times and it’s always a hit. Glad this pumpkin version came out just as good. This will be my new favorite dessert to bring to holiday gatherings.
Anna says
I baked this yesterday morning and it is DELICIOUS. I had some canned pumpkin in the fridge that needed to be used up, so I divided the ingredients in half and baked the cake in an 8×8 glass pan for about 30 minutes or so- it turned out perfectly! Great Fall recipe! Thanks, Carolyn.
Alison N says
Hi Carolyn-wondering if you could “Ketofy” Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Cream Liquor? I’d love to try it myself but it’s loaded with sugar I’m sure. Of course, being that it’s alcoholic they don’t list the ingredients. Any ideas? Thanks for sharing your fabulous recipes with the world!
Carolyn says
Do you have a link so I can take a look?
Sandra says
To die for… so so good! I mde half a batch in a glass pie plate and it turned out beautfully. My only complaint: the serving size is too small–I keep going back to the kitchen for another forkful:)
Janine Tryban says
I am allergic to almonds, so I substituted walnut flour. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly and this is delicious!!
Carolyn says
Tasty!
Ashlly says
I feel really silly but I can’t find the recipe here, help!
Carolyn says
Big link at the bottom that says “please see my….”. The recipe lives on the Pete and Gerry’s website.
Elaine says
I made this last night sticking to the recipe exactly. For us the only thing I would change is the chocolate chips. We love chocolate chips but it made the cake way to sweet. Instead, next time I’m going to add some toasted pecans to the top in it’s place. Other than that it is a delicious cake.