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All Day I Dream About Food

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September 9, 2015

Chocolate Pumpkin Sex In A Pan Dessert

This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Sex in a Pan is a layered dessert that’s so rich and creamy, you’ll be in love after the first bite. Chocolate Pumpkin Sex in a Pan is a gluten-free, low carb pumpkin recipe to end all pumpkin recipes! An almond flour crust holds layers of pumpkin cheesecake filling, creamy chocolate pudding, and sugar-free whipped topping with shaved chocolate on top.

titled image (and shown) Pumpkin Spice Sex in a Pan

The pumpkins are coming, the pumpkins are coming! Whoops, too late. The pumpkin recipes are HERE! And if you’re not a pumpkin lover or if you would prefer to not see any pumpkin-related content until at least October, I am sorry. I truly am. But they seem to arrive earlier and earlier every year now.

Even before summer is over, before the kids are back in school, and while you are still embalming yourself with sunscreen every day,  your social media feeds begin to clog up with pumpkin recipes. It’s atrocious, it really is. And I blame bloggers. Yes, bloggers! Those damn fools that worship the big orange gourd and can’t even wait until the beginning of September to start cranking out the pumpkin spice this and the pumpkin pie that. Yes, I include myself in that lot of wild-eyed pumpkin addicts. It’s a sickness, it really is. And there is no antidote.

 

a slice of sugar-free pumpkin chocolate layered dessert known as Sex in a Pan

Well, at least I waited until after Labour Day to publish my first pumpkin recipe this year. That’s something, right? And what a recipe it is, with quite the, ahem, suggestive name. Sorry if it offends.

Is Sex in a Pan really the name?

Sex in a Pan is meant simply to be tongue in cheek, but if you don’t like that moniker, there are a few alternative names for this sinfully delicious pumpkin chocolate layered dessert recipe. Like Low Carb Chocolate Pumpkin Lasagna. Or Chocolate Pumpkin Dream Dessert. Or the rather boring but descriptive Pumpkin Chocolate Layered Dessert.

I settled on Sex In A Pan because that’s what a reader called it when she asked me to make something similar. And it reminded me of a dessert a friend made back in high school, although she called hers “Better Than Sex”. Which, being rowdy teenagers, we though was hysterical. It was also delicious!

The high carb version of Sex in a Pan usually has a shortbread-like crust, with layers of vanilla pudding, chocolate pudding and whipped topping. Most of which comes out of a box, of course. But making a low carb layered dessert from scratch is not only healthier, but a lot of fun. And you get to lick the beaters and the bowls of all the various layers. Can’t complain about that!

Low Carb Chocolate Pumpkin Lasagna

Healthier Pumpkin Chocolate Desserts

The combination of chocolate and pumpkin can be found in all sorts of gluten-free, sugar-free and low carb dessert recipes. A few of my favorites include:

  • Pumpkin Cheesecake Truffles
  • Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Flourless Chocolate Cake Roll (from Cupcakes & Kale Chips)
  • Pumpkin Tiramisu
  • Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins (from My Gluten-Free Kitchen)

Just be forewarned about one thing. There is absolutely NO WAY to get the first slice of this beauty out of the pan in one piece. You have to resign yourself to sacrificing that one piece in order to get the others out all nicely sliced up. If you happen to be serving to guests, just delicately remove yourself from their view as you cut into it.

Pull out that first mangled, mashed slice of Sex in a Pan in whatever manner you can get it out, and hide it back in the fridge for later. Then you’ll be able to lift the other slices from the bottom and no one will be the wiser. Well, except when you walk back into the dining room with smears of chocolate, pumpkin and whipped cream all over your face…

Did you know I wrote a cookbook? Get it now!

The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen

5 from 4 votes
Print
Pumpkin Sex In A Pan Dessert
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
20 mins
Chill Time
3 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 20 mins
 

A low carb pumpkin recipe to end all pumpkin recipes! This gorgeous chocolate and pumpkin layered dessert is so rich and creamy, you'll be in love after the first bite.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Dessert
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 366 kcal
Ingredients
Crust:
  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans optional
  • 1/4 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
  • 1/4 cup butter melted
Pumpkin Layer:
  • 10 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1/3 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Pudding Layer:
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup Swerve Sweetener
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 & 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped
  • 3 tbsp butter in 3 pieces
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Whipped Cream Topping:
  • 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
  • 3 tbsp powdered Swerve Sweetener
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/2 ounce sugar free dark chocolate
Instructions
Crust:
  1. Preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9x9 inch square baking pan (you can use 8x8 but your crust may take a little longer to bake).
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, pecans, and sweetener. Stir in butter until dough begins to clump together. Press firmly and evenly into prepared baking pan.
  3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and just firm to the touch. Let cool.
Pumpkin Layer:
  1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sweetener together until smooth. Beat in cream, pumpkin puree, spices and vanilla extract until well combined.
  2. Spread mixture over cooled crust.
Chocolate Pudding Layer:
  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine almond milk, whipping cream and sweetener. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sweetener.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks to temper. Then slowly whisk tempered yolks back into saucepan.
  3. Reduce heat to medium low and sprinkle surface with xanthan gum, whisking vigorously to combine. Whisk in cocoa powder and cook until thickened, about 3 or 4 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in chopped chopped chocolate and butter until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract.
  5. Let cool 15 minutes and then spread over pumpkin layer. Cover with plastic wrap flush to the surface and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Whipped Cream Topping:
  1. Beat cream with sweetener and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Remove plastic wrap from chocolate layer and spread with whipped cream.
  2. Dust with cocoa powder (this works best through a fine sieve). Use a vegetable peeler or cheese slicer to shave chocolate over top.
  3. Chill another hour to help set completely.
Recipe Notes

Serves 16 (this is a really rich dessert so could go even farther). Each serving has 7.63 g of carbs and 3.05 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 4.58 g.

Food energy: 366kcal
Total fat: 33.79g
Calories from fat: 304
Cholesterol: 134mg
Carbohydrate: 7.63g
Total dietary fiber: 3.05g
Protein: 5.96g

Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin Sex In A Pan Dessert
Amount Per Serving
Calories 366 Calories from Fat 304
% Daily Value*
Fat 33.79g52%
Cholesterol 134mg45%
Carbohydrates 7.63g3%
Fiber 3.05g12%
Protein 5.96g12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Filed Under: Fall Favourites, Gluten Free, Keto Cakes, Low Carb, Other Desserts, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, and More Pumpkin! Tagged With: pumpkin, shortbread

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Nutritional Disclaimer

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

Reader Interactions

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Comments

  1. Susan says

    September 9, 2015 at 7:49 am

    Well you had me at your title, but the stunning photographs of said pumpkin
    p*rn sealed the deal…this recipe to the top of my ‘to do’ list”

    Reply
  2. Kristina says

    September 9, 2015 at 8:05 am

    I’ll take a huge pan of THAT CRUST. it was always my favorite part of this kind of dessert. pumpkin sounds GOOD.

    Reply
  3. cj boyce says

    September 9, 2015 at 9:24 am

    When at the store what am I looking for when you say, unsweetened chocolate & sugar-free choclate. What exactly did you use?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 9, 2015 at 11:50 am

      Unsweetened baking chocolate: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H227SY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000H227SY&linkCode=as2&tag=aldaidrabfo05-20&linkId=AEH4EZPVDF7DIM3L

      Dark Sugar-Free Chocolate: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CLFH0EG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00CLFH0EG&linkCode=as2&tag=aldaidrabfo05-20&linkId=ZCQJI5NYH2E6LAHH

      Reply
      • Lacey says

        November 7, 2016 at 9:13 pm

        Well, that is crazy expensive chocolate!! $50 for 3 oz! Yikes! $16.88/oz. Is that some sort of typo? That can’t be real!

        Reply
        • Carolyn says

          November 7, 2016 at 9:51 pm

          If you look a little closer, you see that it’s actually 12×3. 12 bars, 3 ounces each. So although it says it’s $14.99 per ounce, that’s a weird calculation on Amazon. Look at the title…it says: Lily’s Original Dark Chocolate (12×3 OZ) 🙂

          Reply
          • Lacey says

            November 7, 2016 at 10:04 pm

            Yea, I don’t see it when I click on that link… but that’s OK! I searched for it and found the multi bar packs!
            Looking forward to making this for the family!
            Thanks!

          • Carolyn says

            November 7, 2016 at 11:44 pm

            When I click on that link, I see the one that says 12×3. Weird!

    • Eric says

      September 26, 2017 at 12:00 pm

      ChocZero 70% Dark Chocolate, Sugar free, Low Carb. No Sugar Alcohol, No Artificial Sweetener, All Natural, Non-GMO – (6 Bags, 60 pieces) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M09Q8DW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_bDOYzb48YKTHZ

      Reply
  4. Cheryl P says

    September 9, 2015 at 10:52 am

    Lol I figured your title was a nod to the hugely popular dessert/cake that was flooding the Net a decade or so ago “Better than Sex”. Given the story about you and your girlfriend, I’m guessing it was around longer than that. 😉 This looks really yummy!

    Reply
  5. Mona Lisa says

    September 9, 2015 at 11:40 am

    Well, since my Sweetie is deployed until next April, this is as close to sex as I am getting! Lol!
    It especially included my love of chocolate and pumpkin! xoxo

    Reply
  6. Susan the Farm Quilter says

    September 9, 2015 at 12:20 pm

    The name of this recipe certainly got my attention!! Rather like a cake recipe called Sin in Your Mouth – just kinda grabs you! If this is as good as that *grin* I’ll be taking this to the family Thanksgiving dinner (but I make have to change the name for the sensitive folks)!!

    Reply
  7. Patti says

    September 9, 2015 at 12:50 pm

    Oh, my! I’ll definitely be making this recipe this autumn. I have a “not low carb” recipe for the vanilla/chocolate version you mentioned. I would love it if you would share that recipe with us one of these days. 🙂

    Reply
  8. Kelly says

    September 9, 2015 at 1:29 pm

    Hi, I just love your recipes! and I hope in the future that you will have a chocolate or any other flavor low carb turnover recipe and a low carb strudel recipe.

    Reply
  9. Mark says

    September 10, 2015 at 1:27 am

    Two words: springform pan.

    Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 10, 2015 at 6:28 am

      Not when you want it to be in squares rather than a circle! I don’t know of any square springforms, although maybe someone makes them.

      Reply
      • Felicia says

        September 30, 2015 at 7:35 am

        I believe that King Arthur has a rectangular spring form tart pan that may work for this-

        Reply
      • Trudy says

        October 24, 2020 at 6:59 am

        I actually have a 9×13 Springform Pan, I think it was made by Wilton (maybe) and I ordered it on Amazon, it is wonderful!!!

        Reply
    • Wenchypoo says

      September 10, 2015 at 8:03 am

      I was going to add PIE PAN.

      Reply
  10. Carol says

    September 10, 2015 at 7:16 am

    Oh.My.Word. You are now my best friend.
    I have had this dessert with pistachio and chocolate, but pumpkin?? Yum!
    I also didn’t know anyone else who knew what this dessert was! 🙂
    Thank you!

    Reply
  11. Jennifer says

    September 10, 2015 at 8:11 am

    Ok van I use in place of swerve? Xylitol or Erithitol? How much?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 10, 2015 at 8:37 am

      Erythritol is fine in the same amounts.

      Reply
  12. Leah says

    September 10, 2015 at 9:39 am

    What can I do if I can’t get powdered sweetener? They don’t seem to sell it anywhere in my city. All I have is granulated erythritol.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 10, 2015 at 11:09 am

      Try powdering it in a coffee grinder. Some people have success with that.

      Reply
    • Denise S. says

      October 24, 2015 at 7:21 pm

      Amazon sells this.

      Reply
  13. Suzanne says

    September 10, 2015 at 11:55 am

    This looks amazing!! I can’t wait to try it! I am the only low carber and only dessert lover in my family and I can’t imagine eating this whole thing by myself before it would be past its prime… Any idea of it would freeze OK or should I just stick with a mini batch?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 10, 2015 at 1:00 pm

      I’d make a mini batch. I don’t think the pudding layer or whipped cream layer would do well with freezing. Should be pretty easy to do 1/2 or 1/3 or even 1/4, if you have a small enough pan.

      Reply
  14. Joan Hayes says

    September 10, 2015 at 2:07 pm

    I’m not even that much of a fan of pumpkin, and yet I think this looks SO GOOD! It totally reminds me of tiramisu, and that’s a good thing. 🙂 Yum!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 10, 2015 at 4:31 pm

      Thanks, Joan!

      Reply
  15. kai says

    September 12, 2015 at 8:57 am

    We made this last night. Holy cow, this is SO GOOD! Everyone was taking turns licking spoons, and clearly the biggest problem is going to be not eating six pieces at a go… The spicing in the pumpkin layer takes me right back to my high school years in New England! So, so good.

    We did find it really quite sweet for our tastes, but that’s just us (we find everything sweet!). Next time we’re going to reduce the sweetener in the chocolate layer by half, and everywhere else by a third.

    We don’t have easy access to Swerve in the UK, so we use Sukrin 1:1 (granulated) and Sukrin Icing, which are both erythriol and stevia combinations that work really well for us as direct sugar substitutes. We find they’re an easy swap for Swerve, and have comparable sweetness.

    We ended up using Montezuma Organic 73% dark chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate component, as there was nothing around that was completely unsweetened (aka cacao and cocoa butter, and nothing else) and no sugar-free dark chocolate, so our carb content is definitely higher for this and this is undoubtedly why our chocolate layer came out quite sweet compared to the other layers.

    When chilled for that final hour after adding the whipped cream layer, it was definitely still oozing everywhere but we couldn’t resist a moment longer. Yum! By this morning, it’s firmed up beautifully.

    Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It’s already a favourite, and I can tell we’re going to be making it all the time. 🙂 If anyone’s thinking of making it and runs into some of the minor things I mentioned, hopefully this comment offers a little bit of guidance. The recipe definitely takes a bit of time and effort but is so, so delicious!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 12, 2015 at 11:31 pm

      Glad you liked it! It may be that the 73% chocolate made it taste quite a bit sweeter. Or it could be the sukrin. Hard to say!

      Reply
  16. Susan says

    September 12, 2015 at 9:13 pm

    “Best low carb dessert ever.” declared my husband.

    Reply
  17. Chris says

    September 13, 2015 at 6:25 am

    Oh my oh my I can’t wait to sink into this. I know it will be good as all your recipes are tried and true!! Thank you!

    Reply
  18. Kelly P says

    September 13, 2015 at 8:12 am

    Hi Carolyn your desert looks stunning and sounds amazing. If I wanted a different sweetener instead of swerve like honey ,maybe maple syrup or regular sugar. Don’t you think it might work. I know you haven’t tested another source. Hey thank you so much!!.

    Reply
  19. Cindy says

    September 13, 2015 at 12:42 pm

    I haven’t been a successful baker but this looks so good, I think I’m going to give it a shot. However, my family prefers sweet potatoes to pumpkin. Do you think I could sub sweet potato for pumpkin 1:1? Would anything else need to be changed? Thank you. Your blog is inspiring.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 14, 2015 at 8:23 am

      I think you could sub it in the exact same amount…however, do keep in mind that sweet potato has more carbs than pumpkin

      Reply
      • Cindy says

        September 14, 2015 at 8:52 am

        I’d not considered that, thank you.

        Reply
  20. Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says

    September 13, 2015 at 8:14 pm

    I adore chocolate and pumpkin together so I just may have to make love to this dessert. I mean, devour…

    Reply
  21. Tonya says

    September 16, 2015 at 9:30 am

    This is just like a recipe that I’ve made that I got from my grandmother. She always called it The Next Best Thing to Robert Redford! So it has been around awhile. And even with the original, the first piece NEVER comes out of the pan without getting mangled! I love all of the recipes of yours that I’ve tried, and I can’t wait to try this one. I bet my family won’t even be able to tell the difference!

    Reply
  22. Stephanie says

    September 30, 2015 at 8:53 pm

    What could I sub for the chocolate layer. I really do care for chocolate anything.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 1, 2015 at 8:14 am

      Why not just skip it?

      Reply
      • Christy Murray says

        November 22, 2016 at 1:57 pm

        Think I could skip the pumpkin layer. We are not fans of it but my fav pie is the chocolate one… oh this may be the sub I really needed. Thank you tons!

        Reply
        • Carolyn says

          November 22, 2016 at 3:34 pm

          Sure, or you could just go with a vanilla cheesecake type layer.

          Reply
          • Kelly Harber says

            December 21, 2018 at 1:52 pm

            Do you have a good recipe for a vanilla cheesecake layer?

          • Carolyn says

            December 22, 2018 at 11:52 am

            Try my mascarpone mousse but use all cream cheese. That should be about right.

  23. Ernie kinder says

    October 4, 2015 at 8:39 pm

    Looks great but I also have to avoid dairy is their any way to avoid dairy as much. Really want to make all the time.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 5, 2015 at 8:34 am

      No this dessert is quite dairy based. But I have several non-dairy recipes, so type “dairy free” into my search box and you will find them.

      Reply
  24. Jenny says

    October 16, 2015 at 2:38 pm

    I made this about a week ago and I’m still sneaking spoonfuls out of the fridge – it’s just really delicious. And I can see how easy it will be to change up the flavors to suit the season or your mood.

    Also – the chocolate pudding layer was so tasty, i’m just going to make the pudding on it’s own!

    Reply
  25. Kelli says

    October 19, 2015 at 2:46 pm

    I assume that the xantham gum is to thicken. Could you use Gluccie for that instead? Thanks! Can’t wait to melt into some of this!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 19, 2015 at 3:20 pm

      It is to thicken and I am sure you can use gluccomannan but I am not sure how much you would use.

      Reply
      • Kelli says

        October 19, 2015 at 3:33 pm

        Thanks for the info. I found more on this. If you read the comment in the following link, I think it says that you can sub one to one except for meringues.
        http://trimhealthymama.freeforums.net/thread/1588/guar-gum-xanthan

        Reply
  26. Bria says

    October 22, 2015 at 5:11 pm

    Can I use xylitol instead of swerve and not powder it or will it be weird? I don’t have a coffee grinder.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 22, 2015 at 6:59 pm

      It would definitely be weird and gritty.

      Reply
    • JET says

      September 22, 2016 at 5:28 am

      Do you have a blender with a “grind” setting? I also don’t have a coffee grinder, and my blender, on that setting, has been working fine for this.

      Reply
  27. Denise S. says

    October 24, 2015 at 7:24 pm

    This is going to be my Thanksgiving dessert this year!!

    Reply
  28. Layla says

    November 23, 2015 at 10:53 am

    Made this dessert today, and my goodness, you weren’t kidding. It’s absolutely delicious, and so pretty with all the layers. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  29. Shannon says

    November 23, 2015 at 11:24 am

    Do you think it would be okay to omit the almond milk and just use hwc?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 23, 2015 at 11:49 am

      No, because your pudding would be much too thick. Better to use half HWC and half water in place of the almond milk.

      Reply
  30. Angelica says

    November 24, 2015 at 9:34 pm

    Trying to make this tomorrow and I wanted to know is it heavy whipping cream for all parts or HWC and like, Cool Whip or Reddi-Whip?

    Thank you 🙂

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 24, 2015 at 11:21 pm

      I don’t ever use cool whip or redid-whip.

      Reply
      • Angelica says

        November 24, 2015 at 11:26 pm

        so you just use HWC for all three parts?

        Reply
        • Carolyn says

          November 25, 2015 at 8:51 am

          Yes.

          Reply
  31. Ben says

    December 16, 2015 at 1:48 am

    This is so good. I’ve made it three times and it does not get old. Question – I wanted to make it for Christmas for my pre-diabetic family members to have a dessert, but my brother doesn’t much care for pumpkin. Any suggestions for making that layer a different flavor? I can’t think of what to swap in for the pumpkin.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      December 16, 2015 at 8:08 am

      Just make it a vanilla cheesecake layer. Use some full fat sour cream in place of the pumpkin to get the right consistency. Maybe about 1/2 cup?

      Reply
  32. Christina says

    December 21, 2015 at 1:27 pm

    Looks and sounds delicious. My sister is diabetic so when I go to her house for holidays I try to bring something low carb. There are alot of artificial sweetners that spike her blood sugars. I am also new to this so could I replace Swerve with I believe she uses Stevia in the Raw.? Thank you so much

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      December 21, 2015 at 3:13 pm

      Yes, i think stevia in the raw would work for this.

      Reply
  33. Guinan says

    May 28, 2016 at 6:25 am

    To avoid wrecking the first slice and – knowing me – several more than one, could I just line the pan with a heavy tin foil, letting the sides hang over, so that I can lift that lump of yummynes out of the pan in one piece?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 28, 2016 at 7:20 am

      You can certainly try that.

      Reply
  34. Cindy says

    July 3, 2016 at 7:51 pm

    Can I substitute glucomannan for xantham gum?

    Thank you for this wonderful recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      July 4, 2016 at 4:41 pm

      Yes, but I am not sure how much.

      Reply
  35. Melinda says

    August 14, 2016 at 9:34 am

    I made this but used your cheesecake recipe instead of the pumpkin layer (the blueberry cheesecake but without blueberry and lemon elements) bc I was craving the original version of this dessert, my childhood favorite. It is DELICIOUS, I predict I will finish the whole pan in a week or less!!!! Any ideas for how I can lower the calorie count next time? With the chocolate pudding, can the butter be reduced or do you think it would work if I reduced cream and increased the almond milk (like .5 cup cream and 1.5 cups milk)? I need to be able to eat bigger portions of this stuff! Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      August 14, 2016 at 10:17 am

      I doubt your pudding layer would thicken properly with any of those changes. I really don’t know how you’d lower the calorie count…carbs are my only real concern, to be honest.

      Reply
      • Melinda says

        August 15, 2016 at 11:05 am

        Okay, thanks for the feedback.

        Reply
  36. Pam Vienneau says

    September 26, 2016 at 1:17 pm

    If I want to cut the recipe in half do you think a 4″ X 8″ loaf pan would work? I’ll be the only one eating it but might make it for Thanksgiving.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 26, 2016 at 1:55 pm

      I think so, but keep in mind that loaf pans tend to flare outwards so your base will be smaller than your top.

      Reply
  37. Nell says

    October 2, 2016 at 1:48 pm

    My only challenge is I hate the taste of Swerve. I use Truvia and Stevia but the powdered sugar effect requires Swerve. I think it has a chemical taste.

    Reply
  38. Kaylyn says

    October 8, 2016 at 11:10 pm

    Oh my goodness! I just made this tonight and it was a process, but so, so worth it. I used Truvia instead of Swerve and the only problem was that the chocolate layer was a little butter, but I bet it would be perfect with Swerve! I am so not deprived on my low carb “diet”! Thank you for sharing this delightful recipe.

    Reply
    • Kaylyn says

      October 8, 2016 at 11:10 pm

      *bitter, not butter

      Reply
  39. katherine Verman says

    October 15, 2016 at 8:41 pm

    I have to say this is one of the most expensive and complicated dessert recipes I have followed in a long time, and I did not get anything that came close to looking like this pic. I was disappointed. The best part was learning to make a great crust for other recipes.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 15, 2016 at 9:30 pm

      Sorry to hear it didn’t work for you. Most people just love it!

      Reply
  40. Katie says

    October 20, 2016 at 8:37 am

    Carolyn this recipe rocks! I made it last year around this time and forgot that my Swerve/erythritol/stevia hating husband even tried it and liked it. (He was doing one of his low carb stints to lose some weight and wanted sweets, but otherwise usually doesn’t go for my healthy sweets) Last night he brought this recipe up and I’m excited to make it again ( he is low carb this month?)… I just can’t remember what brand pumpkin I used and I know in the past with your recipes, some brands of pumpkin had more liquid and needed to be squeezed out… is this the case here? Thanks for all you do!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 20, 2016 at 11:47 am

      If you open your can and it’s really liquidy, you may want to consider drying it out a bit. But the cream cheese really holds things together so I think it’s not critical.

      Reply
  41. Robert says

    October 30, 2016 at 2:45 pm

    Back in the 80s when I was stationed in Spain, someone taught me how to make this minus the pumpkin,and it was called ‘chocolate lasagna.’
    My dad and brothers back then used to beg me to make it.

    Anxious to try it with the pumpkin. Thanks

    Reply
  42. Meghann H says

    November 7, 2016 at 12:44 pm

    This dessert is incredible! I am actually relieved that it requires more work and time than I will usually spend on a sweet treat. Otherwise I would be making this every week, and eating ALL OF IT!
    My only issue was with the whipped cream topping- it fell and separated in less than 24 hours. But this is so easy to fix! I add a small amount of softened gelatin, which is a Maria Emmerich tip.
    But seriously, this is the BEST dessert I’ve ever made, low carb or otherwise. Thank you so much for posting this recipe!!!

    Reply
  43. Lynn says

    November 10, 2016 at 1:13 pm

    I tried this recipe and it works for my keto diet!!. I used dark baking chocolate unsweetened. turned out fantastic. used all gluten free ingredients so worked for my dietbetic father and my step mom who has a gluten allergy… PLUS my boyfriend who doesn’t like sweets loved this dessert!! thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 10, 2016 at 4:45 pm

      So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  44. Christine Castaneda says

    November 13, 2016 at 11:13 pm

    Hi Carolyn, just wanted to share that I made this tonight and EVERYONE loved it! It is one of the best low carb desserts I’ve made. Everyone was shocked it was low carb. Just wanted to say thank you for creating these wonderful and delicious recipes. Fan for life!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 14, 2016 at 8:31 am

      So glad to hear it!

      Reply
  45. Jessica says

    November 21, 2016 at 3:40 pm

    Hi Carolyn! I want to make this dessert for Thanksgiving, but the only sweetener I have is the Trim Healthy Mama Super Sweet. Can I use this, and should I grind it in place of the powdered Swerve? I don’t know what Swerve is, so how do you think I should measure out the Super Sweet? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 21, 2016 at 4:08 pm

      You can probably do this. Swerve measures like sugar so use as much Super Sweet as you would to equal that amount of sugar (I think you really only want about 1/4 to 1/3 the amount of Swerve). Grind it well!

      Reply
  46. Len says

    November 24, 2016 at 9:44 pm

    Thank you for this! YUM!!

    I made it for Thanksgiving and it was the hit. I might as well have skipped cooking the rest of the meal. (Not really, we ate it all.)

    I didn’t want the pumpkin flavor so i omitted the spices in that layer and it came out very well. The chocolate layer was perfect! I’m so grateful to find a version that doesn’t call for box pudding! Smooth, creamy and firm enough to hold up to cutting.

    I love your site. Keep ’em coming!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 24, 2016 at 11:08 pm

      So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  47. Sarah says

    September 8, 2017 at 2:58 pm

    It’s always just been called “4-Layer Dessert” in our house. My Grandmother has made it for 50 years! I’ve been making a version of it regularly around here lately, with your easy blender chocolate mousse recipe as the chocolate layer. It’s amazing! I’ve always resisted the chocolate-pumpkin combo thing because it just sounds so WRONG but I have to admit that this looks delicious!
    Thanks for all you do Carolyn!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 8, 2017 at 6:45 pm

      Thanks, Sarah. And that’s a much more pleasant name for it. 😉

      Reply
  48. Susanne says

    September 17, 2017 at 4:26 am

    Can you please tell me the size of the pan you used

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 17, 2017 at 7:58 am

      It’s very clear in the instructions.

      Reply
    • Len says

      September 17, 2017 at 8:15 pm

      I use a 9×9 clear Pyrex dish just as the recipe calls for and it’s full, but perfect.

      Reply
  49. Jennifer D. says

    September 30, 2017 at 1:11 am

    I put the dark chocolate in the chocolate layer instead of the unsweetened chocolate! I hope it is still great! I will report back after church on Sunday.

    Reply
  50. Samantha says

    October 4, 2017 at 8:10 am

    I don’t think I am going to be able to get my hands on swerve before Canadian Thanksgiving (this weekend), do you think stevia would work as a replacement for the swerve?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 4, 2017 at 11:41 am

      Yes, but for the chocolate layer, you may need some more xanthan. Swerve has some fiber in it that helps set the pudding a bit.

      Reply
  51. Nell says

    October 7, 2017 at 3:06 pm

    Holy. Man. Sooooo gooood! Thanks for the awesome recipe!

    Reply
  52. Nichelle says

    October 15, 2017 at 11:03 am

    Wondering if I can substitute coconut milk for almond milk since I have coconut milk in the cubbard? If yes, would it be a 1:1 substitution?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 16, 2017 at 7:18 am

      Yes, that should work.

      Reply
  53. Alex says

    October 19, 2017 at 11:08 pm

    Just made this and it was killer! Definitely rich (I underestimated how rich it would be when I cut my first slice lol) but incredible!!

    Reply
  54. Terrie Babiuk says

    October 31, 2017 at 12:19 am

    Can you make this with coconut flour instead of almond allergic to nuts except for peanuts?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 1, 2017 at 9:13 am

      Use sunflower seed flour.

      Reply
  55. Sammy says

    July 18, 2018 at 1:50 pm

    I started make this the other night and I had some trouble when I got to the chocolate pudding layer. First, it took FOREVER for the hot cream mixture to simmer and when I added the xantham gum and cocoa powder it got super thick very quick. When it came time to put the chopped chocolate and butter into the pretty thick mixture it didn’t want to incorporate the butter and each time I thought I got it mixed the butter would separate again. I ended up with lumpy mixture with melted butter at the bottom of the saucepan(for some reason it kinda looked like brownie batter) and just had to call it a day and put the layer in the pan and refrigerated it overnight. The next morning it out of the fridge the pudding layer looked pretty hard and still very lumpy and you could see a hardened layer of butter. I decided to just finish up the recipe and just try it. Later in the night, when I tried some the pudding layer was just as hard as it looked it wasn’t rock hard but definitely not like a pudding and it tasted very strongly of bad sweetener. Although, luckily I couldn’t taste the butter separate from the dish. The pumpkin cream cheese layer I think need some more pumpkin in it or just a bit more flavor besides the cream cheese. But the crust was good and the whole thing together was pretty good. I don’t know that it was worth all that time and effort for the outcome. Maybe if I knew how to fix my mistakes and added a little something to the pumpkin layer. I was so excited when I saw this recipe and read all of the positive comments(it seems like no one had the problems I did). So does anyone have any idea where I went wrong with the chocolate pudding? Keep in mind I used erythritol and I powdered it by putting it in the blender for the layers the recipe said needed it(which I read was fine and I have never had any problems with the taste).

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      July 18, 2018 at 7:43 pm

      I can tell you what the issue is…your chocolate seized. Heat was too high or chocolate not of good quality, which can happen.

      Reply
  56. Sammy says

    July 24, 2018 at 8:25 pm

    Thank you so much Carolyn for responding so quickly. I love to learn and I trust your fabulous recipes so I will have to try it again sometime!!!

    Reply
  57. Julie says

    September 11, 2018 at 5:01 pm

    Love this fall layer cake!

    Reply
  58. Sabrina says

    September 11, 2018 at 11:33 pm

    5 stars
    I’m in love just drooling over your pictures! I can only imagine what’ll happen when I take my first bite!

    Reply
  59. Heather Seeley says

    September 12, 2018 at 7:06 am

    5 stars
    I wish I had a big piece of this in front of my right now 🙂 Looks soooo good! Can’t wait to make.

    Reply
  60. Tara Kuczykowski says

    September 12, 2018 at 7:28 am

    5 stars
    This is amazing!!! Hard to believe it’s low-carb.

    Reply
  61. Karen says

    September 22, 2018 at 4:20 pm

    OK I don’t think I’d like pumpkin and chocolate together. Do you think I could just double the pumpkin part instead?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 23, 2018 at 7:24 am

      Sure!

      Reply
  62. Amber Weber says

    October 12, 2018 at 7:25 pm

    5 stars
    Just made this for my birthday. My daughter made cupcakes for the rest of the family.
    This has got to be the best low-carb treat in my 5ish years of eating this way. It was a lot of steps, but it was so worth it!
    Thanks for a wonderful recipe, Carolyn!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 12, 2018 at 8:45 pm

      That is so wonderful to hear. Happy birthday!

      Reply
  63. Fabienne says

    October 21, 2018 at 10:15 am

    Hi
    Excuse my poor english
    Can we freeze it without the topping
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 21, 2018 at 11:11 am

      I am honestly not sure, I have never tried to freeze this.

      Reply
  64. Darcie says

    November 21, 2019 at 9:06 am

    I want to try this recipe for Thanksgiving but my husband’s family doesn’t like cream cheese. Any suggestions on what I could replace the cream cheese with in the pumpkin layer? If not, is the cream cheese definately noticeable? I may just make it as shown and not say anything. Maybe they won’t notice.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 21, 2019 at 9:23 am

      Try doing a vanilla pudding layer. This recipe is basically that except it’s frozen. https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-vanilla-pudding-pops/

      Reply
  65. Kelly says

    October 13, 2020 at 6:39 pm

    OMG this looks a-mazing!
    Unfortunately there are only 2 of us and with Covid…. not really expecting company. Doesn’t appear to be something you can freeze easily. *sigh…..

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 13, 2020 at 10:38 pm

      Try making half a batch in a loaf pan instead! OR…. layer everything in dessert glasses. You could even do a 1/4 batch that way…

      Reply
  66. Cyndi says

    October 14, 2020 at 9:13 am

    Can you do this recipe but leave out the pumpkin layer or put in a layer of something else? Not a big fan of pumpkin.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 14, 2020 at 9:08 pm

      I’ve got that recipe already https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/sex-in-a-pan-keto-recipe/

      Reply

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Carolyn PortraitLooking for the best low carb recipes? You've come to the right place! I'm Carolyn, a major carnivore and an unrepentant sweet tooth. Here you will find all you need to enjoy the low carb keto lifestyle to the fullest! Read more

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