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.
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.
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!
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!
Pumpkin Sex In A Pan Dessert
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- ¼ cup finely chopped pecans optional
- ¼ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- ¼ cup butter melted
Pumpkin Layer:
- 10 ounces cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- ¼ cup heavy cream at room temperature
- ⅔ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Pudding Layer:
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup whipping cream
- ½ cup Swerve Sweetener
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 & ½ oz unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 3 tablespoon butter in 3 pieces
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped Cream Topping:
- 1 ½ cups whipping cream
- 3 tablespoon powdered Swerve Sweetener
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ½ ounce sugar free dark chocolate
Instructions
Crust:
- 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).
- 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.
- Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and just firm to the touch. Let cool.
Pumpkin Layer:
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sweetener together until smooth. Beat in cream, pumpkin puree, spices and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Spread mixture over cooled crust.
Chocolate Pudding Layer:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine almond milk, whipping cream and sweetener. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sweetener.
- In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks to temper. Then slowly whisk tempered yolks back into saucepan.
- 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.
- Remove from heat and stir in chopped chopped chocolate and butter until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract.
- 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:
- Beat cream with sweetener and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Remove plastic wrap from chocolate layer and spread with whipped cream.
- Dust with cocoa powder (this works best through a fine sieve). Use a vegetable peeler or cheese slicer to shave chocolate over top.
- Chill another hour to help set completely.
Notes
Total fat: 33.79g
Calories from fat: 304
Cholesterol: 134mg
Carbohydrate: 7.63g
Total dietary fiber: 3.05g
Protein: 5.96g
Deirdre Carolan says
My 11 year old daughter frequently visits your site and has bought a couple of your cookbooks. On browsing your site just now I came across this dish. The name of this dessert is ridiculous and totally unnecessary. How can I let my daughter continue to frequent your site and even use your books when there are recipes with names like this? I will need to completely limit access to your site and preview your books from now on. Would you appreciate your daughters attempting to bake desserts with titles such as this? What is my daughter meant to call a dessert with a name like this? Not exactly appropriate, yeah?
Carolyn says
Do what you need to do. My daughters (12 and 15) are fine with it, comfortable with it, and completely understand that it’s a tongue-in-cheek name. I didn’t make up the name, it’s what the dish is called. I don’t plan on changing it, nor do I feel ashamed for having it on my site. Take care!
Kim says
Do you think I could use unsweetened bakers chocolate?
Carolyn says
If you mean Baker’s brand, then I say proceed with caution. It’s well known to seize easily because it’s such low quality.
Kim says
Yes that’s what I have is the bakers chocolate What do you mean by seize?
Carolyn says
Seize means clump up like crazy and become unusable.
Nichelle says
I’ve made this several times over the years and it’s always a hit with all guests even non Keto! Thinking I had all the ingredients in my shelf, I started making it on Thanksgiving morning only to discover that I need more Swerve confections. Sent hubby out to pick up another bag at a local store that has it on its shelf, but the store is closed. Ugh!!! All opened stores do not have the confections. Can I use Monkfruit powdered s as a replacement? Or can I make grind up regular Swerve to make a powder?
Carolyn says
Yes, just make sure it’s not 2x as sweet! Some of them are.
Michelle R. says
Caroline you outdid yourself with this one! Amazing dessert. I modified for our tastes. And I used frozen raspberries for pumpkin which I folded in. I made the pudding vanilla, I’d up the xantham to 1 tsp. And a vanilla whip cream. So delicious!
Karen says
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving. I am excited to try thus for dinner tomorrow. Would it hold well to make it today and serve it tomorrow?
Carolyn says
Yep, sure will! Cover with plastic wrap or something over the top of the pan to keep the whipped cream topping from drying out.
Cyndi says
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.
Carolyn says
I’ve got that recipe already https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/sex-in-a-pan-keto-recipe/
Kelly says
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…..
Carolyn says
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…
Darcie says
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.
Carolyn says
Try doing a vanilla pudding layer. This recipe is basically that except it’s frozen. https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-vanilla-pudding-pops/
Fabienne says
Hi
Excuse my poor english
Can we freeze it without the topping
Thank you
Carolyn says
I am honestly not sure, I have never tried to freeze this.
Amber Weber says
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!
Carolyn says
That is so wonderful to hear. Happy birthday!
Karen says
OK I don’t think I’d like pumpkin and chocolate together. Do you think I could just double the pumpkin part instead?
Carolyn says
Sure!