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 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:
- 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 1/2 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
Nutrition
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.
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Can you please tell me the size of the pan you used
It’s very clear in the instructions.
I use a 9×9 clear Pyrex dish just as the recipe calls for and it’s full, but perfect.
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!
Thanks, Sarah. And that’s a much more pleasant name for it. 😉
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!
So glad you liked it!
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!
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!
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!
So glad to hear it!
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
So glad you liked it!
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!!!
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
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!
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.
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.
Sorry to hear it didn’t work for you. Most people just love it!
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.
*bitter, not butter
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.
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.
I think so, but keep in mind that loaf pans tend to flare outwards so your base will be smaller than your top.
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!
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.
Okay, thanks for the feedback.
Can I substitute glucomannan for xantham gum?
Thank you for this wonderful recipe 🙂
Yes, but I am not sure how much.
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?
You can certainly try that.