Name: Easy Pumpkin Snack Cake Bars
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 33 min
Total time: 43 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour (gluten-free if necessary); 1.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ¼ teaspoon salt; 4 eggs; ½ cup sugar; ½ cup brown sugar; 1 15 oz can 100% pure pumpkin; 1 cup unsweetened applesauce; ½ cup white chocolate chips; ⅓ cup finely chopped pecans

Jump to Recipe

Here is an easy recipe for pumpkin snack cakes. These snack cake bars are great to add to school lunchboxes, enjoy with coffee, or grab as a little afternoon treat.

You can make this pumpkin snack cake bar recipe gluten-free or sweeter to use as a dessert. The cakes are moist, but hold together nicely to pick up and eat, sell at a bake sale, or add to lunches.

Pumpkin snack cake bar with white chocolate drizzle.

Pumpkin Spice Snack Cakes

Have you pumpkin spiced up your life enough yet? If not, you are in the right place. We have pumpkin recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snacks!

What makes these snack cakes and not dessert? Well, they are not as sweet as your typical dessert, like pumpkin squares, making them ideal pumpkin snacking cakes.

The taste and texture of these cakes has me picturing my dad saying, “Hmm, these would go great with my morning coffee.” 😉

Pumpkin, eggs, pecans, and other ingredients to make snack cakes in bowls.

Pumpkin Snack Cakes Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this recipe. The measurements are in the recipe card below.

All-purpose flour: Feel free to use gluten-free flour. Choose all gluten-free ingredients to make this a delicious GF fall snack.
Pumpkin pie spice
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Eggs
Sugar
Brown sugar
Pumpkin purée: Use 100% pure pumpkin. Make sure it says that on the can.
Unsweetened applesauce: If you use sweetened applesauce, you will have to adjust the sugar.
White chocolate chips: For an optional topping.
Pecans: Finely chopped pecans are another optional topping.

Pumpkin Snacking Cakes Directions:

Step One:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish and set it aside.

Step Two:

Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk it to combine.

Step Three:

Add the eggs to a medium bowl and whisk them until they are fully combined and frothy.

Add the sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, and applesauce.

Pumpkin puree and eggs in a mixing bowl.

Stir to fully incorporate.

Step Four:

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until fully combined.

Adding pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients.

Step Five:

Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and bake for 28-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step Six:

Once the cake is done, remove it from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Step Seven:

Make the topping by adding the white chocolate chips to a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds on 50% power. Stir and repeat the process until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.

Transfer the melted white chocolate to a small Ziploc bag. Cut off a corner of the bag and drizzle it onto the cooled cake.

Immediately sprinkle the finely chopped pecans over the chocolate drizzle. The toppings are optional, of course.

Snack cakes in a baking dish with white chocolate and pecan topping.

Slice and enjoy!

Pumpkin Snack Cake Recipe Notes and FAQ

How to store pumpkin snack cake bars.

Store the cake bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

How to make the bars sweeter if you choose.

These bars are not overly sweet. If you’d like to make these pumpkin bars sweeter, mix 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips into the batter before pouring it into the baking pan. Another option is to increase both of the sugars to 2/3 cup each.

Slice of pumpkin snack cakes on a plate.

Can I make the recipe into a full cake?

Yes, you can skip slicing this cake into bars if you’d rather serve it as a cake. Swap out the white chocolate chips and pecans for a cream cheese frosting for a delicious Thanksgiving cake.

Pumpkin snack cake bars in a clear baking dish.

Yield: 16 slices

Easy Pumpkin Snack Cake Bars

Pumpkin snack cake bars that are great for lunches, holiday breakfasts, or any time you want a lightly sweet treat.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 33 minutes

Total Time 43 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (gluten-free if necessary)
1.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
4 eggs
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 15 oz can 100% pure pumpkin
1 cup unsweetened applesauce

Optional Topping

½ cup white chocolate chips
⅓ cup finely chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs until frothy. Add sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, and applesauce and continue to whisk until fully combined.
Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 28-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature.
For the topping: Place white chocolate chips in a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds on 50% power. Stir and repeat this process until the chocolate is smooth and fully melted. Transfer the white chocolate to a small sandwich bag and snip off one corner. Drizzle the white chocolate over the cooled cake.
Sprinkle finely chopped pecans over the white chocolate drizzle. Slice and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

These cake bars will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
If you prefer a sweeter flavor, you can mix in half a cup of white chocolate chips to the batter before pouring it into the baking pan, or increase the amount of granulated and brown sugars to two-thirds of a cup each.
These bars have a moist texture but hold together well, making them easy to slice and pick up.
These bars are a great option for school lunch boxes, fall bake sales, or as a festive addition to the breakfast table during the holiday season.
For a twist on the traditional flavor, you can swap out the white chocolate and pecans for your favorite cream cheese frosting and serve as a delicious Thanksgiving cake.

Pumpkin Snack Cakes