Cookbooks
Never Say Never to Dolce
A brand-new collection of 50 approachable homemade desserts – from iconic Cannoli to Dolci al Cucchiaio and more – that proves there’s always room for a little sweetness.
Manuela’s Sweet Temptations
A collection of 50 irresistible dessert recipes, from classic Italian treats to modern favorites—including gluten-free options.
The Complete Italian Cookbook: Essential Regional Cooking of Italy
A collection of 50 irresistible dessert recipes, from classic Italian treats to modern favorites—including gluten-free options.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake with Pecan Crumble
A moist and fragrant pumpkin coffee cake infused with a touch of orange and topped with a crunchy pecan crumble—perfect for cozy autumn gatherings or a sweet anytime treat. And the best part, it’s naturally gluten-free thanks to almond flour!
When it comes to fall desserts, this flourless pumpkin coffee cake is the ultimate treat, with its naturally gluten-free ingredients and rich autumn flavors.
It’s wonderfully dense and moist, yet still light and soft, with just the right amount of sweetness (not overly sweet!). It’s packed with the cozy flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and topped with a crunchy pecan crumble which adds the perfect texture.
There’s no need for wheat flour in this recipe; almond flour with a touch of potato starch for extra stability provides structure while also giving the cake its incredible tenderness and moisture.
Ingredient Details & Substitutions:
- Almond Flour: The star of this recipe, almond flour, is naturally gluten-free and lends incredible tenderness and moisture to the cake. Make sure to use almond flour made from finely ground blanched almonds (no skins) for a light, soft texture. If you only have almond meal (a coarser grind, sometimes made with skins), you can still use it, but the cake won’t be as tender.
- Potato Starch: This adds a bit of structure to the cake. If you don’t have potato starch you can substitute it with cornstarch or even regular all-purpose flour, if you’re not concerned about keeping the recipe gluten-free.
- Pumpkin Puree: You can use canned pumpkin puree—just make sure it’s 100% pure pumpkin, not the sweetened pumpkin pie filling. If you prefer, you can make your own pumpkin puree by roasting and mashing fresh pumpkin.
- Spices: This recipe calls for a simple combination of cinnamon and nutmeg, but if you want more spice, feel free to add pumpkin spice for an extra touch of warmth.
- Sugar: Using a minimal amount of sugar ensures this cake isn’t overly sweet. It’s just enough to balance the flavors without overpowering the pumpkin and spices.
- Pecan Crumble: The crunchy topping is made with blanched almond flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and chopped pecans. The crumble adds a satisfying crunch that complements the soft cake.
My Cookbook
How to Serve:
This cake is perfect for enjoying warm or at room temperature. Serve it as a cozy fall dessert or alongside your morning coffee for a sweet start to the day.How to Store:
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. You can refrigerate up to 4 or 5 days. If you want to freeze it, place cake slices in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. Just let the slices come to room temperature before serving.
Pan Size:
For this recipe, I recommend using an 8 or 9-inch square pan. You can cut the dessert into 9 large pieces (as I did) or make 16 smaller squares for easy snacking.
Other GluteN-free dessert recipes you might like:
- Italian Almond Cookies
- Apple-Ricotta Cake
- Italian Panna Cotta
- Italian Almond and Ricotta Cake
- Italian Lemon Budino (Pudding)
- Torta Tenerife (Flourless Chocolate Cake)
- Creme Brulee
- Torta Caprese Bianca (Almond-White Chocolate Italian Cake)
- Coconut-Ricotta Cake
- Italian Pistachio Cookies
VIDEO RECIPE:
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake with Pecan Crumble
A moist and fragrant pumpkin coffee cake infused with a touch of orange and topped with a crunchy pecan crumble—perfect for cozy autumn gatherings or a sweet anytime treat. And the best part, it’s naturally gluten-free thanks to almond flour!
Servings:
9
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Resting Time
Total Time
1 hr,
Ingredients
for the cake batter:
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 15 oz can (425 g) pumpkin puree
- 1 large orange, finely grated zest
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 1/4 cups (225 g) almond flour
- 1/4 cup (35 g) potato starch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
for the pecan crumble
- 1/2 cup (50 g) blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar
- 2 oz (55 g) butter, cold
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (50 g) chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the crumble: In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender, round knife, or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chopped pecans. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Make the cake batter: In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer (or whisk) on medium-high for about 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the pumpkin puree, orange zest, orange extract, cinnamon and nutmeg, and mix until well combined.
- Sift in the potato starch. Add the almond flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top of the batter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before cutting into squares.
