Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
Soft pumpkin spiced cake, lots of mini chocolate chips and topped with tangy cream cheese icing, this snack cake is autumn’s very best friend.
I was recently introduced to the term “snack cake” and it’s a term I quite like. Snack cakes are meant to be easy, delicious and the kind of cake that can be made on a Wednesday afternoon. Not necessarily for a party or special occasion, but because cake can be enjoyed any time of day. Snack cakes are typically made in a 9x13 pan, often thinner than a traditional single layer cake and are meant to be simple.
Cue this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack, which is exactly as described above—easy, delicious, full of fall flavor and waiting to be slathered with the smoothest of cream cheese icings.
What Makes Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake Special?
As with every cake recipe, creating a soft and dreamy sponge is at the top of my list. This cake is no exception, the only difference is it has a bit of a secret ingredient—kefir. I had the pleasure of partnering with Lifeway Kefir for this recipe, and while they aren’t affiliated with this blog post, baking with kefir is genuinely one of the best kept baking secrets. Plain full fat kefir is like buttermilk…..but better? The jury is out on that, but let me tell you, it’s the kefir that makes this cake wonderfully tender and delicious.
This cake is made with mini chocolate chips, which I highly recommend, as it gives little bursts of chocolate flavor without overpowering the pumpkin puree and spices. The spices and pumpkin flavoring are spot on, instilling those cozy fall feelings. It’s all paired with a tangy cream cheese icing making for a delectable dessert.
Tips for Making Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
1.) Grease a 9x13 pan with butter and then line the pan with parchment paper. This isn’t a requirement, but lining with parchment paper allows the cake to be lifted out of the pan with ease; it also makes for easy clean up. If wanting to decorate and eat the cake right out of the pan, grease well with butter, so the cake lifts and doesn’t stick.
2.) As mentioned before, use mini chocolate chips. Mini chocolate chips suit this dessert well. Will it still be delicious with regular chocolate chips? Of course. But I did test the cake with both mini chocolate chips and standard size, and thought the mini chocolate chips were superior.
3.) Use whole milk kefir. This is the kefir I recommend. It is perfectly thick and makes for such a lush batter and cake.
4.) Make sure to use 100% pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and spices, whereas the puree is just pumpkin.
5.) I often use a combination of all purpose and cake flour in my cake recipes, but because this is a snack cake, and since the whole point of snack cakes is their ease, I went with only all-purpose flour. With that said, I didn’t want the crumb to lose its quality, so I decided to sift the flours into the batter. Don’t skip this step as the nuances in a recipe that give the best results.
Final Tip
Because this cake is decorated with cream cheese icing, it cannot be left out on the counter indefinitely. Once decorated, it can be left out for three hours, but thereafter, any leftovers should be stored in the fridge. You can certainly make an American or even chocolate buttercream in substitution, but I am partial to that tangy cream cheese with pumpkin flavor. Once frosted, cut into squares and enjoy.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup Lifeway organic plain whole milk kefir
- ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips
- 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Generously grease and line a 9x13 pan. Set aside.
- In a mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Drizzle the oil into the bowl on low speed. Once incorporated, turn the mixer back to medium-high speed for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing batter until smooth and scraping the bowl after each egg addition. Add vanilla and briefly mix one more time.
- In a separate bowl, using a fine mesh sieve, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Spoon and level the flours for an accurate measurement.
- Add measured kefir and pumpkin puree into a glass measuring cup and whisk until smooth.
- Alternating between dry ingredients and the kefir puree mixture, add 1/3 of flour into the mixing bowl on low speed. Immediately follow with 1/2 of the kefir puree, followed by another 1/3 of the flour and the second 1/2 of the kefir puree. Finish with the remaining flour mixture. The mixer should be kept on low speed, so the flour and kefir don't splash out of the bowl. Scrape the bowl, making sure any dry ingredients trapped at the bottom are brought to the top. After scraping, turn the mixer up to medium speed for just a few seconds ensuring the batter is fully mixed and smooth. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Place cake on wire rack to finish cooling.
- With an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until there are no lumps and the consistency is smooth.
- Add sifted powdered sugar to the bowl, one cup at a time, mixing first on low speed to prevent splashing, then turning the mixer to medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Repeat process with remaining two cups of powdered sugar. Add vanilla and mix on medium speed for a few more seconds. Give the mixing bowl a good scrape and briefly mix one more time to complete the icing. Once cake is cooled spread the frosting over the cake and top with additional mini chocolate chips, if desired. Cut into squares and enjoy.
You May Like These…
