Mini Pumpkin Cakes with Coconut Cream Frosting

5 from 12 votes
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These Mini Pumpkin cakes with Coconut Cream Frosting are the perfect Fall dessert recipe. Served inside mini pumpkins, these unique, delicious pumpkin cakes are sure to impress. Perfect as a thanksgiving dessert, halloween recipe or simple a wonderful autumn/ fall dessert recipe!

mini pumpkin cake with coconut cream frosting

Yes, it’s officially that time of year again. The leaves are beginning to fall, the weather is beginning to turn and, most importantly, Pumpkins are here. Imagine all those  our autumn/fall desserts, thanksgiving and halloween treats recipes with pumpkins! So to get started with this years pumpkin recipes are these delicious mini pumpkin cakes, served inside mini pumpkins! Because, why not?! Plus they’re served with a delicious coconut cream frosting. Also, I topped them with some pecans and date syrup for a delicious sweet/savoury dessert experience. 

Mini pumpkin recipes are some of my favourite to come up with because I just love how these cuties look on the dinner table. Last Autumn/ fall it was my Turmeric and Ginger Spiced Pumpkin Soup and this year, Ive decided to go a little sweeter. 

mini pumpkin cakes with coconut cream frosting and pecans

Even though I love to make desserts and sweet treats, I’m actually not a massive sweet tooth, so this dessert is a brilliant mix of sweet and savoury to create a delicious, semi-sweet dessert. And they are sure to be a statement piece on your table (which is why they could make for the perfect halloween or thanksgiving desserts!).

Traditionally, pumpkin cake is often served with a sweet caramel frosting. However, as this cake is a funky sweet/savoury combination, I’ve used an unsweetened creamy coconut cream frosting. However, feel free to a dd a bit of your favourite sweetener, like some maple syrup, to the coconut cream, if wanted. 

Mini pumpkin cake

For other Fall Recipe inspiration check out my recipes for this Vegetarian One-Pot Pasta bake, Vegan Chocolate Cherry ‘Black Forest’ Tart, Healthy Rainbow Zucchini Boats, Creamy Vegan Thai Green Curry, or even my Vegan Pumpkin Pie Recipe.

How to make these mini pumpkin cakes

When you first see the ingredients list/ photo, this recipe may seem a little bit daunting but it’s actually super simple! In fact, you can have 10 of these fun mini pumpkin cakes served up within an hour!

ingredients for pumpkin cakes

In fact, the longest part of the process is probably preparing the pumpkins in the first place. This is the first step – cut off the tops of the pumpkins and remove the seeds. You might have to remove a bit of the flesh too, in order to create bowls to hold your cake mix.

 

Once the pumpkins are prepared you can mix up the cake batter. To prepare the cake batter, start by mixing the flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt.

 

In a separate bowl, whisk the four eggs then add the melted coconut oil, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree. Whisk again.

 

Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix well till thoroughly combined.

 

Arrange the pumpkins on a baking tray and fill them up  with the cake batter.

Note* You may want to lightly oil the pumpkin flesh first with some coconut oil for a deeper baked colour, although this isn’t necessary. Also, for a sweeter treat you can rub some coconut sugar and cinnamon onto the flesh too for more of a caramelised baked pumpkin.

 

Bake for 30 mins at 170ºC (fan-assisted). Let them cool off before decorating them. As you can see, the cake top ends up very dark because of the long baking time. This is why some may choose to pre-bake the pumpkin for 10 minutes first. Then the baking time can be reduced by a few minutes. 

However, as we’re going to cover the cake with delicious coconut cream frosting, I like to chuck everything into the oven at once and save myself an extra step. (Although if your pumpkins are all very different sizes then the larger ones may need some extra time, regardless!)

Baked mini pumpkin cakes on a tray

As the cakes are cooling, you can then whisk up the coconut cream to make the frosting. As I said above, I decided not to bother with using any sweetener in the Whisk the coconut cream to make the frosting.

 

Using a piping bag, top each pumpkin cake with the coconut cream. 

Coconut cream frosting in a piping bag

mini pumpkin cakes with coconut cream frosting

Then sprinkle the mini pumpkin cakes with some pecan nuts and date syrup. Voila!

mini pumpkin cakes with coconut cream frosting and pecans

Delicious mini pumpkin cakes served inside pumpkins, with a coconut cream frosting and topped with pecans and date syrup! Perfect for thanksgiving, halloween or any other day of the week this autumn/ fall. 

mini pumpkin cakes with coconut cream frosting and pecans

If you give this recipe a go, please let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Also, what are your favourite pumpkin fall dessert recipes?

mini pumpkin cakes with coconut cream frosting and pecans

mini pumpkin cakes with coconut cream frosting and pecans

Mini Pumpkin Cakes

5 from 12 votes
By: Samira
These Mini Pumpkin cakes with Coconut Cream Frosting are the perfect Fall dessert recipe. Served inside mini pumpkins, these unique, delicious pumpkin cakes are sure to impress. Perfect as a thanksgiving dessert, Halloween recipe or simply a wonderful autumn/fall dessert!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 10 Mini Cakes

Ingredients 
 

  • 10 Mini pumpkins
  • 2 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon powder
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 cup coconut oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree check my recipe here
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • Coconut cream for frosting
  • Pecan nuts
  • date syrup

Instructions 

  • Cut the tops of the mini pumpkins and remove the seeds. You might have to remove a bit of the flesh too, in order to create bowls. *
  • Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt.
  • Whisk the four eggs then add the melted coconut oil, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree. Whisk again.
  • Add the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix well.
  • Fill the pumpkins bowl with the cake batter.
  • Bake for 30 mins at 170ºC (fan-assisted). Let them cool off before decorating them.
  • Whisk the coconut cream to make the frosting.***
  • Using a piping bag, top each pumpkin cake with the coconut cream. Then sprinkle some pekan nuts and date syrup.

Video

Notes

* Depending on if you have larger pumpkins or pumpkins of various sizes, it may work better to pre-bake the pumpkins while preparing the cake batter.
**Alternatively, you can pour the whole batter into a cake or bread tin.
*** For a sweeter frosting, feel free to add a bit of your favourite sweetener, such as maple syrup, to the coconut cream.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Freezer friendly: No
Shelf life: 2 Days

Nutrition

Serving: 1cake, Calories: 229kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 65mg, Sodium: 394mg, Potassium: 242mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 7721IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 123mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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