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This super simple pumpkin snack cake recipe comes together in less than an hour from start to finish for an easy dessert any time. The moist cake is loaded with chocolate chips, sweet pumpkin, and warm pumpkin pie spice. Enjoy it as-is or add your favorite frosting for an even sweeter bite!
Anyone who has been reading MBA for a while will know how much I cannot get enough of pumpkin recipes.
But as much as I love classics like my pumpkin cheesecake recipe, sometimes I just need a pumpkin dessert that’s quicker to throw together.
This pumpkin snack cake is that recipe. You can mix it together in about 15 minutes before baking it for 40 minutes. You can have a simple, delicious pumpkin cake ready to dig into in under an hour!
Jamie’s testing notes and tips
- Boost the warmth by using a mix of pumpkin spice and ground cinnamon. Pumpkin pie spice already has cinnamon in it, but I like including a bit of extra cinnamon in this cake for even more flavor.
- Use dark brown sugar for extra richness. If you only have light brown sugar, that’s ok. But if you have it, the extra molasses in dark brown sugar creates an even richer cake, which is especially good with the dark chocolate chips.
- This cake is so good it doesn’t need frosting. And that comes from someone who loves a good frosting! But if you want to add one, I suggest using one of my cream cheese frostings, such as the one from my pumpkin bars recipe. (A dusting of powdered sugar is a great way to go, too!)
A note from Jamie
2026 update: I originally shared this recipe back in 2010, but at the time I called it pumpkin blondies. While readers loved the flavor of the recipe, they felt it was more of a cake than a blondie, and I ultimately agreed! I have since updated the pumpkin blondies recipe for a chewier texture and moved the original easy pumpkin snack cake recipe here. It may have a new name, but the recipe is as delicious as ever!
Helpful resources
- Before you get started, make sure you know how to measure flour correctly. Getting this step right will help your pumpkin cake come out perfect every time.
- Don’t have time to run to the store to get pumpkin pie spice? Use my pumpkin pie spice recipe to whip up your own with the spices you already have on hand.
- This cake is made using the creaming method to combine the butter and sugars. If you’re a beginner baker, check out how to cream butter and sugar so you know what you’re looking for in this step!
- Make sure your butter has softened to room temperature before you cream it with the sugars. If you forgot to set yours out ahead of time, check out my tips for softening butter quickly.
- Out of brown sugar or yours hardened in the pantry? Learn how to make a quick brown sugar substitute and how to soften brown sugar.
Storage
Store leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Honestly, I think the cake is just as good, if not better, the 2nd day!
To freeze, wrap slices of the cake in plastic wrap and store them in a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours or unwrap and microwave the slices for 30-60 seconds.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
Ingredients
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
- ¾ cup pecans roughly chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line bottom and sides of (1) 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides. Grease with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree. Don't worry if the mixture looks curdled; it will come together.1 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
- Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans.2 cups dark chocolate chips, 3/4 cup pecans
- Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
Notes
Storage
- Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Variations
- Dark chocolate chips can be swapped for semisweet chocolate chips or white chocolate chips.
- If you would like to add frosting to the cooled cake, try adding my classic cream cheese frosting or the maple cream cheese frosting from my zucchini cake recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Frequently asked questions
I love where you’re going with that, but I don’t recommend it with this recipe. The batter is not quite right for cupcakes. I’d try my pumpkin spice cupcakes recipe instead.
More delicious pumpkin cake recipes
If you love pumpkin season as much as I do, then you can never have too many pumpkin cake recipes!
My classic pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting is light and fluffy and perfect with the tangy frosting.
Pumpkin gooey butter cake is a twist on the classic Midwestern dessert that you’ll want to add to your fall baking lineup.
My pumpkin coffee cake recipe has both a streusel topping and powdered sugar icing. Because why not, honestly?
I love a good bundt cake, and my pumpkin bundt cake with cream cheese frosting is one of my very favorites!
And of course, we can’t forget my nana’s pumpkin crunch cake recipe — one of the recipes that made me fall in love with baking in the first place.
