Just the kind of pumpkin bar you’d want in this season— soft and moist, the right amount of spice, and a slightly sweet frosting that everyone will enjoy.
By Diana Bauman
It’s October and that means it’s time for pumpkin recipes. This past year I was happy to have been able to grow my own mini baking pumpkins and Lakota Sioux squash in my front yard garden beds. I’ve already started using some of the pumpkins, cut up, and added to stews, but the kids get the most excited about pureeing them to use in baked goods like these naturally sweetened pumpkin bars. 
To sweeten the bars I used honey, and for the cream cheese frosting I used a bit of maple syrup and organic evaporated cane juice. All-in-all, they turned out to be just the kind of pumpkin bar you’d want in this season … soft and moist, just the right amount of spice, with a gently sweetened frosting that your entire family will enjoy.
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Einkorn and Honey Pumpkin Cake
- Yield: 8-10 1x
Description
Just the kind of pumpkin bar you’d want in this season— soft and moist, the right amount of spice, and a slightly sweet frosting that everyone will enjoy.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups einkorn flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground all spice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 1½ cups pumpkin puree
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 tbls pure maple syrup
- 1 cup organic powdered sugar
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9″ x 13″ baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the einkorn flour, baking powder, cinnamon, all spice, and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the eggs, honey, butter, and pumpkin puree over low speed. A 3 on my KitchenAid. A cup at a time, add the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9″ x 13″ pan and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese and butter. Mix together over medium speed until smooth. Add the vanilla extract, maple syrup, and powdered sugar.
- Mix on low until mixed through then raise the speed to medium to cream together.
- Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.
- Category: Dessert, Baking
What is Einkorn flour? Seems you’d address such a seemingly obscure ingredient in your comments. but maybe I’ve just been under a rock?
Einkorn flour is made from an ancient form of wheat. It is low in gluten, and the modern form is often sold as gluten-free. In German, “einkorn” means ‘single seed’, and refers to the form of the wheat ear. I’m pretty sure you can just use regular AP flour if you don’t require gluten-free flour in your baking. Einkorn flour should be available in most health food stores.
I ordered the Einkorn Flour from Jovial…not cheap, but no postage!…..
I’m making this for Thanksgiving along with my pumpkin & pecan pies. Thought I’d add a little something different. My sister is gluten intolerant, I hope she’ll like this one. I use gluten free pie crusts from Whole Foods, which are pretty good…made with butter.
Happy Thanksgiving !
Joanie here again!
I made the cake with Einkorn flour…&, it Is Delicous! It’s moist& flavorful. But, then, I love pumpkin. My granddaughter, who doesn’t like pumpkin pie ate the whole piece! And, she loved the cream cheese frosting!…lol. So, I reccomend the flour very much. Now, I’ve got to try some more recipes with it.
This sounds wonderful!
However I think it would be better to make your own pumpkin puree from fresh heirloom pumpkins.
Canned pumpkin is made from Jack o lantern pumpkins which are not suited to cooking.
Look for a Long Island tan cheese pumpkin or the Muskee ‘d shiver pumpkin.
I will also halve the honey and sugar in the recipe. American desserts are too sweet.
I baked the honey pumpkin cake it was delicious. I chose not to use icing it was great by itself. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe. God bless you and I hope you have a wonderful day
Just made this today and OH.MY!! used whole grain sifted einkorn and didn’t frost, it’s perfection! Thank you Doana for a real autumn treat!
Loved this! I used fresh ground einkorn and didn’t sift. Turned out great! I made the icing with coconut sugar instead of regular. Just zapped it in the blender to get that powdered texture.
Used fresh ground einkorn flour not sifted and coconut flour instead of regular in the frosting. Just zapped it in the blender. Turned out good!