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This spiced pumpkin cake is made with a crunchy streusel layer and maple glaze. It’s gluten-free and has less than 250 calories per serving.
I love a good fall treat, but one that won’t leave me sluggish an hour later.
This cottage cheese pumpkin coffee cake has two delicious layers: a streusel layer and a pumpkin cake layer. Together, they create an explosion of flavors that is hard to eat just one slice.
It’s also a gluten-free recipe and offers less than 250 calories per serving.
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Pin ItIngredients and Substitutes
STREUSEL
Gluten free flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 baking flour (½ cup) – I’ve only tested this with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 baking flour, so I can’t recommend a swap.
Rolled oats (½ cup) – I’ve only tested this with rolled oats, so I can’t recommend a swap.
Almond flour (½ cup) – I’ve only tested this with almond flour, so I can’t recommend a swap.
Salt (¼ tsp)
Cane sugar (¼ cup) – Substitute with brown sugar or coconut sugar. You can also use a sugar-free alternative to reduce its sugar content.
Cinnamon (1 tsp)
Pumpkin pie spice (1 ½ tsp)
Unsalted butter, melted (6 tbsp) – Swap with melted coconut oil, ghee, or vegan butter.
PUMPKIN CAKE
Gluten free flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 baking flour (1 ½ cups) – I’ve only tested this with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 baking flour, so I can’t recommend a swap.
Baking powder (2 ¼ tsp)
Pumpkin pie spice (2 ½ tsp)
Cinnamon (2 tsp)
Salt (¼ tsp)
Cane sugar (½ cup) – Replace with brown sugar or coconut sugar.
Cottage cheese (¾ cup) – You can also use plain Greek yogurt, ricotta cheese, or blended silken tofu.
Pumpkin puree (¾ cup) – Switch with butternut squash or sweet potato puree.
Vanilla extract (1 tbsp) – Swap with vanilla bean paste or maple syrup extract.
Large eggs, at room temperature (2)
Olive oil (⅓ cup) – Use avocado oil or any other vegetable oil.
GLAZE
5% Greek yogurt (2 tbsp) – Try regular yogurt or a plant-based option like coconut yogurt.
Semi-skimmed milk (2 tbsp) – Use any milk of your choice, like almond or soy milk.
Maple syrup (2 tbsp) – Replace with agave, honey, or a sugar-free alternative.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350F and prepare an 8×8 inch square baking dish by lining it with parchment paper and lightly greasing it.
We are first starting with the streusel. Grab a bowl and mix the gluten-free flour, oats, almond flour, salt, cane sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
Step 2. Pour in the melted butter and pinch it together with your fingers until it forms clumps. Then, set it aside.
Step 3. Now, it’s time for the pumpkin cake. Grab another bowl and whisk the gluten-free flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and cane sugar.
Step 4. In another bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, pumpkin puree, vanilla, eggs, and olive oil.
Step 5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined. This should create a very thick batter. So, if it’s too thick to mix with a whisk, use a spatula.
Step 6. Spread half of the batter in the baking dish and level it out using the spatula. Sprinkle half of the streusel on top and level it out.
Step 7. Spoon over the rest of the batter and level it out again.
Step 8. Finish with the rest of the streusel.
Step 9. Bake for about 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 10. Let it cool down for at least 1 hour inside the baking form. Stir the Greek yogurt, milk, and maple syrup until smooth.
Drizzle it over the cooled cake and slice it into 16 squares.
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Pin ItHow I Would Modify This Recipe
- Boost the protein intake: Stir in a scoop of unflavored or vanilla powder into the wet ingredients (you might need to slightly reduce the gluten-free flour).
- Add more flavor: Try adding dark chocolate chips or chocolate chunks into the pumpkin cake batter.
- Lower the sugar: Reduce the cane sugar in the cake and the glaze, or you can use a sugar-free alternative.
My Tips & Tricks
- Don’t blend the cottage cheese: This is one of the few recipes where I don’t blend the cottage cheese. The curds help it into the batter during baking, adding more moisture without leaving it clumpy.
- Room temperature eggs: This helps the wet ingredients combine more smoothly and supports even baking.
- Let it cool completely: Let it rest for at least 1 hour before you add the glaze. Otherwise, it will melt off.
My Storage Tips
Place any leftovers into an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also store them in the freezer (without any frosting) for up to 2 months.
Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Cals: 243 Protein: 4.3 Carbs: 31.1 Fat: 11.9
Ingredients
Streusel
- ½ cup gluten free flour I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 baking flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
Pumpkin cake
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 baking flour
- 2 ¼ tsp baking powder
- 2 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup cane sugar
- ¾ cup cottage cheese
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ⅓ cup olive oil
Glaze
- 2 tbsp 5% Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp semi skimmed milk
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8×8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper and grease it lightly.
- Start with the streusel. In a bowl, mix the gluten free flour, oats, almond flour, salt, cane sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour in the melted butter and pinch it together with your fingers until it forms clumps. Set it aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the gluten free flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and cane sugar.
- In another bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, pumpkin puree, vanilla, eggs, and olive oil. I don’t blend the cottage cheese here. It goes in as it is.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. The batter will be very thick, so switch to a spatula if the whisk gives up.
- Spread half of the batter in the baking dish and level it out. Sprinkle half of the streusel on top.
- Spoon over the rest of the batter and level it out again. Finish with the remaining streusel.
- Bake for about 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Let it cool down for at least 1 hour inside the baking form.
- Stir the Greek yogurt, milk and maple syrup together until smooth. Drizzle it over the cooled cake and slice into 16 squares.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
