One Bowl Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake
on Oct 24, 2020, Updated Jun 05, 2024
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One Bowl Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake is one of those desserts that just screams FALL. And you’ll love how easy this pumpkin cake is to make.
This recipe is the perfect combination of pumpkin cookies and pumpkin bread. Crack open a can of pumpkin because this super easy pumpkin cake is the perfect treat to make right now.
This is the perfect dessert for any fall meal, especially Sausage Black Bean and Pumpkin Soup or Chicken Stew with Dumplings.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super easy recipe with simple ingredients.
- It’s so moist and full of bright fall flavor.
- Easy recipe to double and freeze one or give to a friend or neighbor.
Recipe Ingredients
- Butter: The butter gives the cake a great flavor and a springy texture.
- Applesauce: Used to sweeten the cake a bit, to make the cake extra moist, and to help cut down on some of the butter needed in the recipe.
- Brown sugar: Adds great color and some depth of flavor to this recipe.
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Pumpkin puree
- All-purpose flour
- Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg: For that ideal Autumn flavor.
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Chocolate Chips: Use dark, semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips depending on how much sweetness you like.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make One Bowl Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake
Step #1. Put the melted butter, applesauce, and brown sugar in a large bowl and beat it together for about a minute.
Step #2. Add in the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree and mix to combine.
Step #3. Stir in all of the dry ingredients making sure there are no dry spots left.
Step #4. Gently fold in the chocolate chips, reserving ¼ cup to sprinkle on the top.
Step #5. Spread the batter in a greased 9×13 pan and bake it at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes.
Step #6. Let the cake rest in the pan for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
Recipe FAQs
Check for doneness by lightly pressing the cake with a finger. If the cake springs back, it’s done, if an indent stays, it needs to bake longer. Or, use the toothpick test – when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, this cake is done.
Absolutely! This cake freezes like a dream for up to 6 months. When you are ready to dive into it again, let it thaw at room temperature first. You can freeze the cake whole in the pan or you can freeze it in smaller portions.
Nope. Stick with pumpkin puree. Using a can of pie filling would make the cake too sweet.
Expert Tips
- To add some whole grains, you can use whole wheat flour in place of the all-purpose flour or add ½ cup of rolled oats and reduce the amount of flour by ⅓ cup.
- You can increase or decrease the amount of butter by substituting applesauce. If you want a little less butter, add in that much more applesauce.
- This cake will not continue to bake after you remove it from the oven so make sure it’s done before you remove it. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean when the cake is done.
- Be sure to let this cake rest in the pan for at least 30 minutes after baking and before serving – this will help it hold together better for serving.
More Fall Recipes to Consider
Dip Recipes
The Best Caramel Dip
From Scratch Recipes
The Best and Easiest Way to Cook a Pumpkin
Halloween Recipes
Honey Roasted Pumpkin Seeds with Cinnamon
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cake Mix Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
One Bowl Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 can pumpkin puree, (15 ounces)
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 1 teaspoon ginger, ground
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
- pinch cloves, ground
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips, (we like milk chocolate chips in this recipe)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish well with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, applesauce, and brown sugar. Stir to combine well, about 1 minute. Beat the full minute to help the sugar to start to dissolve and get worked into the butter.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree and mix to combine.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt to the bowl on top of the pumpkin mixture.
- Stir until the mixture comes together and there are no dry spots left.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine (if you'd like, reserve 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips to sprinkle on top of the batter after it's in the pan, highly recommend because it makes the cake prettier).
- Place the batter in the prepared pan.
- Bake in the hot oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake rest in the pan for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- You can use light oil like avocado or canola oil for the butter if you like. I tried both options and the butter did have a better flavor, but the oil still worked well.
- You can sub the butter for more applesauce or you can sub the applesauce for more butter, they all work great.
- You can use whole wheat flour in this recipe if you’d like, it works great too and I do it often.
- You can add oatmeal to this recipe by subbing 1/3 cup of the all-purpose flour for 1/2 cup of rolled oats.
- You can reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe to 1 cup with success if you like a less sweet treat.
- You can use whatever chocolate chips you like. We like milk chocolate chips with our pumpkin treats but semi-sweet or dark chocolate would also work great.
- It’s ok to err on the side of cooking this cake longer if you are unsure if it’s done, you won’t dry out this cake easily.
Nutrition
How can I tell when this pumpkin cake is done?
Unlike some other foods, pumpkin cake will not continue to cook after it is removed from the oven. If it is not cooked enough, it will fall in the center and be gummy (not in a good underdone cookie way either). Wait until the cake doesn’t look raw/wet anymore, the top is puffy, and the top is an even color.
You can also do the trusty toothpick test. If the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean- they are done. You can also lightly press the cake with a finger. If the cake springs back, it’s done, if an intend stays, it needs to bake longer.
It’s ok to err on the side of cooking these longer if you are unsure, you won’t dry this cake out easily.
Can I freeze pumpkin chocolate chip cake?
Absolutely! This cake freeze like a dream for up to 6 months. When you are ready to dive into it again, let it thaw at room temperature first or a little zap in the microwave will do the trick. You can freeze the cake whole in the pan or you can freeze it into smaller portions.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling for this recipe?
Nope, stick with pumpkin puree. Using the pie filling would be much too sweet.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill, one of my all-time favorite brands and a constant in my kitchen. Thank you for supporting that brands that help make Bless this Mess possible.
Crack open that can of pumpkin and make this quick and easy pumpkin cake that’s made with Bob’s Red Mill flour, chocolate chips, and lots of pumpkin (a whole can). I know you will loooooove it.
If someone is allergic to cinnamon and I leave it out, should I add something else instead?
You can leave it out! I’m not sure what else I’d add, maybe just a little more of the other listed spices.
Made this the other day and it was absolutely perfect. Perfectly flavored, perfect texture. Definitely will make again.
Ohhh so glad you liked it! I’m making it tomorrow for my Husband’s Halloween Birthday!