Low Fodmap and Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake

It’s the kickoff to the holiday season and if you are looking for a gluten free pumpkin cake which is also gluten free and vegan, you might want to try this mini bundt cake which comes in a half size version of a larger bundt cake. This makes it nice for smaller families or those of us who want just a sliver.

The holidays are the start to baking our favorite holiday treats, but for people eating with IBS or celiac disease, this can be a challenging time because many desserts may increase the potential for flair ups or for people with celiac disease, it can be extremely serious to ingest gluten.

This Low Fodmap Mini Pumpkin Cake has been kid, toddler, millennial, baby boomer tested and approved by people not following a specialized meal plan! In addition, it is gluten free and vegan!

I also have some great holiday tips to share if you are eating a low fodmap diet and some additional recipes and baking tips from some of my favorite low fodmap diet experts!

Why Try a Low Fodmap and Gluten free Pumpkin Cake Recipe?

A large number of people with IBS find relief by following a low fodmap diet and determining which group of foods that they are sensitive to eating. One of these groups consists of a carbohydrate group known as oligios/fructans which include wheat, rye and barley flours and are traditionally used in the ingredients baked goods.

People with celiac disease should also avoid these foods because they cannot have the gluten. The challenge for those trying to follow a low fodmap diet is that not every gluten free flour is low fodmap friendly. Some gluten free flours that are high in fodmap include amaranth, bean flours, almond and coconut flour.

Another big difference is between gluten free and eating low fodmap is that some people with IBS may be able to have a small amount of oligios/fructans without symptoms. I am one of those people who is sensitive to oligios/fructans but can take wheat in small doses and there are also some people who have IBS who are not sensitive to this group at all.

But people with IBS who are very sensitive to this group and can benefit form low fodmap baking tips for quite some time. However, if someone has celiac disease, they must avoid gluten for the rest of their lives and that includes very small amounts.

Tips for Baking a Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake

A few years ago, I had the honor of teaching a gluten free baking class here in Asheville, I have only recently started exploring low fodmap baking and I came over a couple of great posts on Patsy Castos’s website by guest blogger Lisa Rosenstein. Lisa goes through the types of low fodmap flours and the role that they have in the stretch, the softness/airiness, the crumb/texture and stickiness. And of course, the nutrition content in these gluten free grains.

Lisa mentioned that a combination combination of flours to give similar properties to wheat, rye and barley. She  not only talks about the types of flours but also sweeteners and milks to use or not use but she also has some great tips on leavening and binders.

If you are thinking about dabbling into low fodmap baking, check out this two posts by Lisa on Patsy’s website: Low Fodmap Gluten Free Tips and Tricks and Secrets to Successful Low Fodmap Baking Part 2 

If you are not ready to mixing and matching flours, this post has lots of recipe ideas that are tried and true and also Bob’s Red Mill has a great flour mixture that is a great gluten free, low fodmap blend called Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour.

Here is a little reminder which flours to use that are low fodmap and which ones are high, I put this together using the app that was put together by Monash University. This low fodmap app is a great tool to use along working with a registered dietitian specializing in the low fodmap diet.

Vegan Pumpkin Cake

You can often easily can revise a cake recipe to make it vegan. Instead of milk, you can use a plant-based milk and instead of an egg, you can use 1 tablespoon of ground flax with 3 tablespoon of water, 1/4 cup blended silken tofu also works great for an egg substitute, banana or applesauce may also work and in addition, there are several commercial egg substitutes that you can try to make a vegan pumpkin cake.

In this recipe, I used a combination of pumpkin, chia and pumpkin seed for my egg substitute.

Below are the flours that can be used to make a low fodmap pumpkin cake.

Low Fodmap Pumpkin Cake Recipe

Low Fodmap Pumpkin Mini Bundt Cake

This gluten free pumpkin cake recipe is both low fodmap and vegan! I used a mini bundt cake pan because my family is small and we don’t need a lot of leftover cake lying around but if you need a larger cake, double the recipe and use a large bundt pan. You may also want to adjust your baking time.

This makes a great vegan pumpkin cake recipe for the holiday season!

Makes 6-8 small pieces.

8 inch diameter, 6 cups mini bundt pan

¾ cup sorghum flour

¾ cup tapioca flour

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup brown sugar

¼ cup water

3 tablespoon chia seeds

8 ounce canned pumpkin puree

Recipe for Cake Glaze (see below)

Preheat oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Prepare the cake pan with some vegan margarine and sprinkle with rice flour to prevent cake from sticking to the pan. In a blender place the pumpkin seeds for the cake batter, chia seeds and oil. Process until it becomes a smooth paste. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla then continue to process. In a bowl, add both sorghum and tapioca flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir until it is mixed well and then add the pumpkin mixture. Add 1/4 cup water to thin it slightly. Bake for 30 minutes until it bounces back to touch and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes and use a knife to loosen around the edges and carefully flip onto a serving plate.

Recipe for Cake Glaze

1 tablespoon  cocoa powder

1 tablespoon water

1/2 tablespoon vegan margarine

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Enough pumpkin seeds to top the glaze.

In a small sauce pan, melt margarine and add cocoa. Take off heat. Add water and powdered sugar. Stir well. Lightly drizzle over cooled cake and decorate with pumpkin seeds.

Low Fodmap Holiday Tips

I hope that you enjoy the low fodmap pumpkin dessert for the holidays!

Here are some great holiday dining tips from Patsy Castos! They will help you feel more comfortable after the meal and good all weekend! Kate Scarlata has some additional great tips for low fodmap holiday survival and she shares a delicious Low Fodmap Pumpkin Crumb Cake that is so tender that it will melt in your mouth. Dede Wilson has a delicious Low Fodmap Cranberry Quick Bread Orange . And I love this Double Berry Lemon Bundt Cake from E.a. Stewart at The Spicy RD.

Enjoy Your Gluten Free Pumpkin Bundt Cake

I hope that some of these holiday tips and the delicious low fodmap pumpkin cake recipe will help you have a wonderful holiday season without GI distress. This recipe is also gluten free and vegan.

As a registered dietitian nutritionist working with clients on the low fodmap and gluten free diets here in Asheville, I love to hear how things that I share make a difference in my client’s lives! If you are new to Vine Ripe Nutrition, you can find out a little more about me here.

The Thrill of the Bundt! Just in time for the holidays!