Before creating this recipe, I had never baked anything in a slow cooker. I imagined overcooked edges, gooey centers, and a layer of cake left in the bottom that refused to release itself. As apprehensive and doubtful as I felt, I dived in and tried it. After a few test runs, I ended up with a legitimate cake that tasted great! The combination of pumpkin and chocolate is one of my favorites, and I think the streusel on top really makes this cake shine.
Prep time 20 minutes
Serves 6
1 cup (96 g) almond flour
1/4 cup (32 g) tapioca flour
1 tablespoon coconut flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 eggs
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (59 g) coconut sugar
1/2 cup (123 g) pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon (20 g) pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla
1/2 cup (55 g) pecans, chopped
1/4 cup (44 g) chopped 70% cacao chocolate
1 Line a 2- or 4-quart (1.9 or 3.8 liter) slow cooker with a piece of parchment paper large enough to reach the top of the insert. Press the paper to the bottom and sides, making creases and flattening the paper as best you can. The batter does a good job of flattening it out, so don’t worry too much.
2 Whisk together the flours, pie spice, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
3 In a smaller bowl, combine the eggs, 1/3 cup (50 g) coconut sugar, pumpkin, maple syrup, and vanilla.
4 Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and fold gently until no dry pockets remain.
5 Pour the batter into the parchment-lined slow cooker.
6 Combine the pecans, chocolate, and remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar. Sprinkle the mixture over the batter.
7 Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. Check for doneness at 2 hours by sticking a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean when finished, and the cake should feel firm to the touch. If it isn’t ready yet, cover and check every 20 minutes until it is ready.
8 Turn off the slow cooker and remove the lid to let it cool off for 15 minutes or so. Then, run a rubber spatula around the edges, pressing down so the spatula also scrapes along the bottom edges of the cake. Turn the cooker upside-down on a large plate or cooling rack to release the cake. Flip the cake over so that the streusel is on top.
9 Cut and serve.
