Healthy Pumpkin Breakfast & Dessert Recipes (Low-Fat)

Get into the autumn spirit with these pumpkin sweets and treats, any time of year! Low-fat versions of classic favorites, and tasty new creations for you and your family to enjoy throughout the holiday season, and beyond!

Below: Pumpkin Pancakes with Apple-Cider Syrup and Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream-Cheese Frosting. All other recipes: see links at right.

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Frosting:

• 1/4 cup margarine, softened
• 4 oz low-fat cream cheese or Neufchatel
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Cake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray and flour a 10 inch tube (bundt) pan. Sift together flour, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and salt. In separate bowl, combine applesauce, oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Stir together the wet and dry ingredients, beating until smooth. Stir in pumpkin puree and egg whites, then fold in nuts (if desired). Pour batter into pan and bake 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Let sit in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Frosting: Combine cheese and margarine. Cream together with sugar and vanilla. Add more sugar if not sweet enough for your taste. Frost cake and sprinkle with orange-colored crystallized sugar.

Ingredients

Syrup:

• 3/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Pancakes:

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 egg whites, beaten
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

Syrup: Combine syrup ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 20-25 minutes, then let stand 30 minutes while making pancakes.

Pancakes: Preheat griddle. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and cinnamon in large bowl. In separate bowl, beat together milk, pumpkin, and oil. Stir into dry ingredients, just until moistened, then fold in egg whites. Spray griddle with nonstick spray, and pour 1/4 cup of batter at a time to form pancakes. Flip when bubbles form. Serve hot with re-warmed syrup and walnuts or pecans, if desired.