Amish Pumpkin Torte Recipe
Amish Pumpkin Torte is an incredibly delicious fall dessert!
It is a four-layered pumpkin dessert that starts with a graham cracker crust, is topped with a cream cheese layer, then a layer of silky pumpkin goodness, and finally a layer of sweetened whipped cream on the top.
This dessert takes me back to my childhood, and it has always been one of my favorite fall desserts.
Potluck Pumpkin Dessert Recipe
This pumpkin torte recipe makes a 9 x 13" dish. So it's a great pumpkin dessert to take to a fall potluck meal.
And I would be surprised if you don't get lots of comments and requests for the recipe. It is one of the best layered pumpkin desserts!
Harvest time on an Amish Farm
Naturally, we think of the fall season as being pumpkin dessert time of the year. And fall is a busy season on an Amish farm. It's harvest time and time to prepare for the winter months ahead.
Many days are spent gathering the crops from the fields. There's hay to cut and bale, and lots of corn and soybeans to harvest and fill the silos.
And of course, the manure pits have to be emptied and spread onto the fields for next year's fertilizer (all the neighbors love this fresh country air ;0).
I grew up New Order Amish, and we were allowed to farm with tractors and combines. So harvesting went a lot faster for us than for our Old Order Amish neighbors.
I always enjoyed watching them over corn harvesting time. They cut the corn stalks and loaded them onto wagons to bring back to their silo. There, someone was on the wagon and using a pitchfork, fed the corn into a chopper.
It took a team of men to get the corn harvested. And I noticed that they took turns going from farm to farm to help each other.
Everyone is glad when the barns and cellars are full and the crops are harvested once again. Another blessed year, and so much to be grateful for.
Amish Pumpkin Recipe
This is a four-layer pumpkin torte recipe, so there are a few steps to follow. But don't let that intimidate you, because it's easy to make and does not take very long.
It starts with a graham cracker crust. I put graham crackers into a zip-lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin, but you can also use a food processor. Mix the graham crumbs, sugar, and melted butter, and press it into a 9 x 13" dish.
For the second layer, beat the cream cheese until creamy, and add the sugar and eggs. Spread this mixture over the crust and bake it for twenty minutes. Cool.
For the third layer, mix pumpkin, egg yolks, sugar, milk, salt, and spices in a saucepan. Cook this mixture until thickened. Then remove from the heat and add the gelatin which has been dissolved in cold water. Cool. Beat the egg whites and sugar and fold them into the cooled pumpkin mixture. Pour this over the cooled baked crust and chill for several hours.
For the fourth layer, beat the whipping cream and sugar until stiff. Spread this over the chilled pumpkin layer.
Layered Pumpkin Dessert
How long will this pumpkin dessert last? This dessert should be great for a week if kept refrigerated.
What if we can't eat a whole 9 x 13" dish dessert in one week? If you only have one or two people in your household, you could invite someone over to join you for a dessert. Or you may want to halve the recipe and put it into a 9" square baking dish.
Is it ok to Consume Raw Egg Whites?
This Amish pumpkin torte recipe includes raw egg whites. And it gives the pumpkin layer a lovely silky texture.
I've never been scared to consume raw egg whites, and I've eaten stuff like this all of my life. Nobody ever got sick from the food we ate, that I'm aware of.
But I know some people do not like the idea of consuming raw egg whites. And if you are not comfortable with it, then perhaps this recipe is not for you.
However, I am including two different links for you, about raw egg consumption safety, in case you have concerns. Is it safe to eat raw eggs? and Healthline - Eating Raw Eggs.
More Amish Pumpkin Desserts
If you enjoy this pumpkin torte recipe, let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear from you!
And perhaps you'd like to try more of my pumpkin recipes...
Amish Pumpkin Custard Pie Recipe
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Do you like to read books about the Amish?
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Check out my YouTube channel at My Amish Heritage
Amish Pumpkin Torte Recipe
Ingredients
First Layer:
- 3 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 2 pkgs.)
- 1/3 c. sugar
- 1/2 c. melted butter (1 stick)
Second Layer:
- 1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz.)
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
Third Layer:
- 2 c. pumpkin puree
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 c. milk
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin dissolved in 1/4 c. cold water
- 3 egg whites, beaten
- 1/4 c. sugar
Fourth Layer:
- 1 1/2 - 2 c. heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 c. sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
For the crust:
- Crush graham crackers. Add sugar and melted butter. Mix well and press into a 9 x 13" dish.3 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 2 pkgs.), 1/3 c. sugar, 1/2 c. melted butter (1 stick)
Cream cheese layer:
- Beat cream cheese until creamy. Add sugar and eggs. Mix well and pour over the top of crust.1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz.), 1/2 c. sugar, 2 eggs, beaten
- Bake for 20 minutes at 350°. Set aside to cool.
Pumpkin Layer:
- In a saucepan, cook pumpkin, egg yolks, sugar, milk, salt, and spices over medium heat. Bring to a boil (it doesn't really boil, more just splatters). Stir and cook until it is thickened. Remove from heat.2 c. pumpkin puree, 1/2 c. sugar, 3 egg yolks, 1/2 c. milk, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 Tbs. ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- Mix gelatin with cold water and let it sit for a few minutes to dissolve. Add this to the hot pumpkin mixture and stir. Set aside to cool.1 envelope unflavored gelatin dissolved in 1/4 c. cold water
- Beat egg whites and 1/4 c. sugar until stiff. (Always use a clean bowl and utensils to beat egg whites.) Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the cooled pumpkin mixture. Spread this over the top of the cooled cream cheese layer.3 egg whites, beaten, 1/4 c. sugar
- Chill your three-layered dessert in the refrigerator for several hours. To serve, top with whipped cream or Cool Whip.
Top layer:
- Beat heavy whipping cream and sugar until stiff. Spread over the pumpkin layer. Serve.1 1/2 - 2 c. heavy whipping cream, 1/4 c. sugar
- Keep refrigerated.
Notes
I place my graham crackers into a zip-lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin, but you can also use a food processor. You can top this dessert with Cool Whip instead of whipped cream, if desired. *Nutrition is approximate.
Leah
Hi Anna, thanks so much for posting this recipe it was a big hit with my family! My husband said it was great but he preferred the one from the farmers market which had pie crust instead of the graham cracker crust. Would tou have any advise on how I would substitute the crust?
Anna
If you wanted to make it with pie crust, I would probably pre-bake 2 pie crusts and fill them. Maybe leave out the eggs in the cream cheese layer so that it wouldn't need to be baked.
Tanya
Thanks for the recipe. Are you supposed to bake the graham cracker crust before adding the cream cheese layer? My cream cheese layer seemed to just bake into the crust making one thick, soggy layer
Anna
We never baked the crust first, but if you'd like it better that way, go ahead and bake it first. We always just packed the graham crust into the bottom, topped it with the cream cheese layer, and then baked it.
Tanya
Hi Anna, I ended up remaking the crust. I baked the graham cracker crust for 10 min, added the cream cheese + sugar (no eggs) and then everything else on top. It turned out great. My boyfriend, who used to be amish as well, loved it! Thanks so much for sharing it.
Anna
I'm glad you figured out a way to make it that satisfied you.