- Kodiak Cakes just brought back its seasonal Pumpkin Power Cakes with 15 g of protein.
- Kodiak also launched a new microwaveable Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Cup.
- Both are flavorful ways to add more protein to your day and shake up your snack rotation.
My one extremely picky child with sensory issues eats Kodiak Buttermilk Power Cakes every single day, either in waffle or pumpkin form, and my other picky child with even more sensory issues will eat Kodiak Power Cakes as pancakes when it suits him.
Actually, Kodiak Cakes are one of the only protein-rich foods that they both will eat. Chicken nuggets are the other. As a parent, I’m happy to fire up the griddle every day before school if it means my kids get a protein-rich breakfast before they start their busy days. I make the buttermilk power cakes with milk and an egg, which takes the boxed mix up to 21 grams of protein per serving. You can also use water and still get 15 grams of protein.
Just in time for fall, Kodiak has brought back a favorite fall flavor: pumpkin! Pumpkin Power Cakes with autumnal pumpkin spices make for a cozy morning that’s still nutrient-dense with whole grains and 13 grams of protein.
Kodiak Cakes.
My kid who eats pancakes every day is always swayed to try something with a little extra spice in it if I add chocolate chips, which, with pumpkin, is a natural pairing that makes everything taste even better. Top the whole thing with a little maple syrup, and we can pretend we live in a log cabin.
Here’s how the nutrition breaks down for a serving of the Pumpkin Power Cakes, which is about three 4-inch pancakes:
- Total fat: 1.5 g
- Saturated fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
- Sodium: 260 mg
- Total carbohydrates: 30 g
- Dietary fiber: 4 g
- Total sugars: 9 g
- Added sugars: 7 g
- Protein 13 g
But Kodiak’s pancakes aren’t the only thing getting a pumpkin twist. I’ve been especially excited for the new product, the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Cup. Frequently, I sit at my desk typing away until I realize I have a headache. Instead of stopping midmorning for a snack, I power through until I’m too hungry to deal—not exactly my best habit.
But yesterday, when I got home from school drop-off and morning errands, I made the Kodiak muffin cup. Though the package recommends stirring in ¼ cup of cold water, I used whole milk to get an additional 2 grams of protein. After stirring, I microwaved the cup for a minute and then dug in. (Apparently, if you don’t have a microwave handy, you can use hot water and let it sit, which would come in handy for camping or travel.)
I’m often reluctant to try “protein products” because they often have a strange aftertaste, gritty texture and lots of sugar. While the Kodiak muffin cups are sweet, with 14 grams of added sugar, the sweetness isn’t covering up a weird taste. The protein comes from wheat protein isolate, pumpkin whey protein isolate and milk protein concentrate. Since those are the exact flavors the cup is going for, you don’t get competing flavors like you do when there’s pea protein or a similar extra ingredient. The texture reminded me of other cozy pumpkin muffins, and the texture you get from the added protein mixes well with the hearty wheat flour.
The muffin doesn’t puff up out of the cup as pictured, but that would be too much muffin for me anyway. The “serving suggestion” looks like a little bit of cream cheese or cream cheese frosting and some pepitas, and I’m planning to get something like that for my next cup.
These muffins have tiny dark chocolate chips sprinkled throughout, which is the perfect add-in with pumpkin. I loved getting a little something sweet mid-morning, but loved even more that I felt full and ready to focus after I enjoyed the cup. Paired with a (second) cup of coffee, the pumpkin muffin cup makes for a morning snack that keeps me going well past the usual mid-morning slump.
