Vegan pumpkin cake is soft, moist, fluffy and easy to make! It’s filled with real pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and warm cinnamon for an abundance of fall flavor! Top this spiced pumpkin cake with my homemade cream cheese frosting for a decadent vegan holiday dessert.
My first year (maybe second) into blogging we were having a warmer autumn, which led me to create a cold vegan pumpkin cheesecake recipe. At the time it was a hit with the family, but this year’s weather is a bit crisper and we were craving a baked dessert.
Bring in this VEGAN PUMPKIN CAKE!
It’s perfect with a warm cup of coffee (decaf for me please), tea, or hot chocolate for the kids!
Vegan pumpkin cake is so easy to make
This is definitely an easy recipe to whip up for the holidays or a simple fall themed evening dessert.
- In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients -flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin spice, and ground cinnamon.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl.
- Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, gently mix/fold the ingredients together just until the batter is well combined. The batter will be thick and airy.
- Spread the batter into your prepared baking dish and bake!
And that’s how easy it is to make vegan pumpkin cake!
Bake the pumpkin cake using “low and slow” method
The low and slow method is when you lower the oven temperature and slow down the baking time, meaning your dessert will need to bake slightly longer.
Since the oven temperature is lowered, the cake bakes more evenly. In return, this will prevent an unwanted dome from forming in the center of the cake.
I’ve tested this recipe quite a few times to come up with an ideal taste and texture for this vegan cake! And, the low and slow method definitely produces the softest, moistest spiced pumpkin cake fitting for the autumn season.
Cream cheese frosting
I went with my cashew-based cream cheese frosting for this cake.
It’s a rich and creamy frosting with a subtle sweetness and slight tang that’s not overpowering. Lately, it’s been my go-to for cakes and cupcakes because it uses a lot less sugar than traditional frostings.
The cashew-based frosting recipe also includes a vanilla-flavored option if you’re not a fan of the cream cheese “tang”.
To use store-bought cream cheese follow the frosting recipe in my carrot cake.
But don’t get me wrong, pumpkin cake is definitely delicious on its own! If you’re not a fan of frostings simply leave it off and fully enjoy the pumpkin goodness.
Note: The frosting recipes are made for layered cakes. Since this is a single layer cake you can cut the frosting in half. Otherwise, use the leftover frosting on banana bread, cupcakes, pumpkin banana bread, or cinnamon rolls.
Can pumpkin cake be made ahead of time?
Absolutely!
Vegan pumpkin cake can be made a day or two in advance.
To store the finished cake, allow it to cool completely. Cover it with plastic wrap and an optional sheet of foil.
An unfrosted cake can be stored in the fridge or on the counter at room temperature. Enjoy it as is or frost it just before serving.
A frosted cake should be kept in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. However, I would recommend waiting until the day of the event to frost the cake.
More vegan recipes for pumpkin lovers
Dairy-free pumpkin spice hot chocolate
Chocolate cupcakes with pumpkin frosting
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Vegan Pumpkin Cake
Vegan pumpkin cake is soft, moist, fluffy and easy to make! It's filled with real pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, warm cinnamon and topped with my homemade cream cheese frosting. for an abundance of fall flavor!
Ingredients
Dry
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 2/3 cup turbinado sugar, powdered (see note)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wet
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
- 1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325ºF and oil an 11x7-inch or 9x9-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients -sifted flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry.
- Gently mix until the batter starts to come together. Then use a spatula to finish gently folding the ingredients together until the batter is just combined. The batter will be thick.
- Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake low and slow at 325ºF for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
- Store frosted cakes in the fridge. Unfrosted cakes can be left at room temperature or placed in the fridge. Keeps for up to 5 days in there.
Notes
- To powder the sugar, measure the sugar then use a blender, Nutri-Bullet or equivalent to powder the sugar. Alternatively, you can use granulated sugar but recommend powdering it as well to produce a smoother cake consistency.
- The batter will be thick, but if it seems too thick add up to 1 Tablespoon more non-dairy milk.
- For a watery pumpkin puree, place it in a sieve to strain out the excess liquid, then measure.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9 cake slices Serving Size: 1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 181 Total Fat: 1g Saturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 1mg Sodium: 192mg Carbohydrates: 39g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 17g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 3g
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