Description
This ultra moist vegan pumpkin cake recipe uses a full can of pumpkin puree and just one bowl! Topped with a silky vegan cream cheese frosting, this easy pumpkin cake is full of warm spices and is so tender, and rich!
Ingredients
Scale
Vegan Pumpkin Cake:
- 1 1/4 cup (300 mL) vegan buttermilk
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour (or gluten free 1:1 baking flour + 1 tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch)
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (113 g) vegan butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (110 g) neutral cooking oil
- 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup (60 g) dairy free yogurt, room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 batch vegan cream cheese frosting
- 1 batch vegan salted caramel
Instructions
- Prepare the vegan buttermilk first: whisk together the dairy free milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside for 5-7 minutes to curdle. You’ll start with the dry ingredients while this is setting.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F and line three 8″ cake pans with olive oil and parchment paper.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, add in the pumpkin puree, sugars, vegan butter, oil, dairy free yogurt, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until combined. Then add in the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin spice. Whisk to incorporate again. Then add in the flour, along with the vegan buttermilk, and whisk just until incorporated.
- Bake: Divide the batter into the three cake pans evenly and place the cake pans into the oven to bake for 32-35 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean.
- While the cakes are baking: You can prep the vegan caramel if you’d like to use that for decoration.
- Cool: Remove the cake pans from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer the pumpkin cake layers to a cooling rack to fully cool before frosting. This should take between 35-40 minutes.
- Make the frosting: Once the cakes are cooled, you can prepare the vegan cream cheese frosting. Beat together the vegan butter and vegan cream cheese until fluffy. You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer. Sift in the powdered sugar and continue to beat. Add in the cinnamon, maple syrup and dairy free milk while beating the vegan cream cheese frosting. The frosting should be fluffy and smooth.
- Frost the cake: Place one cooled cake layer onto a serving plate. Scoop about 2/3 cup of frosting on top of the first layer and spread the frosting to the edges of the cake. Then place a second layer on top, and repeat. Then place the third layer on top. Frost the outside of the cake, then place the cake into the fridge to chill for 10-15 minutes.
- Top with the caramel: Once set, pour the vegan salted caramel on top, and spread to spill over the edges of the cake. Top with flaky sea salt.
- Serve and enjoy! Slice the pumpkin cake, serve, and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Gluten free: Swap in King Arthur’s Measure for Measure gluten free baking powder for a gluten free pumpkin cake.