Vegan Pumpkin Cake
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This 3-layer Vegan Pumpkin Cake with cinnamon buttercream frosting is the perfect fall dessert. It’s incredibly moist, packed with fall flavors, and surprisingly easy to make. You won’t even notice it’s vegan!
Why you’ll love this recipe!
The BEST vegan pumpkin cake 🎃 – With just the right amount of pumpkin and spice, an incredibly moist crumb, and zero complicated ingredients, this fall dessert really is the best.
Cinnamon buttercream – The dairy-free cinnamon buttercream on this cake may or may not be the icing of my dreams.
Cozy fall vibes – One slice will 100% get you in the mood for fall (if you aren’t already!). Make it for Thanksgiving, for a post-pumpkin patch treat, or anytime during the season!
Table of Contents
I have no shame in admitting that I’m a huge fan of pumpkin. I like it in these pumpkin overnight oats or my favorite pumpkin smoothie bowl for breakfast, and I even made this pumpkin dog cake for my dog’s birthday! What can I say? It’s just the BEST fall flavor.
This Vegan Pumpkin Cake is one of my absolute favorite fall desserts. Easy to make with basic ingredients like canned pumpkin, cozy spices, and almond milk, there’s no shortage of pumpkin goodness in every slice. OMG, and the cinnamon buttercream on top? It’s out-of-this-world creamy, cozy, and delicious.
I just made this cake for my newly-vegan husband and he is OBSESSED! I’ve never had anything so moist! Absolutely delicious. Nobody would ever know it was vegan. This is now our go-to cake.
– Robyn
Pumpkin Spice Cake Ingredients
Canned pumpkin puree – Look for a high-quality brand of pure pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling). The better the quality, the more those pumpkin flavors will shine through.
Warm winter spices – The cake gets its coziness from a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves.
Dairy-free milk – I almost always use unsweetened almond milk, but almost any dairy-free milk will work just as well.
Coconut oil – I tend to use coconut oil in my baking because I like its flavor, but you can probably get away with using any kind of oil. I’m sure mild olive oil or vegetable oil would work as a substitute.
Cinnamon buttercream – Made from vegan butter, non-dairy milk, cinnamon, and powdered sugar, this frosting is perfect on this vegan pumpkin spice cake and really any other vegan fall dessert, like this vegan apple cake.
This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list.
Variations
- Gluten-free option – I haven’t tested this with gluten-free flour yet, but swapping the AP flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour should work. Let me know if you try it!
- Change the frosting – This cake will be just as scrumptious decorated with the vegan cinnamon maple buttercream from my vegan carrot cake recipe or the simple vanilla icing from my vegan vanilla cake recipe.
How to Make a Vegan Pumpkin Cake
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, pumpkin, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour in the cooled, melted coconut oil.
Step 3: Combine. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
Step 4: Bake. Pour the batter into the lined cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Set them aside to cool.
Step 5: Slice off the domes. If your cake has a domed top (mine usually do), use a serrated knife to carefully slice the dome part off. Rotate the cake while running the knife along the edge of the dome. Once you make a full circle, it should come off easily.
Step 6: Make the icing. Cream the icing ingredients together until it’s smooth, thick, and spreadable.
Step 7: Decorate the cake. Place a large spoonful of icing on the top of one cake and use a spatula to smooth it out before placing the second cake over top. Repeat with the next layer. Spread the rest of the icing around the sides and on top of the cake.
Step 8: Slice and serve. Drizzle caramel sauce on top (optional) before slicing and serving the pumpkin cake. Enjoy!
Erin’s Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overmix the cake batter. When I’m baking, I gently mix the dry and wet ingredients together until the batter is smooth and the flour is absorbed. If you continue mixing, the cake will be dense instead of fluffy.
- Use room temperature dairy-free milk and vegan butter when making the cake batter and frosting.
- It’s optional, but topping the cake with my vegan-friendly homemade caramel sauce is the BEST finishing touch. Your sweet tooth will thank you.
My Pro Tip
Line Your Cake Pans
This might sound tedious, but there’s nothing worse than baking a cake and then having it stick to your cake pan. To avoid this, place one of the cake pans on parchment paper, trace a circle around it three times, cut out three parchment circles, and place them on the bottom of the cake pans. Voila! No stuck cakes!
Pumpkin Cake FAQs
This is a 3-layer cake made in three 6-inch cake pans. Two 9-inch cake pans should work instead if you prefer.
Yes, this recipe works for cupcakes. Divide the batter into a lined standard muffin pan, then bake at 350ºF for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Sure! Just use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead.
Storage
Make-ahead: The cake layers and frosting can both be made 1 to 2 days ahead of time. Store them separately in the fridge (covered) until you’re ready to decorate and serve.
Room temperature: Cover the pumpkin cake and store it on the kitchen counter for 3 to 4 days, although it’s best eaten within 2 days.
Freezer: The baked and cooled cake layers should freeze well for up to 3 months. Wrap them in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Thaw them in the fridge or on the counter before decorating them with a fresh batch of frosting.
More Vegan Cakes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Vegan Pumpkin Cake
Video
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups raw cane sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp all spice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups almond milk, or any dairy free milk
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
for the cinnamon buttercream:
- 1/2 cup dairy free butter, softened
- 3 tbsp almond milk, plus more as needed
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3 cups powdered sugar
for topping:
- homemade caramel sauce, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat coconut oil in a microwave safe dish or over the stove until melted and then set aside so that it cools a bit.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine milk, pumpkin, vinegar, and vanilla; stir well and then pour in coconut oil.
- Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir to combine, but be careful not to over mix.
- Line three 6" pans with coconut oil (or parchment) and then pour batter evenly into the pans, pounding them down on the countertop a few times to even out the batter.
- Bake cakes for 33-38 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove cakes from the oven and allow them to sit for 10 minutes before inverting them onto cooling racks. Wait until cakes are completely cooled before icing.
- For the icing: cream all ingredients together in a stand mixer, or with a hand electric mixer. The icing should be on the thicker side, but still spreadable.
- To assemble: slice the "dome" off of each cake layer. Place a large spoonful of icing on the top of one cake, using a spatula to smooth it out before placing the second cake overtop of the first layer, repeating this process for the next layer. Use the rest of the icing to ice the sides of the cake. Top it off with some of the caramel sauce (optional).
Notes
Nutrition
Allergic to coconut oil and coconut products. What can I substitute coconut oil with.
Great question! I suggest avocado oil for this since it has a neutral flavor.
Easy. Delicious. Perfect pumpkin cake!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake!
Thank you