Vegan Pumpkin Cake

Vegan Pumpkin Cake Ingredients

You’ll find the full amounts in the recipe card below.

• Flax meal and water: Mixed together, they make flax eggs, which bind the cake in place of eggs.
• Vegan butter: Use softened, room temperature vegan butter so it creams easily with the sugar.
• Brown sugar: Packed brown sugar adds moisture and a rich, caramel-like sweetness.
• Pumpkin puree: Use one 15-ounce can of plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Homemade puree works too (see the tips below).
• Vanilla extract: For a warm, rounded flavor.
• Flour: All-purpose flour gives the cake a soft, tender crumb. See the FAQs for a gluten-free option.
• Spices: Ground cinnamon and store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice.
• Baking powder, baking soda, and salt: To help the cake rise and balance the sweetness.
• Vegan cream cheese frosting: Store-bought or homemade (see below). It is optional but highly recommended!

Recipe Variations

Add up to 1 cup of any of these add-ins to the batter (unless noted).

• Dried fruit: Like raisins, cranberries, or chopped dates.
• Nuts and seeds: Chopped pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds.
• Vegan chocolate chips: Regular or sugar-free.
• Fruit: Finely chopped crisp apples or pears.
• Shredded coconut: Just a few Tablespoons of unsweetened coconut add flavor and texture.
• Orange zest: The zest of one orange adds a subtle citrus flavor.

Frosting and Toppings

Pillsbury cream cheese frosting is accidentally vegan and pairs perfectly with this cake. To make your own, beat vegan cream cheese and vegan butter until fluffy, then mix in powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla. You can also use my vanilla vegan buttercream frosting or a drizzle of pumpkin spice glaze.

PRO TIP: Stir a little pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon into the frosting, or sprinkle it over the top, for even more fall flavor.

Want to dress it up? Try these toppings:

• A drizzle of 4-ingredient vegan date caramel sauce
• Melted Biscoff spread or crumbled Biscoff cookies
• Chopped walnuts, pecans, or pepitas
• Piped pumpkins or pumpkin sugar decorations
• Fall sprinkles

How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Cake

Here’s a quick look at how to make this pumpkin sheet cake. You’ll find the detailed instructions in the recipe card below.

PRO TIP: A hand mixer, stand mixer, or whisk all work for this cake.

PRO TIP: If the cake isn’t ready at 30 minutes, keep baking in 5-minute increments until it is.

Pan Size Options

• 9×13-inch pan: This is how the recipe is written, for a simple sheet cake.
• Round layer cake: I’ve only tested this as a sheet cake, but you can try dividing the batter between two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans. The bake time will change, so start checking with a toothpick a little early.
• Cupcakes: See the FAQs below, or try my dedicated pumpkin cupcake recipe linked above.

Toni’s Recipe Tips

• Measure the flour correctly: Fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it with the back of a knife. Too much flour makes a dense cake.
• Don’t overmix: Mix until just combined. A few small lumps are fine, and overmixing can make the cake rubbery.
• Use room temperature butter: Softened vegan butter creams more easily for a fluffier cake.
• Strain homemade pumpkin puree: If it is thinner than canned pumpkin, strain it through a cheesecloth-lined sieve for 45 to 60 minutes first.
• Cool it completely: Otherwise, the frosting will melt and slide off the cake.

Make Ahead and Storage

• Make ahead: Bake the cake a day ahead, let it cool, and keep it covered. Frost it the day you serve it.
• Room temperature: Store the unfrosted cake loosely covered for 2 to 3 days.
• Fridge: Store the frosted cake in an airtight container for 5 to 7 days.
• Freezer: Freeze the cake whole or sliced, ideally unfrosted and wrapped well, for up to 3 months. You can also flash freeze frosted slices until solid, then wrap them and store them in a Stasher bag.
• To thaw: Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for several hours.

Vegan Pumpkin Cake FAQs