Vegan Pumpkin Cake

This crowd-pleasing vegan pumpkin cake (sheet cake or layered cake) is moist, fluffy, and perfectly spiced, with a rich, sweet, & tangy vegan cream cheese frosting. The ultimate fall cake!

Cozy Vegan Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Practically the day it turns to fall, we’re pulling out cans of pumpkin puree from the pantry and turning our kitchen into a factory of cozy pumpkin chip cookies, pumpkin brownies, and pumpkin muffins. Got an event or gathering coming up, though? This vegan pumpkin cake is a must-try!

This vegan pumpkin sheet cake will be a new favorite for the season. Not only is it perfectly fluffy, soft, and super moist (thank you, pumpkin), but it’s loaded with cozy fall flavors like pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and brown sugar, topped with a decadent sweet and tangy vegan cream cheese frosting. Children, adults, vegans, and non-vegans alike will love this one.

Since we made it as a sheet cake, it’s also so easy to pull together with just a couple of bowls and minimal effort. Plus, it’s super portable and, best of all, really easy to slice and share at potlucks, parties, over the holidays, and any special occasion. We’ve also included conversions for making a round cake, though – just in case.

There are several other ways you can adapt the recipe to your liking, too. Including using different flours, making it gluten-free, swapping out the vegan frosting, and experimenting with your favorite mix-ins – like walnuts and/or vegan chocolate chips. Best of all, it can be made ahead and even frozen for later – perfect for a low-fuss holiday!

The Ingredients and Substitutions

The Wet Ingredients

• Pumpkin: You’ll need canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling, which is sweetened and spiced). Homemade pumpkin puree can work, too, but it is often more watery and requires pre-straining to get to the right consistency.
• Flax egg: A simple combination of ground flaxseed (or chia seeds) and water makes a simple, binding egg replacement in this vegan pumpkin cake.
• Dairy-free butter: Use your favorite unsalted vegan butter (room temperature). Ours include Miyoko’s and Earth Balance. Salted works in a pinch, but omit extra salt from the batter.
• Vanilla extract: Use natural vanilla extract (or paste) to avoid an artificial aftertaste.  
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar has a delicious caramel-like molasses flavor that complements the pumpkin spice cake wonderfully while adding moisture. However, unrefined coconut sugar or date sugar should also work.

The Dry Ingredients

• Flour: We’ve only tested this vegan pumpkin cake recipe using regular all-purpose flour, though you can experiment using spelt flour or up to 50% whole wheat flour. A gluten-free AP blend like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur’s should also work, though the cake may be slightly denser/ drier.
• Salt: Just a little to balance and enhance the various flavors within the cake.
• Leavening agents: This eggless recipe for pumpkin sheet cake relies on both baking powder and baking soda to provide lift for a fluffier cake.
• Pumpkin spice: Use store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice for heaps of flavor in this pumpkin spice cake recipe.
• Cinnamon: Extra cinnamon makes for an even more delicious vegan spice cake.

Plus

• Frosting: (Optional) Use store-bought (Pillsbury cream cheese frosting is ‘accidentally vegan’!) or homemade vegan cream cheese frosting to perfectly complement pumpkin spice cake. Vegan caramel, espresso (for a pumpkin spice latte cake), or cinnamon buttercream also complement the flavors well.

Optional Add-ins or Variations

Add up to 1 cup of any add-ins below (unless otherwise specified).

• Dried fruit (Like raisins, cranberries, or chopped dates)
• Chopped pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds (alone or with other mix-ins)
• Vegan chocolate chips (Use regular OR sugar-free chocolate chips)
• Finely chopped apples/pears (sweet or tart, crisp apples)
• Unsweetened shredded coconut (just a few tbsps will add extra flavor and texture)
• Orange zest (use the zest from one orange for a subtle, bright, citrusy flavor)

Optional Decorations

Along with the luscious vegan buttercream frosting, why not add…

• A drizzle of regular or salted caramel
• Melted biscoff
• Crumbled biscoff cookies
• Crushed walnuts, pecans, or pepitas
• Piped pumpkins or pumpkin sugar decorations
• Fall inspired sprinkles

How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Cake

• 1) First, preheat the oven to 350F/180C and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Leave an overhang on at least 2 sides for easier removal.
• 2) Then, combine the flax meal and water in a small bowl, mix well, and set aside.

• 3) Meanwhile, in a large bowl or mixer, cream the (room temperature) vegan butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).

You can use a hand-held mixer, a mixer bowl, or a whisk.

• 4) Then, add the flax mixture, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree and beat for about 2 minutes until well incorporated.

• 5) Next, combine the vegan butter, sugar, and pumpkin puree in a bowl and cream with an electric mixer.

• 6) Mix in all the dry ingredients (flour, leavening agents, salt, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon), being careful to only mix until combined but not over-mix the batter.

• 7) Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula, then bake it in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick (or fork) inserted into the middle comes out clean – or with a few moist crumbs.

If it’s not ready at 30 minutes, bake it in 5-minute increments until it is.

• 8) Finally, remove the pumpkin spice cake from the oven, remove the cake from the baking pan, and leave it to cool on a wire cooling rack until completely cooled before, optionally, topping it with vegan cream cheese frosting. Slice and enjoy!

For more flavor, add pumpkin spice/cinnamon to the frosting and/or sprinkle it over the top.

FAQs

Pro Recipe Tips

• Measure the flour correctly: To avoid using too much flour and ending up with dense bakes, first fluff it up in its bag, then spoon it into the measuring cup before using the back of a knife to level the top.
• Avoid over-mixing the batter: Over-mixing can overwork the gluten in the flour and lead to a dense, rubbery cake. Mix it until ‘just’ combined – a few tiny lumps are fine.
• When using homemade pumpkin puree: If it’s thinner than canned pumpkin, first strain it through a cheesecloth-lined sieve for around 45-60 minutes or until it’s thick enough for this vegan pumpkin muffins recipe.
• Leave the pumpkin sheet cake to cool completely: Otherwise, the vegan frosting (if adding some) will melt and create a massive mess.

Storage Instructions

The un-frosted vegan pumpkin spice cake will store at room temperature, loosely covered, for 2-3 days. If frosted, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.

You can also freeze the vegan pumpkin cake, whole or sliced. It’s best (but not necessary) to do so unfrosted and wrap the cake in plastic wrap. However, you could also flash freeze frosted slices until solid, then wrap them and transfer them to a Ziplock/Stasher for up to 3 months.

Leave it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for several hours.

More Vegan Pumpkin Desserts

• Creamy vegan pumpkin pie
• Vegan pumpkin bread
• Pumpkin oatmeal cookies
• Vegan pumpkin waffles
• Chocolate pumpkin pie

Or browse this list of 24 vegan canned pumpkin recipes for more inspiration!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla