Vegan Pumpkin Cake

5 from 40 votes

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!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings: pieces

Calories: 440kcal

Author: Toni Okamoto

Equipment

Ingredients

⅓ cup of flax meal
¾ cup of water
1 cup of vegan butter, room temperature
1 cup of packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin puree
2 ½ cups of flour
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
½ teaspoon of baking soda
Storebought of homemade vegan cream cheese frosting* (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a 9x13-inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix the flax meal and water. Set aside for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer or a whisk, mix the vegan butter and sugar. Mix until light and fluffy for about 2 minutes. Add the flax mixture, vanilla, and pumpkin puree and beat for 2 minutes until incorporated.
In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients and add them to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined and do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth top with a spatula.
Bake for 30 minutes. Insert a fork into the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready. If not, bake for 5 minute increments.
When ready, using the parchment paper, lift the cake and place it on a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before frosting.

Video

Notes

Pillsbury cream cheese frosting is accidentally vegan and pairs perfectly with this cake. It’s also recommended you stir in some pumpkin spice into the frosting. If you want some crunch, it’s also tasty with crumbled biscoff cookies or pepitas sprinkled over the frosting.

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.

Nutrition