Taste the flavors of fall in this simple Vegan Pumpkin Cake recipe! Topped with a spiced cinnamon brown butter frosting, you'll want to eat this all autumn long.
Ingredients Needed for this Recipe
- 15 oz. pumpkin puree (1 can, nearly 2 cups)
- ½ cup neutral oil (canola, avocado)
- ⅓ cup plain yogurt of choice
- 1 ¼ cups organic cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar
- 2 TBS baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
As you can see, the ingredients needed for this recipe are fairly standard and likely things you have in the pantry currently.
How can you bake a cake without eggs?
Eggs typically play a fundamental in baking as they provide structure in recipes and assist in rising. There are a few secrets to baking a cake without dairy or eggs. The below chart details some swaps you can try in many recipes to achieve a similar effect.
| Vegan Egg Substitutes | Measurements for 1 Whole Egg |
|---|---|
| Vinegar and Baking Soda | 1 tsp. baking soda + 1 Tbsp. vinegar |
| Plant-based yogurt | ¼ cup plant-based yogurt |
| Aquafaba (water from a can of beans) | 3 Tbsp. aquafaba |
| Mashed banana, apple sauce, or pumpkin | ¼ cup |
| Ground flaxseed | 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp. water |
In today's recipe, we are actually using a combination of the yogurt, pumpkin, and vinegar/baking soda techniques!
Vegan cakes also will typically require more flour than traditional cakes, as that additional flour helps the overall structure remain more in tact. This post from Bon Appetit has some additional information.
How to Make a Vegan Pumpkin Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, oil, yogurt, sugar, and vinegar.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, optional pumpkin pie spice, flour, and salt. Slowly pour wet into dry, folding to combine. Try not to over-mix, just combine until there are no visible flour spots.
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4. Pour mixture into prepared cake pan and tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake on the center rack for 50-65 minutes, until a tester (like a toothpick) stuck inside the cake comes out clean (without any crumbs). Let cool before frosting.
How to Make Vegan Cinnamon Brown Butter Frosting
To prepare this frosting, melt butter in a skillet on the stove. To brown it, cook over medium heat until the water inside starts to evaporate and it smells nutty. This normally takes 5-7 minutes. You should see little brown pieces forming. Remove from heat and let cool. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla, almond milk, and cinnamon. Stir to combine and chill until ready to use.
Topping Ideas
For decoration, you are welcome to add some additional toppings to the cake, including:
- Sliced figs (pictured)
- Candied Ginger
- Candied pecans or walnuts
- Dried apple chips
- Coconut whipped cream
How to Store Pumpkin Cake
As this cake is oil based, it will stay moist very naturally. As I recommend with nearly all cakes, this is best stored on the counter, where it will keep for 4-5 days, wrapped or in a lidded container. Unless your kitchen is naturally very warm (above 80 degrees F), it will keep best at room temperature and not in the refrigerator. Refrigeration will speed up how quickly your cake dries out.
I hope you love this recipe and that you get to enjoy it with friends and family this autumn and winter! Please be sure to leave a comment and rating if you give it a try.
Other Vegan Cakes to Try
Grapefruit Poppyseed Loaf Cake
Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Brown Butter Frosting
Ingredients
For vegan pumpkin cake (all ingredients at room temperature):
- 15 oz. pumpkin puree 1 can, nearly 2 cups
- ½ cup neutral oil canola, avocado
- ⅓ cup plain yogurt of choice
- 1 ¼ cups organic cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar
- 2 TBS baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice optional
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
For cinnamon brown butter frosting:
- ½ stick vegan butter like Miyokos
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 TBS almond milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Oil the sides lightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, oil, yogurt, sugar, and vinegar.
- In a large bowl, combine baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, optional pumpkin pie spice, flour, and salt. Slowly pour wet into dry, folding to combine. Try not to over-mix, just combine until there are no visible flour spots.
- Pour mixture into prepared cake pan and tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake on the center rack for 50-65 minutes, until a tester (like a toothpick) stuck inside the cake comes out clean (without any crumbs).
- While cake is cooling, prepare frosting by melting butter in a skillet on the stove. To brown it, cook over medium heat until the water inside starts to evaporate and it smells nutty. This normally takes 5-7 minutes. You should see little brown pieces forming. Remove from heat and let cool. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla vanilla, almond milk, and cinnamon. Stir to combine and chill until ready to use.
- Using a spatula, frost the cake once it is completely cool. Store cake on the counter, covered, for 3-5 days.
Carole weis says
Love the recipes! Easy to do and great to eat!
Emily says
Thank you so much for commenting!!
Eric Meyers says
So delicious!
Emily says
Thank you for commenting 🙂