Author: I admit it, I have a slight addiction to all things pumpkin spice. Call me a millennial (I am one), call me a sucker for marketing (I am totally a sucker for marketing), call me a lover of this fall tradition (I totally love this tradition). Seriously, what's not to like about Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake!? You better believe that's a fluffy spiced frosting on there too. Initiate drooling sequence.
Reasons why I love this Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake:
- PUMPKIN SPICE!!!!!! (Duh).
- The pumpkin in the recipe makes this cake super moist, not too sweet, and it's balanced with the perfect amount of party in your mouth pumpkin pie spice goodness.
- If you're not the frosting type of person (who are you!?), it's great without as well and pairs marvellously with coffee if I do say so myself.
- I cut the sweetness of the frosting ever so slightly by adding a touch of apple cider vinegar. WAIT! Don't run away. I promise this is a brilliant addition that sounds all sorts of weird but tastes amazing. It gives it a slight cream cheese frosting feel. Sam cooking hack 101. Don't do it if you don't want to (but you'll want to).
- This is the perfect cake for Thanksgiving, tea time, to celebrate autumn, or just as an excuse to eat more pumpkin spice... as if you even need an excuse!
Every visitor I've had this week has happily walked away with a cake to take home. While my first test run of this cake was pretty great, I ended baking up 6 whole cakes. YES, 6! My house smells like pumpkin spice permanently I'm pretty sure (and I'm not mad about it).
Call me nitpicky but I test my recipes multiple times before posting them on It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken so that I know they will work perfectly for you. With this cake, it was a little tricky figuring out the perfect ratios of pumpkin but I finally nailed it. Woohoo!
To make Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake:
In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. Then in a medium bowl, mix the wet ingredients together.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until the batter just comes together, don't over mix.
Divide the batter among the cake pans and give the pans a little wiggle to help flatten the batter. Bake for about 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, mix all the ingredients together with a hand or stand mixer until fluffy.
Frost your cake as desired. This time I kept it a little rustic by exposing the cake layers, but there is enough frosting to cover the whole cake if you prefer. I then added a little extra pizazz by grating a bit of fresh nutmeg on top.
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Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake
Servings: 8" layer cake with frosting
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup plant-based milk, (such as soy or almond)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup light oil, (such as canola or vegetable)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- ½ cup vegan butter
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 - 2 tablespoons plant-based milk, (such as soy or almond)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 F (180C). Lightly grease two 8" round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
- In a medium bowl, mix the wet ingredients together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until the batter just comes together, don’t over mix. Divide the batter among the cake pans and give the pans a little wiggle to help flatten the batter. Bake for about 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, mix all the ingredients together with a hand or stand mixer until fluffy, adding 1 - 2 tablespoons plant-based milk to reach desired consistency. Frost your cake as desired. This time I kept it a little rustic by exposing the cake layers, but there is enough frosting to cover the whole cake if you prefer. I then added a little extra pizazz by grating a bit of fresh nutmeg on top.
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Heather Toma says
this frosting is AMAZING. I whipped Trader Joes' non-butter and crisco until VERY light then whipped in the rest and continued whipping for at least a minute. I used apple cider vinegar and the flavor was spot-on reminiscent of cream cheese frosting. I swapped 1/2 tsp ginger and a pinch of cloves instead of the pumpkin pie spice, since that flavor was already prominent in the cake. and decorated with candied ginger. wow. and FYI, the amount made by the recipe is perfect for filling and topping the cake, but def not the sides. I would double the recipe to do that. the cake is really good, too, its not too sweet and goes amazing with the sweet frosting.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Heather, this all sounds absolutely incredible, I love your tweaks with the spices and candied ginger and thank you for sharing the tip about doubling the frosting for the sides too 🥰
Shari says
Can I add chocolate chips? If so, how much? I’m a pumpkin fan. My partner prefers chocolate so I’d like to work it in for him.
I don’t have shortening. Is there something I can substitute?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Shari, yes you can add chocolate chips, about ¾ to 1 cup folded into the batter should work great. For the frosting, you can replace the shortening with the same amount of vegan butter. Just make sure you are using a firm vegan butter (not a soft spreadable one) so that the frosting is stiff enough. You may need to add a little more powdered sugar. It may be a bit softer, but it will still be delicious. Enjoy!
Claire says
This cake is exactly what I was searching for! Perfect in every way: accessible ingredients, simple to make, and sooo delicious. It's moist without being too dense and the spice flavors come through just right. I didn't have a pumpkin spice blend so I just made the one from Sam's Fast Easy Cheap Vegan cookbook (a favorite) and it was just right! I baked the cake in a Bundt pan and sprinkled it with a dusting of powdered sugar instead of icing and it was the highlight of the potluck I took it to! I'll definitely be saving this recipe and using it often for a festive fall treat.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Oh yay! That makes me so happy! I am so thrilled you enjoyed it and love my cookbooks too Claire!!! 🙂
Dawn says
I was hunting for eggless cake recipes (I have egg sensitivity) when I came across this one. Hands down one of my favourites and everyone in the household loves it! Moist, delicious; just perfect!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! I am so thrilled it's a hit! Thanks for the review Dawn 🙂
Laurel says
made this for u.s. thanksgiving as a couple family members don't like pumpkin pie for various reasons... actually made it twice because the first time i accidentally shorted the flour and the resulting cake was too soft to stack - no worries, no cake was lost as my household devoured it as a snack cake - which meant making it again the same day in order to keep to my schedule to have everything done in enough time.
the cake comes together quickly and easily enough that making it again was not a daunting task at all. after they'd cooled completely, i tightly covered the layers and stored them in the clean pans for a day until it was time to frost. the finished dessert was a hit - with both vegans and non-vegans alike - as even those who'd wanted pumpkin pie opted instead for a slice of cake.
oh, and my household has asked that the snack cake version be made regularly, because it was so tender and delicious and made a perfect breakfast (non-frosted it was almost like a slice of pumpkin bread). i think i'm going to try substituting half of the oil with applesauce for the snack cake just up the healthfulness just a touch 😉
delicious! and fully expecting this will be a staple at thanksgiving going forward. thanks for making such an easy and delicious replacement for pumpkin pie!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wow so happy you loved the recipe so much Laurel! Thank you for the amazing review 🙂
Roos says
An absolute winner. You had me at pumpkin spice, which isn't actually a big thing in the Netherlands, except at Starbucks, but I love the snugness of autumn spices. Everything autumny, really.
I used fresh pumpkin and made my own puree, because I don't think you can actually get this ready-made in Dutch supermarkets, but the result was a very light and airy cake. I used a bit less of the batter for the cakes so they wouldn't be too heavy and made a few cupcakes with the rest. Everything turned out great, the frosting was delicious (I used lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar) and there were no leftovers, even though there were four cakes to indulge on :).
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yum! It all sounds like it turned out perfectly. Thanks for your review!
Will says
Made this for a fall wedding shower and everyone loved it!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! That sounds lovely 🙂
Arrhiannon says
I know you need ads to sponsor your site so you can continue to offer such outstanding recipes to those of us who need your expert help. And there didn't seem to be such issues in the past, but recently it has been many more than before. And when the ads make it impossible to follow the recipe because they keep reloading, going back to the top over and over, it just isn't worth the frustration. Although I have loved this site in the past, I don't think I will be back. This has happened too many times and it makes me dizzy.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Arrhiannon, we have not changed the ad layout at all, and we actually have fewer ads on our site than most other sites. However ads should not be going over text or reloading like you are saying, so if this happens again, maybe you could email us at hello@itdoesnttastelikechicken.com with screen shots so that we can try to get it fixed? Also if you click the print recipe button, the recipe will open in a new window without ads so that can help. Enjoy!
Arrhiannon says
Thanks so much for the hint. Perhaps it is just my computer then. The ads have little videos and everytime one starts again, it shoots the page back to the top. This also happens with yur video in the lower corner. Right now there are three seperate videos happening on this page. I don't think it would screen shot. I would have to video it for you to see it. I will try the "print" option. I never thought of that since I am not very tech savvy, being one of the older generation. I do love your site and I have your online cookbooks.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Arrhiannon, Sorry you are experiencing that. As you know the ads on the site help support our work so I can continue to provide hundreds of free vegan recipes. However, the ads should not be "going back to the top" or making the page move in anyway. You can reach out to us at hello@itdoesnttastelikechicken.com and let us know what device you are using, what browser, and if at all possible send screen recordings or screenshots so we can try to figure out what the problem is. Thank you!
Lynn says
Also, check in settings to ensure the permissions are set correctly. Sometimes when there are browser updates these get reset.
CJ says
Hi,
Can you make this cake with gluten free flour (like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1)? Thank you!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Yes, other readers have had success using 1:1 flour!
Rita Shields says
Can this recipe be baked in a 9x13 pan?
Amber says
This is the fluffiest, most moist pumpkin cake I've even had. I love this recipe! I made it with a chocolate ganache filling for Thanksgiving last year, and it was a delicious combo, everyone loved it.
Carolyn Carlisle says
Can this cake be made in a Bundt pan?
Yaelle says
asking the same question 🙂
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thank you for bumping up this question! Yes, you can make this cake in a bundt pan! Just grease the pan well and adjust the baking time to about 45-55 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick. Let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. You can frost it directly in the pan or glaze it for a rustic touch. Enjoy your baking!
Michelle says
I've made this cake before but can't remember if I left a comment or not, so decided it was time to do so! What a FANTASTIC cake! I added a few walnuts and raisins (about 3/4 cup of each) and baked two 9" round cakes and they are incredible. The cake is delicious on its own but the frosting just puts it over the top! Thanks once again Sam!!!
Einnah M says
I made about 2 dozen cupcakes with this recipe. I skipped the icing. My family and I ate them all in one weekend. So delicious and moist. Thank you so much this recipe! I just wish I knew what to do with the remaining can of pumkin puree.
Diana Potyok says
add a cpl tbls to your coffee and put it in a blender for a pumpkin spice latte!
Krista says
Hi there, i was just wondering if the bake time was altered to change the recipe to cupcakes? I have made this cake many times and it’s always perfection but I’ve never done cupcakes. Im throwing a party and planning on bringing cupcakes as its more party friendly.
Thank you