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It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken logo

September 17, 2017 105 Comments

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake

13.6Kshares
Jump to Recipe

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.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake! This easy to make, super moist cake is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving or to welcome the autumn season. Spread with fluffy pumpkin spice frosting or serve without. Dairy-free, egg-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

Reasons why I love this Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake:

  1. PUMPKIN SPICE!!!!!! (Duh).
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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).
  5. 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!

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake! This easy to make, super moist cake is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving or to welcome the autumn season. Spread with fluffy pumpkin spice frosting or serve without. Dairy-free, egg-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

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.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake! This easy to make, super moist cake is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving or to welcome the autumn season. Spread with fluffy pumpkin spice frosting or serve without. Dairy-free, egg-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until the batter just comes together, don’t over mix.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake! This easy to make, super moist cake is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving or to welcome the autumn season. Spread with fluffy pumpkin spice frosting or serve without. Dairy-free, egg-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

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.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake! This easy to make, super moist cake is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving or to welcome the autumn season. Spread with fluffy pumpkin spice frosting or serve without. Dairy-free, egg-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

To make the frosting, mix all the ingredients together with a hand or stand mixer until fluffy.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake! This easy to make, super moist cake is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving or to welcome the autumn season. Spread with fluffy pumpkin spice frosting or serve without. Dairy-free, egg-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

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.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake! This easy to make, super moist cake is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving or to welcome the autumn season. Spread with fluffy pumpkin spice frosting or serve without. Dairy-free, egg-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

4.66 from 40 votes
Print
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 

This easy to make, super moist cake is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving or to welcome the autumn season. Spread with fluffy pumpkin spice frosting or serve without. 

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Servings: 2 8" layer cake with frosting
Calories: 365 kcal
Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (such as soy or almond)
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup light oil (such as canola or vegetable)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting:
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
  • 1/2 cup vegan butter
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 - 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk (such as soy or almond)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 F (180C). Lightly grease two 8" round cake pans.

  2. In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
  3. 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.

  4. To make the frosting, mix all the ingredients together with a hand or stand mixer until fluffy, adding 1 - 2 tablespoons non-dairy 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.

Recipe Notes

*Nutrition is for 1 serving of cake with frosting. The cake makes 18 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 233mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 2358IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram and hashtag #itdoesnttastelikechicken.

Bon appegetan!

Sam.





Categories: 10 ingredients or less Tags: baking, best, cake, creamy, dairy free, easy, egg free, holiday, homemade, pie, pumpkin, spice, step by step, thanksgiving, vegan, vegetarian

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Comments

  1. Angie says

    November 30, 2019 at 6:24 pm

    I followed this recipe to the tee and it turned out amazing. It’s perfectly moist, not too sweet, and decadent. The frosting was delicious as well, I enjoyed that splash of apple cider vinegar, it gave the frosting a distinct taste. I know I’m saving this recipe and making it again.

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      December 6, 2019 at 11:21 am

      Wonderful!!! So happy you loved it, Angie 🙂

      Reply
  2. Lori says

    November 10, 2019 at 11:07 am

    Hello, I’m wondering what size can of pumpkin to use?

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      November 15, 2019 at 6:10 pm

      I beleive 1 15oz can of pumpkin has about 2 cups in it so you will have some leftover.

      Reply
  3. Meagan says

    November 9, 2019 at 8:23 pm

    I’ve been using this recipe seasonally for years and it is so damn amazing! everyone including non vegans love it, with and without frosting! i always make cupcakes because i find them easier, and i love gifting these to people. they are always devoured, sometimes they even disappear while i’m waiting for them to cool so i can frost them

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      November 15, 2019 at 6:02 pm

      Haha! Awesome! So happy they are a fave for you, Meagan 🙂

      Reply
  4. Linda says

    October 10, 2019 at 8:44 pm

    Hi. This looks delicious. If I make the cake the day before is it best to store in the fridge or at room temperature?

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 16, 2019 at 5:38 pm

      I always think baked goods stay best stored at room temperature. Enjoy!

      Reply
  5. April says

    October 4, 2019 at 4:54 pm

    Sorry if this has already been asked, but if I wanted to make cupcakes instead of layer cake, would temp and/or cook time vary drastically? Thanks in advance! 🙂

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 8, 2019 at 10:08 am

      Hi April, the temperature would be the same but the cooking time would be less. Keep an eye on them and when the cupcakes start to look done, use the toothpick test to check if they are cooked. ENjoy!

      Reply
  6. ky_bakes says

    September 24, 2019 at 8:36 pm

    Do You think I could sub spelt flour?

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 27, 2019 at 7:09 pm

      Using alternative flours is not my speciality, but you could try checking out this article which may be helpful. My guess is a 1 to 1 ratio would not yield good results.

      Reply
  7. Sadia says

    August 28, 2019 at 6:24 pm

    Hi! I have two questions. One, can I replace coconut sugar for the granulated sugar in this recipe? Two, how many servings is this recipe for?

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 4, 2019 at 11:25 am

      Cooling with alternative sweeteners is not my expertise but this article should help you. As for the nutrition information, I have updated it for you, a 2 layer 8″ cake serves about 18 people (depending on how large or small you prefer your slices of course).

      Reply
      • Karen says

        October 20, 2019 at 12:41 pm

        Hi, I recently discovered that most white sugar isn’t vegan because of how it’s processed. Wondering if you could note that in the recipe for those that eat vegan because of autoimmune diseases. Thanks!

        Reply
        • Sam Turnbull says

          October 24, 2019 at 11:48 am

          Hi Karen, using bone char in sugar isn’t very common anywhere other than the US. Always good to double-check with the brand you are purchasing. I use Redpath here in Canada and they say on their site that it’s vegan-friendly. A good tip is that organic sugar is always vegan.

          Reply
    • Callie says

      October 25, 2019 at 10:01 am

      Hey Sam,

      Do you think I could add walnuts to the batter?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 28, 2019 at 4:47 pm

        Absolutely! That would be delish. I would stir them in last before pouring into the pans. Enjoy!

        Reply
  8. Nancy says

    January 20, 2019 at 1:58 pm

    I’m not vegan, but I am allergic to milk, cheese and butter. This is my go-to website for dairy-free recipes! I made this cake and it’s delicious! I made it in a bundt pand and dusted with powdered sugar. Yum!!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      January 21, 2019 at 1:26 pm

      That’s wonderful, Nancy!! Thrilled you are enjoying my recipes so much 🙂

      Reply
    • Lori Benes says

      October 24, 2019 at 10:53 am

      Hi Nancy,
      I don’t always have great luck with bundt pans. Did you bake at the same temperature? Approximately how long did you bake the cake?

      Reply
      • Nancy says

        October 24, 2019 at 11:07 am

        Oh, my gosh — it was so long ago I don’t remember how long I baked it. But I’m pretty sure I baked it at the recommended temperature, although I recall it took longer than usual. I just kept poking it with a bamboo skewer til it came out clean. But it came out perfect. I was a little worried that the edges would be tough since it was in the oven so long, but it was great.

        OK, now I want to make this cake again. Thanks for the reminder!

        Reply
  9. Jacqueline says

    January 6, 2019 at 11:26 am

    Used squash purée and it came out awesome! Couldn’t believe how fluffy it was, great texture for something without eggs. We have a daughter that is allergic so finding good recipes is hard. This one is being saved!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      January 7, 2019 at 4:05 pm

      Awesome!!! So happy you loved the recipe so much, Jacqueline!

      Reply
  10. Susan says

    January 4, 2019 at 1:04 pm

    Apple cider vinegar makes everything better! (Well, most things.) Seriously!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      January 7, 2019 at 3:50 pm

      Haha! It’s a magical ingredient 🙂

      Reply
  11. Emily says

    October 28, 2018 at 6:50 am

    I made this as a bundt cake (it needed to bake ~20 minutes longer than what you called for) and topped it with a chai glaze. So good!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 29, 2018 at 10:13 am

      Ohhhh sounds delish! Love the idea of chia glaze 🙂

      Reply
  12. Shannon Leigh says

    October 19, 2018 at 3:41 pm

    Next week I have to bake six cakes for a cake walk fundraiser and plan to have six varieties so I test baked this one last night.It came out beautifully. I took it to work and it got, overall, rave reviews. It is fairly sweet so a small piece goes a long way (which is really nice).

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 19, 2018 at 7:07 pm

      So thrilled you and everyone at your work raved about it, Shannon 🙂

      Reply
  13. Ale says

    October 16, 2018 at 9:24 am

    Hi Sam,

    lovely page and recipe, however i never manage to get the right consistency frosting. ever!

    My frosting always turn out runny, no matter how much sugar i add :'(

    could you please advise on what brands i could use for the butter and shortening? I like in the UK so they most likely be different but it would help me compare with the ones i buy?

    thank you so much in advance,
    Ale 🙂

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 19, 2018 at 6:44 pm

      I use Earth Balance brand. Make sure the vegan butter your working with is cold and firm, not melted. You want to make sure you’re using a powdered sugar (sometimes called icing sugar or confectioners sugar). If you’re doing all of that and still have the problem, then I would start with less vegan butter and slowly work your way up as needed.

      Reply
  14. Sherry says

    October 16, 2018 at 7:11 am

    This looks wonderful! However, I am WFPBNO (whole food plant based no oil) so I was excited to see this listed under the Oil Free Recipe section. Sadly, I click on the recipe and it has oil. I can manage the cake and replace with applesauce but the icing has vegan butter and vegetable shortening. YIKES! I’ll have to search around for another oil free icing recipe.

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 19, 2018 at 6:41 pm

      Apologies for that, Sherry, I incorrectly labelled it. Fixed now! I hope you find a good frosting recipe 🙂

      Reply
  15. Emma says

    October 10, 2018 at 12:41 pm

    I’m so glad I found this recipe! It’s lovely that it’s so fuss free and doesn’t call for anything too crazy. I live in China so finding weird vegan ingredients that some recipes call for can be near impossible and I only have a toaster oven but this still turned out amazing. I decided to not do frosting and it reminds me of my favorite pumpkin bread from my pre-veg childhood.

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 11, 2018 at 9:53 am

      So happy you enjoyed the cake so much, Emma!! Fuss-free is the name of the game here 🙂

      Reply
  16. Jenn Nees says

    October 9, 2018 at 9:39 pm

    I made this for our Thanksgiving dessert. Only hiccup was that I didn’t actually have icing sugar to make a frosting, but we ate these up regardless! So tasty and delicious!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 11, 2018 at 9:46 am

      So happy you loved it, Jenn 🙂

      Reply
  17. Coleen Tew says

    October 1, 2018 at 8:00 pm

    Hi Sam! This looks delicious! could I use a bundt pan instead of two cake pans?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 3, 2018 at 4:17 pm

      Hi Coleen! Yes, that should work, but the baking time would likely be much longer. Here is some info on it for you to check out. Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Coleen Tew says

        October 3, 2018 at 4:23 pm

        Thanks very much Sam.

        Reply
  18. Rebecca Garlett says

    September 27, 2018 at 4:27 pm

    I made this cake for my father’s birthday and it got rave reviews. My husband, who claims he doesn’t like pumpkin, went back for seconds. I turned these into cupcakes. It made about 20, and I cooked them for about 20 minutes. The only recommendation I would make is to leave the vinegar out of the icing. I found it too overpowering, and ended up making a second batch of icing without it. I think the icing is just fine without the vinegar.

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 28, 2018 at 4:54 pm

      Aww so happy you enjoyed it so much, Rebecca 🙂

      Reply
  19. Dawna says

    September 24, 2018 at 12:06 pm

    Have you ever made cupcakes from this recipe?
    If so, how many does it make and what was the cooking time?
    Love this recipe and you’re book!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 25, 2018 at 9:01 am

      Thanks Dawna! This recipe would make about 24 cupcakes. The oven temp would be the same but the baking time would be reduced. I haven’t tried it myself so I don’t know the exact time, but I would guess they would take about 2/3 of the time to bake. Keep an eye on them and do the toothpick test. Enjoy!

      Reply
  20. Katie says

    September 23, 2018 at 3:48 pm

    Just made this today! Wowie wow the flavors are so yummy! Tastes just like fall. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 24, 2018 at 9:03 am

      You’re most welcome, Katie! SO happy you enjoyed 🙂

      Reply
  21. Lois says

    September 19, 2018 at 2:06 pm

    Wow wow wow! This is the most amazing cake EVER! I made it as the conclusion to a plant-based meal I prepared for my omnivore friends (it was my month to host our book club and to provide our food) – it can be quite challenging to find things to eat that satisfies everyone but I can say that everyone loved this cake… and wanted seconds! I even shared with my son-in-law who isn’t a pumpkin spice fan but he was pleasantly surprised at the flavors and said he’d eat another piece – if I had one to give him! Thank you!

    Tagging you in IG 😀

    PS. I made it in a glass 9×12 pan and it turned out great!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 21, 2018 at 6:02 pm

      Aww that’s wonderful! I’m so thrilled you loved the cake so much! I made it for my book club too once 🙂

      Reply
    • Lorie says

      November 10, 2019 at 12:30 pm

      I was wondering how well it would work in a 9 × 12. Did you change the cooking time? Can’t wait to try this recipe

      Reply
  22. Beatriz says

    September 12, 2018 at 9:29 am

    This cake was amazing.. Made it for my husband’s birthday and omg… Delicious.. I am not a baker but these was definitely a success. However I made a different frosting from another website it uses only vegan butter cinnamon powdered sugar and vanilla and I added pumpkin spice it was absolutely outstanding!!!! I wish I can share a picture

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 13, 2018 at 9:53 am

      Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed the recipe so much 🙂 You can always tag me in a photo on Instagram @itdoesnttastelikechicken 🙂

      Reply
  23. Allison says

    September 9, 2018 at 7:02 pm

    I’m making this recipe for a friend’s wedding in a couple of weeks, thanks for the recipe! I’m starting my first practice runs, and so far, it’s tasting delicious but the consistency is slightly dense, more like pumpkin bread than like a cake. Any idea what I could be doing wrong? I’m at high altitude (Colorado) and I’m not sure how to adjust for that, so that could be part of the problem. Also, would you recommend cooling the cakes in the pans or taking them out right away?

    Thanks for any suggestions!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 13, 2018 at 9:38 am

      Hi Allison, I don’t know anything about high-altitute cooking so I can’t help there. I let the cakes cool in the pan. If you find the cakes too dense it may mean that you are overmixing them a bit. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  24. Hayley says

    July 28, 2018 at 8:04 am

    Get really excited for fall and want to make this recipe in August! However I never have apple cider vinegar around. What would you think is a better sub – lemon juice or white vinegar?

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      July 28, 2018 at 10:05 am

      Either would work, but white vinegar tends to have a strong flavour so I would use the lemon juice as you will likely taste it less. Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Hayley says

        July 28, 2018 at 10:27 am

        Thank~you! Can’t wait for the first cool(er) day of August to whip this up 🙂

        Reply
  25. Aurora says

    April 14, 2018 at 6:21 am

    I tried this recipe but turned it into a carrot cake by using the same ammount of grated carrots instead of the pumpkin-puree.
    I am from Germany and we dont have these cans of pumpkin puree available in stores and as the pumpkin season is over I could’nt make my own. I also dont have pumpkin spice, maybe I buy it online sometime Go try the original recipe.
    Also I substituted some of the flour (maybe 1/3) with potato starch. The cake turned out verry light and fluffy and was a huge success 🙂
    Thank you for your time and efford to make these recipes available to us!
    Aurora

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      April 14, 2018 at 4:21 pm

      You’re welcome 🙂

      Reply
  26. J L Gulliver says

    January 22, 2018 at 10:38 am

    I set this recipe aside last fall and finally made it a couple of days ago. This is my first cake to bake since we became vegans two years ago. It is so flavorful. I’ve made several of a variety of your recipes and want to thank you for your creativity. Too bad I waited so long to taste this deliciousness!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      January 24, 2018 at 12:06 pm

      You’re most welcome, J L. So happy you finally made it 🙂

      Reply
  27. Grace Attwell says

    December 22, 2017 at 4:24 am

    Hi Sam, the recipe looks fantastic, I am going to do it today! I am from the UK so may be asking a really silly question: how many people does the recipe serve? I have clicked on the arrow so that it says Servings: 2 but I don’t know if that means it only serves two people? Sorry, really dumb but I am a baking novice! Thank you

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      December 22, 2017 at 3:41 pm

      2 would mean “2 8″ layer cakes with frosting”, enough for a 2 layer cake as shown in the pictures. A 2 layer cake usually makes 10 to 20 servings (depending on how thick of slices you like). Enjoy!

      Reply
  28. Disa says

    November 23, 2017 at 3:07 am

    Favorite fall cake. I make it with GF flour and it turns out perfect every time! My kids love it too.

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      November 23, 2017 at 1:24 pm

      Oh wonderful! Great to know it can be made gluten-free as well 🙂

      Reply
  29. Eileen Flaig says

    November 20, 2017 at 10:52 am

    I am going to make this for Thanksgiving! I am a relatively new vegan so I am still trying to figure things out so sorry if this is an obvious question! Why do you use both vegetable shortening and vegan butter in the frosting? Is it a flavor thing, or could you just use something like Earth’s Balance for both? I am going to get both and make it like you suggested, I was just wondering for future reference!

    I will let you know how it turns out after Thanksgiving!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      November 20, 2017 at 12:15 pm

      Hi Eileen, congrats on your new veganism! I use vegan butter (Earth Balance brand is my preference), and vegan shortening so that they frosting holds up and doesn’t melt. I find the combo gets the perfect flavour and consistency. Enjoy!!! 🙂

      Reply
  30. Anubha Sahai says

    November 5, 2017 at 4:54 pm

    Hey, what if I do not have pumpkin puree? Can you please tell me her w to make it at home ?

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      November 6, 2017 at 12:46 pm

      You can follow any recipe, such as this one.

      Reply
  31. Rosie says

    November 5, 2017 at 10:43 am

    Hands down the BEST pumpkin spice cake I’ve ever made, There is nothing “vegan tasting” about this cake, It’s light, fluffy, and has the perfect texture. (meaning NOT gummy, or dense). It was great the day I made it, but even better the next day!! Thanks so much for sharing!! xoxo

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      November 6, 2017 at 12:32 pm

      Woohoo!! Thrilled you loved it so much, Rosie 🙂

      Reply
  32. Franzi says

    November 1, 2017 at 12:30 pm

    Thanks for this wonderful recipe – I used it for a Halloween Party and changed it a little bit, since it was handier carrying brownies to a party rather than a cake. If you are interested in my result, visit my blog 🙂
    Unfortunately, it is in German, but the pictures should speak for themselves! The Halloween-Pumpkin-Brownies with Pumpkin-Buttercream-Icing were so yummy!
    You are a great inspiration for vegan cooking and baking – thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      November 2, 2017 at 9:16 am

      Yay! So happy you enjoyed them 🙂

      Reply
  33. Jen says

    October 23, 2017 at 5:06 pm

    Do you think it would still turn out if I subbed lemon juice for the apple cider vinegar in the frosting? I want to make this for my mom-in-law’s birthday, but ACV is just so….barfy…. >.<

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 24, 2017 at 10:11 am

      Haha, it will, but of course the frosting will taste lemony instead of cream cheesey. Up to you! 🙂

      Reply
  34. Lauren says

    October 21, 2017 at 8:55 pm

    This recipe is AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing it! In my icing instead of regular plant-based milk, I subbed Caligula Farms Pecan Carmel Almondmilk creamer… and it seriously was like caramel pecan/pumpkin pie icing!!! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 22, 2017 at 9:21 am

      Wow that sounds amazing!! Thrilled you love the cake so much 🙂

      Reply
  35. Esther says

    October 20, 2017 at 6:02 pm

    Can you use sweat potato instead of pumpkin puree?

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 22, 2017 at 9:09 am

      I’m sure that would work just fine! Enjoy 🙂

      Reply
  36. Amanda says

    October 13, 2017 at 9:38 pm

    Just made this; delicious! The Apple cider vinegar gave the frosting the real cream cheese taste. Thank for sharing your amazing recipes!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 14, 2017 at 3:07 pm

      Woohoo! So happy you enjoyed it, Amanda! You’re most welcome 🙂

      Reply
  37. Erin says

    October 4, 2017 at 10:37 pm

    I made this to celebrate my dad’s birthday last night, Sam, and it was delicious! Bonus that it was easy to make with readily available ingredients. It’s the Pumpkin Spice Cakes of everyone’s dreams. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 5, 2017 at 10:45 am

      Wow! Thanks so much for the lovely review, thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Erin! 🙂

      Reply
  38. Adrienne says

    October 1, 2017 at 9:34 pm

    Saaaaaam! What Vegetable Shortening do you use? I found out Earth Balance has been discontinued! 🙁 I work in a Health Food Store and we haven’t been able to get it in! I contacted Earth Balance and they said it has been discontinued in Canada and the US! I don’t like the ones in the grocery store, they all use hydrogenated oils. Have you ever tried the Spectrum or Nutiva brand of shortening?
    I need to make this cake 🙂

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      October 2, 2017 at 9:28 am

      Oh no, I didn’t know that the Earth Balance one had been discontinued. That was normally my go-to, but when I’m lazy and don’t want to go to a health food store I use regular Crisco. I haven’t tried Spectrum or Nutiva but I am sure both would work great!

      Reply
      • Adrienne says

        October 2, 2017 at 9:49 am

        Thanks! I’m going to search our catalogues and see if we can find a suitable replacement! We have had customers asking, especially now that baking season is full on!

        Reply
  39. Jen says

    September 30, 2017 at 9:26 am

    This looks amazing!
    My dad’s birthday is right on Halloween and normally we would have massive amount of pumpkin from people… I could use those for this recipe!
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 30, 2017 at 12:16 pm

      Yes, you could!!! I hope you and your dad love the cake, Jen. 🙂

      Reply
  40. Kari says

    September 28, 2017 at 9:38 am

    Oh boy. I think this is going to go over very well this weekend when I have my non-vegan parents over. Thanks for making yummy SO easy.

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 28, 2017 at 5:13 pm

      My absolute pleasure! Enjoy 🙂

      Reply
      • Kari says

        October 2, 2017 at 9:30 am

        Just to let you know, my dad, who is as traditional as they come, liked this cake so much that he suggested that we replace pumpkin pie with it. So, I may be making this cake again next weekend for our Thanksgiving meal.

        You were right. You could eat this cake without the frosting and still get that pumpkin satisfaction. But, the frosting with the apple cider vinegar is awesome.

        Reply
  41. Freja says

    September 27, 2017 at 1:27 pm

    We don’t have vegetable shortening in Denmark, so I was wondering if you think I can leave it out, and maybe use double the butter? 🙂
    Also, I just wanna say thank you for this amazing blog! All recipes I’ve tried were amazing. I lived in Canada for a while and coming back to Denmark and discovering vegan recipes for nanaimo bars and poutine has been perfect for when I’m feeling Canada homesick!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 28, 2017 at 9:01 am

      Hi Freja, yes you can use all vegan butter. The frosting will be a little softer, so might want to reduce or omit the non-dairy milk, and keep the cake in a cool place so it doesn’t melt. Enjoy!

      Reply
  42. Janet Schmidt says

    September 26, 2017 at 2:00 pm

    All I can say is Wow! This is one great cake-I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for the wonderful recipe ‘-)

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 27, 2017 at 10:34 am

      Yay! You’re most welcome, Janet! So very happy you enjoyed it so much 🙂

      Reply
  43. Darcee says

    September 24, 2017 at 2:31 pm

    Made this and your chocolate cake recipe for a party I had last night and both were devoured and loved by everyone! I got so many compliments and I will definitely be making this repeatedly in the future!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 24, 2017 at 4:16 pm

      Woohoo!! Thrilled to hear that Darcee! 🙂

      Reply
  44. Jamie says

    September 18, 2017 at 6:05 pm

    Thanks so much for this recipe!! I was wondering if you know how this batter would work if I wanted to make a loaf instead of 2 cake rounds?

    Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 19, 2017 at 9:30 am

      Hi Jamie, it should work ok, but use this helpful chart to help you. Make sure the measurements match up. It looks like you will be able to half the recipe for a medium loaf pan. Also, the cooking time will likely be a little longer, so make sure it is done by inserting a toothpick in the middle. Enjoy!

      Reply
  45. Nora says

    September 17, 2017 at 9:56 pm

    Oh.My.Gosh. Amazing! So I saw this on facebook this morning, and I’m like nah, I can wait on it…I’ll make it for Thanksgiving or something….Well, couldn’t wait, went to the store, grabbed me some pumpkin, and just made this cake exactly as written. It’s SO unbelievably delicious, and made my kids very happy! 🙂 I love how simple your recipes are and easy to make. I wasn’t sure about the apple cider vinegar in the frosting, but yeah, it works! It gives it a little “tang” like cream cheese frosting. Thanks Sam!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 18, 2017 at 9:05 am

      Haha! That was super fast. Yaaaaayyy!!! So happy you and your kids loved it so much, Nora! Thank you for your comment and stars 😀

      Reply
  46. Kristi says

    September 17, 2017 at 11:04 am

    I cannot even express my excitement at seeing this recipe this morning. A million thanks! I wanted to make something pumpkin today but couldn’t decide what to make. Decision made!!!

    Reply
    • Sam Turnbull says

      September 17, 2017 at 11:27 am

      Wow! Maybe I’m a mind reader? Haha. How’s that for timing! I hope you love the cake, Kristi 🙂

      Reply
      • Kristi says

        October 8, 2017 at 10:16 am

        So I finally got around to making this last night. It’s amazing! Perfectly pumpkin spice! You’ve done it again, Sam! I sent the recipe to my friend, but she can’t have apple cider vinegar. She can’t have lemon juice either, so can’t sub that out. Is it possible to omit it? Would she want to increase the baking powder or baking soda?

        Reply
        • Sam Turnbull says

          October 8, 2017 at 12:48 pm

          Yay!! Thrilled you enjoyed it so very much 🙂 You need an acid to activate the baking soda which helps it rise. Without an acid, it will be too dense. Can she use another type of vinegar?

          Reply

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