Description

This Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake is a cozy, moist, and flavorful plant-based dessert that captures the essence of autumn. Made with simple pantry staples and fresh pumpkin puree, it features warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. It’s easy to bake, totally vegan, and perfect for enjoying on crisp fall days or sharing with friends and family.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves blend)
1 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
¾ cup plant-based milk (almond, soy, or oat, unsweetened)
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a cake pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking, setting the foundation for a flawless bake.
Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk these dry ingredients together to ensure even distribution of the spices and leavening agents.
Combine the Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, stir together the pumpkin puree, plant-based milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Mixing the wet ingredients thoroughly helps create a smooth, cohesive batter.
Bring Wet and Dry Together: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, gently folding them until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake light and tender.
Bake the Cake: Transfer the batter to your prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake should spring back lightly when pressed.
Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely, which helps maintain its moist texture before slicing.

Notes

Measure flour properly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to avoid a dense cake.
Use freshly mixed pumpkin pie spice for more vibrant flavor compared to pre-packaged blends.
Do not overmix the batter; stir just enough to combine for a light and tender crumb.
Start testing the cake for doneness at 35 minutes as oven times may vary to avoid drying out.
Use room temperature pumpkin puree and plant milk to help the batter blend evenly.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/10 of cake)
Calories: 250
Sugar: 18g
Sodium: 180mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Unsaturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 34g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: vegan pumpkin spice cake, plant-based dessert, autumn cake, pumpkin cake vegan, dairy-free, egg-free