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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Cake

    Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Ginger Frosting

    Published: Dec 10, 2019 · Modified: Dec 16, 2020 by Kate Hackworthy · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe
    pinnable image for Vegan Pumpkin Cake Recipe

    This really is the BEST vegan pumpkin cake. It's a tasty, easy, 1-bowl recipe with no unusual ingredients. You'll love how moist, flavorful and delicious this vegan cake topped with ginger frosting is! Make it with canned pumpkin, the inside of a jack-o-lantern or even try butternut squash. Dairy-free and eggless pumpkin cake.

    A slice of vegan pumpkin cake with ginger frosting with the layer cake in the background.

    Vegan Pumpkin Cake Recipe

    If you've tried any of my other popular vegan cake recipes, you'll love this one too!

    As ever, they're undetectably vegan, easy to make and taste moist and delicious. 

    You don't need any unusual ingredients (no chia or flax), just typical kitchen ingredients that all come together into a beautifully-spiced, moist vegan pumpkin cake with ginger frosting. 

    This is a great vegan cake for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas or any time.

    Because pumpkin is pretty awesome all year, right? Thought so. 

    Ingredients for vegan pumpkin cake

    Canned pumpkin (or use the inside of a pumpkin or pureed cooked butternut squash.
    Vegan milk (soy, almond etc… all work well)
    Apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
    Vanilla extract
    Coconut oil
    Flour
    Sugar
    Cinnamon
    Ginger
    Allspice
    Nutmeg
    Baking powder
    Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

    For the Vegan Ginger Buttercream Frosting
    Vegan butter
    Powdered icing sugar
    Vanilla extract
    Ground ginger
    Vegan milk

     

    Vegan pumpkin cake recipe with ginger frosting, with a slice out and set in front on a plate.

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake

    If you're new to making vegan cakes, you might be thinking that they'll be somehow inferior, dry or difficult to make. 

    WRONG!

    I've been perfecting making the BEST vegan cake recipes for years now. And thousands of readers agree!

    Now, I've made the perfect Fall cake, combining pumpkin and spices. Topped with an easy ginger frosting. It's bliss. 

    The spices evoke the classic Pumpkin Spice Latte - those lovely wintery flavors of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice are just so incredible together.

    The cake is moist, soft, spiced and tasty.

    Easy Cake Recipe

    This cake is just so easy to make! Seriously, trust me.

    You simply whisk the milk, vinegar (or lemon juice) and vanilla together in a mixing bowl then set it aside for a few minutes to curdle slightly into 'buttermilk'. 

    Then just whisk in the melted coconut oil and pumpkin puree, sift in the flour, sugar and spices and stir!

    Pour it into the pans and bake. See? So easy!

    A pumkin spiced vegan layer cake with ginger frosting and sprinkles.

    Tips

    You can use canned pumpkin, or else puree the inside flesh and stringy bits of a carving pumpkin. You can also puree cooked butternut squash.

    Instead of all the spices, you can use 1 ½ tablespoons of pumpkin spice blend.

    You can use either apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to create 'buttermilk'. It may curdle slightly when the vinegar is mixed with the milk, but this is fine.

    In the USA, use organic sugar and double-check that it's vegan. In most other countries, sugar is usually vegan.

    Don't overmix the batter when the dry ingredients are sifted into wet. You don't want any streaks of flour, but gently mix and don't beat it vigorously. Otherwise, it won't be so light and fluffy.

    If you want your cake to look a bit more 'perfect', you can trim the domed tops of your cakes before frosting them. This makes them more evenly shaped when you slice into the cake. However, I don't tend to do that as it's a bit wasteful. But if you're making a special occasion cake you may want to trim them!

    Storage and Freezing

    This vegan cake is freezable: you can freeze the un-frosted cakes for up to 1 month. Wrap them well and freeze them. Then let them defrost and add your favorite frosting. 

    The frosted cake is best stored on the kitchen counter for up to 5 days. You don’t need to tightly wrap it, but a cake tin will ensure the cut edges don’t dry out and keep it clean.

    You can store un-frosted cake layers, well wrapped, on the kitchen counter for up to 5 days. If you need to keep them longer than that, freeze them. 

    Vegan Cake Recipes

    If you love this vegan pumpkin cake, you'll love my other easy recipes!

    Vegan Victoria Sponge cake. It’s light, fluffy and delicious.

    Something zingy? Go for my Vegan Lemon Cake

    Looking for a classic? My Vegan Carrot Cake 

    Vegan Chocolate Cake - try my hugely popular vegan chocolate layer cake.

    This Vegan Vanilla Cake is light, tasty and easy to make.

    What about vegan cupcakes? Try these!

    Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
    Bright red Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
    Classic Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

     

    A vegan pumpkin cake recipe with ginger frosting, with a slice cut out on a plate in front.

    Recipes using Pumpkin Puree

    Do you have more pumpkin to use up?

    If you’re anything like me then you’re also always on the lookout for ways to reduce food waste (and save money!).

    So here are some recipe ideas on how to use up pumpkin puree from this cake recipe.

    Iced Pumpkin Cookies  
    Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Chocolate Glaze
    Pumpkin Bark
    Pumpkin Cupcakes with Avocado Buttercream Icing
    Hazelnut Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

    Get the Recipe

    Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you!
    Leave a comment and star rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #veggiedesserts. I love seeing your recreations of my vegetarian and vegan recipes.

    Thanks for checking out my recipe! I love hearing from my readers. You all allow me to do what I love and write this food blog, sharing vegetarian and vegan recipes, vegetable cake recipes, vegan cake and also easy vegan desserts.
    Kate x

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    A slice of vegan pumpkin cake with ginger frosting with the layer cake in the background.

    Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Ginger Frosting

    Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
    This really is the BEST vegan pumpkin cake. It's a tasty, easy, 1-bowl recipe with no unusual ingredients. You'll love how moist, flavorful and delicious this vegan cake topped with ginger frosting is! Make it with canned pumpkin, the inside of a jack-o-lantern or even try butternut squash. Dairy-free and eggless pumpkin cake.
    5 from 9 votes
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    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 403 kcal

    Equipment

    • mixing bowl
    • Wooden spoon
    • Fine Mesh Strainer
    • 9” round cake pan
    • Oven

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 cups (500ml) dairy free milk soy, almond etc…
    • 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
    • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup (225g) canned pumpkin puree
    • ½ cup (100g) coconut oil melted and cooled slightly
    • 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour plain flour
    • 1 ¼ cups (250g) brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 2 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda bicarb of soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    For the ginger frosting

    • ⅓ cup (75g) vegan butter softened
    • 2 cups (250g) powdered icing sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 teaspoon vegan milk

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 325F/170C. Grease and line 2 x 9” cake pans.
    • In a large bowl, lightly whisk the milk, vinegar (or lemon juice), and vanilla together. Allow to sit for 2 minutes, then whisk in the pumpkin puree and melted coconut oil.
    • Sift in the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Gently stir to combine, but don’t overmix.
    • Spoon the batter into the cake pans until nearly full. Bake for 25 minutes or until risen and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before adding the frosting.

    For the frosting:

    • In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth, then beat in the vanilla and ginger syrup. Sift in the icing sugar and milk and beat until thick and smooth. If necessary, add a little milk or icing sugar to get the right consistency. Frost over the completely cooled cake.

    Notes

    NOTE:
    You can use canned pumpkin puree, or make your own by scraping out the flesh from the inside of a pumpkin and the stringy innards. Pick out any seeds and save for another recipe. Use a hand blender to puree the pumpkin. Measure out 150g / ½ cup of the pureed pumpkin and use that for the recipe.
    Tips
    • You can use either apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to create 'buttermilk'. It may curdle slightly when the vinegar is mixed with the milk, but this is fine.
    • In the USA, use organic sugar and double-check that it's vegan. In most other countries, sugar is usually vegan.
    • Don't overmix the batter when the dry ingredients are sifted into wet. You don't want any streaks of flour, but gently mix and don't beat it vigorously. Otherwise, it won't be so light and fluffy.
    • If you want your cake to look a bit more 'perfect', you can trim the domed tops of your cakes before frosting them. This makes them more evenly shaped when you slice into the cake. However, I don't tend to do that as it's a bit wasteful. But if you're making a special occasion cake you may want to trim them!
    Storage and Freezing
    • This vegan cake is freezable: you can freeze the un-frosted cakes for up to 1 month. Wrap them well and freeze them. Then let them defrost and add your favorite frosting. 
    • The frosted cake is best stored on the kitchen counter for up to 5 days. You don’t need to tightly wrap it, but a cake tin will ensure the cut edges don’t dry out and keep it clean.
    • You can store un-frosted cake layers, well wrapped, on the kitchen counter for up to 5 days. If you need to keep them longer than that, freeze them. 

     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 403kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 4gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 164mgPotassium: 223mgFiber: 2gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 3572IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 114mgIron: 2mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

    More Vegan Cake Recipes

    • The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake
    • Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
    • Vegan Banana Bread (one-bowl)
    • Easy Vegan Carrot Cake
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Carla

      November 19, 2020 at 7:35 pm

      5 stars
      I used fresh pumpkin that has previously been roasted. My family all demolished it.
      Thank you
      X

      Reply
    2. kim

      December 30, 2019 at 12:20 pm

      5 stars
      Such a delicious treat! This is perfect for the holidays and I can't wait to make it again!

      Reply
    3. Mahy

      December 10, 2019 at 2:51 pm

      5 stars
      I love how inviting this cake looks - definitely the recipe to make at any party. Noone will ever guess it is vegan! 🙂

      Reply
    4. Julia

      December 10, 2019 at 2:33 pm

      5 stars
      This pumpkin cake looks so good and so easy to make. Love that frosting as well!

      Reply
    5. Laura

      December 10, 2019 at 1:40 pm

      5 stars
      Really like the texture of it - just the way I like it. And that ginger frosting is quite a nice move as well. Great recipe.

      Reply
    6. Michelle

      December 10, 2019 at 12:37 pm

      5 stars
      This cake is beautiful! I'm new to vegan baking so it's a relief to know I can make cakes like this without any unusual ingredients. I'm really looking forward to making this. Pinned for later x

      Reply

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    Kate Hackworthy in the kitchen

    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

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    Popular recipes

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    Healthy Recipes

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    • Easy Healthy Cabbage Soup
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    My cookbook

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    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

    Kate Hackworthy in the kitchen

    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

    Collage of press logos.

    Popular recipes

    • The BEST Easy Red Lentil Dahl
    • Easy Naan Bread Recipe (yeast-free)
    • Mini Baked Potatoes
    • Easy Lentil Soup

    Healthy Recipes

    • Butternut Squash Salad
    • Easy Healthy Cabbage Soup
    • Easy Vegan Ramen (15 minutes)
    • Rajma Masala (Kidney Bean Curry)

    My cookbook

    Veggie Desserts and Cakes Cookbook cover.

    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

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