Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

Easy and so delicious, this Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting is a must-make seasonal treat! Fluffy, moist, and tender, this one-bowl single-layer cake is just 10 ingredients and bakes in 30 minutes! An allergy-free and kid-friendly dessert that's loaded with pumpkin, spice, and cozy autumn vibes!

This isn't just your typical pumpkin cake, these super easy, moist, and perfectly delicious gluten-free pumpkin cake is everything you love about Fall, slathered with a thick tangy, sweet layer of vegan cream cheese frosting and a few sprinkles to amp up the festive vibes (what's cake without some sprinkles?!) It's a simple "dump-and-bake" type of recipe with just 10 ingredients! A little whisking, mixing and spreading in your cake pan. Let the oven to some (deliciously smelling magic) and you're on your way to the pumpkin party!

Why You'll Love This Easy Pumpkin Sheet Cake Recipe

Pumpkin cake is a staple dessert recipe you should have in your back pocket. It's perfect for autumn parties, bake sales, potlucks, and Thanksgiving holidays! Making it safe for everyone to enjoy isn't a problem either! This no-fail recipe is...

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Coconut-Free, Corn-Free)
• Sugar-Free or Low-Sugar
• Packed with Real Pumpkin
• Kid-Friendly
• One-Bowl, Just 10 Ingredients
• Quick & Easy, Bakes in 10 Minutes
• Make-Ahead & Freezer-Friendly

Ingredients For Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake

• Gluten-Free Baking Flour + Baking Powder + Baking Soda: You can use a hearty gluten-free baking flour or all-purpose flour. Gluten-free flour brands vary, so if using baking/cake flour, go with Bob's Red Mill as this blend is strong enough for the wet pumpkin in this recipe. Add some extra baking powder and baking soda for lift and fluffiness to the tender cake crumb!
• Granulated Sweetener: You can use your choice of granulated white sugar sweetener which balances out the dark brown sugar.
• Dark Brown Sugar Sweetener: I like to use dark brown sugar in cozy bakes like a pumpkin dessert due to the stronger molasses flavor. You can use a light brown sugar sweetener though. Whatever you have on hand works! The brown sugar sweetener keeps this cake nice and soft with a rich, deep sweetness!
  • You can add a teaspoon or two of molasses to sugar-free brown sugar, like Swerve, for a "dark" brown sugar.
• Flax Eggs: Flax eggs are the perfect healthy binder for this vegan cake recipe! They keep the cake light, while still doing the job of strong binding without the need for eggs.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice: Make your own mixture of pumpkin pie spice with this recipe or you can go with a store-bought mix. I always like to add EXTRA cinnamon though to my batter! If you don't care for one of the spices in pumpkin pie spice, you can easily modify the quantities of ground nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger to your tastes!
• Vanilla Extract: Some background notes of vanilla are always delicious in a simple cake. You can even use some maple extract for an extra hint of autumn comfort!
• Oil: A neutral flavor oil will keep this vegan cake moist while helping to provide the right amount of structure to the tender soft crumb.
• Pumpkin: If we didn't have pumpkin, this wouldn't be pumpkin cake! You only need 1 full 15 ounces can of pure pumpkin puree. Crack it open and scoop it into your mixing bowl!
  • If you want to use homemade pumpkin puree, make sure it's not too watery. If your puree has high moisture, you will want to add a few extra tablespoons of gluten-free flour to your cake batter.

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

Pairing the single-layer pumpkin cake with a topping of sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting is more than a delicious idea, it's essential! Similar to carrot cake, cream cheese frosting is a great option for "not-too-sweet" cakes. You can whip up the frosting while the cake is baking using this recipe which is just a mixture of dairy-free cream cheese and butter, powdered sugar sweetener of choice, and a dash of vanilla (or maple!)

How To Make A Vegan Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake

1. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and sweeteners to a large mixing bowl.
2. Whisk together until uniform and smooth.
3. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add in the flax eggs, oil, and vanilla.
4. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until you get a moist crumbly batter.
5. Now add in the full can of pumpkin.
6. Mix until thick and smooth.

Baking & Frosting The Single Layer Pumpkin Cake

1. Pour the batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish and smooth out the top.
2. Bake the cake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
3. Remove your cake and let it cool completely.
4. Frost your cake and add festive sprinkles if desired!

How To Modify For A Different Baking Pan

• 8x11 Baking Dish: You can use a smaller baking dish, just note that the baking time may need to increase by about 5 minutes so that the middle of the cake bakes. This cake will be taller.
• Classic Texas Sheet Cake: To make a classic Texas sheet cake, you can spread the batter in your 18x13 inch sheet pan (jelly roll pan) and bake according to directions, but decrease the baking time to 22-25 minutes.
• Square or Round Cake: To bake the cake in a square 8x8 pan, you can divide the batter between two pans and bake. You can also use two 9 or 8 inch round pans and make this single-layer cake, a double-layer cake. Make an extra batch of frosting if so!
• Cupcakes: This batter will give you about 20-24 standard cupcakes. Bake the cupcakes for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean!

How To Frost The Cake

While the cake is baking, you can prepare your dairy-free cream cheese frosting, by creaming together the vegan butter, cream cheese, adding the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until thick and smooth. When the cake is done and cooling, the frosting can also be chilled so everything is ready to be frosted.

Spread a thick layer of frosting on the cooled cake and then top with orange sprinkles or other festive candies if you'd like! make sure to add them while the frosting is still wet and not set.

Storing & Freezing Instructions

• Storage: You can store any leftover cake in the fridge in a covered container for 5-6 days. You can serve the cake chilled from the fridge (the way I love it!) or bring it to room temperature first.
• Make-Ahead: You can bake and frost the cake ahead of time, ideally within 2 days of serving. Store it in the fridge like you would any leftovers.
• Freezing Instructions: You can bake and freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 6 months. Let it defrost in the fridge overnight before frosting and serving. If you plan on freezing the frosted cake, I recommend slicing it beforehand and using it within 3 months for quality.

More Delicious Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipes:

• Pumpkin Bread
• Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
• Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Pumpkin Donuts Holes
• Starbucks Pumpkin Scones

Print

So basically, pumpkin cake is just a sweeter version of pumpkin bread! Lucky for you, both can be healthy, gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-free, but no one will ever know!

So tell me:

+ Do you like making your own pumpkin puree or are you a diehard canned person? 

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