Dessert

Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

ByHarper Ellington December 1, 2025December 1, 2025

Introduction

This vegan pumpkin cake is a delightful treat that combines warm spices with moist pumpkin flavor, all topped with a creamy pumpkin cream cheese frosting. Perfect for gatherings or a cozy autumn dessert, it’s sure to impress both vegans and non-vegans alike.

The image shows a tall two-layered cake with a light brown, smooth frosting covering the sides and top. The cake layers inside are a moist orange-brown color with a thin layer of frosting between them. On top, there are small pumpkin-shaped decorations made of a darker brown, glossy texture, each with a pecan piece as the stem, arranged in a neat cluster on one half of the top surface. The cake sits on a white plate on a white marbled surface with a few scattered autumn leaves around it. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

360 g all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon pumpkin spice mix
½ teaspoon sea salt
300 ml soy milk
3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
300 g canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
150 g granulated sugar
150 g light brown sugar
120 ml olive oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
100 g homemade pumpkin butter
200 g vegan butter (room temperature)
200 g vegan cream cheese (room temperature)
60 g powdered sugar
200 g biscoff cookies
120 g homemade pumpkin butter
200 g biscoff spread

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to fan-forced 160°C (320°F) or conventional 180°C (356°F). Lightly grease two 8-inch or three 6-inch cake tins with oil. Line the base and sides with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice mix, and sea salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
Step 3: Mix the soy milk and apple cider vinegar in a jug to create vegan buttermilk. Set aside for a few minutes.
Step 4: In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, olive oil, and vanilla extract. Add the vegan buttermilk and whisk again until combined.
Step 5: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two parts. Fold gently after each addition, being careful not to overmix the batter.
Step 6: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes (for 8-inch pans) or 25-30 minutes (for 6-inch pans). Test doneness by inserting a skewer into the center; it should come out mostly clean.
Step 7: Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Carefully remove the parchment from the bases.
Step 8: For the frosting, beat vegan butter and vegan cream cheese with a whisk or mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add pumpkin butter, followed by powdered sugar, whisking until smooth.
Step 9: To make pumpkin truffles, pulse biscoff cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Add pumpkin butter and process until a dough forms. Divide into 15 portions, roll into balls, and decorate by pressing lines with a toothpick to resemble pumpkins. Top each with a halved pecan if desired.
Step 10: Assemble the cake by placing one layer on a turntable. Pipe a ring of frosting around the edge to create a dam for the biscoff filling.
Step 11: Whisk biscoff spread until fluffy, then pipe the filling inside the frosting dam. Smooth gently with a spatula.
Step 12: Add the next cake layer and coat the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Smooth the sides and top with a cake scraper. Garnish with the pumpkin truffles.

Tips & Variations

Make the homemade pumpkin butter a few days ahead to let the flavors develop fully.
Use almond or oat milk instead of soy milk if preferred.
For a nut-free version, omit the pecans on the truffles or substitute with seeds.
Add chopped walnuts or pecans into the cake batter for extra texture.

Storage

Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days to keep it fresh. Let it come to room temperature before serving for the best texture. Pumpkin truffles can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

How to Serve

A slice of two-layer pumpkin cake with light brown frosting between the layers and covering the top and sides, placed on a white plate with a subtle speckled texture. On top of the cake slice is a small pumpkin-shaped decoration made of smooth, dark brown frosting with a pecan half as the stem. The cake texture looks soft and moist with a rich orange-brown color. In the blurred background, more cake slices with similar decorations are visible on a white marbled surface. A glass bottle of milk with a brown coaster is also faintly seen to the right. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin puree?

Yes, but fresh pumpkin should be cooked and pureed until smooth before using. Measure the same amount (300 g) for this recipe to maintain the right moisture.

Is it necessary to make the homemade pumpkin butter for this recipe?

While homemade pumpkin butter adds depth to the frosting and truffles, you can substitute with store-bought pumpkin butter or a similar spiced fruit butter if pressed for time.