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Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake

Three fluffy layers of pumpkin spice sponge, silky cream cheese frosting, a hidden ribbon of caramel and the cutest piped frosting pumpkins.

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Watch how it is made

The reel shared on @veganjoyciful.

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Before you start

Use a firm plant-based block butter (not a soft spread) so the frosting holds its shape. Check that the caramel, cream cheese and food colouring are vegan. Contains wheat; may contain soy or nuts depending on the products you use.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake

10–12 slices · 3 × 20 cm tins · Prep 30 min · Baking 25–30 min · Cooling 1 h · Decorating 45 min · Total about 2 h 45 min

Ingredients

Cake: 480 ml unsweetened plant milk + 2 tsp apple cider vinegar420 g self-raising flour; 350 g caster sugar1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp bicarbonate of sodaSpices: 1½ tbsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp ground cloves, ½ tsp ground ginger120 ml sunflower oil; 100 g pumpkin puréeFrosting: 400 g plant-based block butter, softened80 g vegan cream cheese, cold360 g icing sugar; 1 tsp ground cinnamonFilling & decoration: 2–4 tbsp vegan caramel sauce (homemade or shop-bought), orange gel food colouring, 1–2 tsp cocoa powder

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional) and line three 20 cm (8-inch) round tins with baking paper. Stir the vinegar into the plant milk and leave for 10 minutes to curdle.
Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a large bowl and mix well.
Whisk the oil and pumpkin purée into the curdled milk, then pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until smooth. Divide evenly between the tins and tap them on the counter to release air bubbles.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean and the tops spring back. Cool 10 minutes in the tins, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely (you can bake them the day before).
For the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Sift in the icing sugar and cinnamon and whip on high for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Place one sponge on a plate, spread with frosting, make a shallow well in the centre and add 1–2 tbsp caramel. Repeat with the second layer and top with the third.
Cover the cake with a thin crumb coat and chill for 15 minutes. Add a thicker final layer and smooth the sides, keeping some frosting aside.
Pipe a swirl border around the top with a star nozzle. Colour most of the leftover frosting orange and a little brown with cocoa. Pipe orange pumpkins on the top and sides and finish each with a small brown stalk.
Keep in the fridge and take it out 30 minutes before serving. Best within 3 days.

Recipe by The Little Blog of Vegan (@thelittleblogofvegan).

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