Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake

Total time1 hr 55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time35 min

This layered spice cake leans hard into pumpkin season, with a moist, tender crumb built from real pumpkin puree, warm cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, plus a flax-and-water binder that holds everything together beautifully. Applesauce keeps the batter rich without weighing it down, and a touch of oil ensures every slice stays soft for days. The two layers bake up tall and fragrant, then get stacked and coated in a thick, sweet, tangy frosting that spreads like a dream and sets into a smooth, billowy finish. A final dusting of cinnamon on top adds one more layer of cozy spice before serving. It's a showstopper for a fall table, and it holds up perfectly as a go-to vegan dessert whenever you need something impressive but genuinely simple to pull off.

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the cake

2 tbsp ground flaxseed
Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flaxseed Meal - 16 Oz Carrington Farms Organic Milled Flax Seed Paks Gluten Free Spectrum Essentials Cold Milled Organic Premium Ground Flaxseed - 24 oz Barlean's Organic Forti-Flax Premium Ground Flaxseed Carrington Farms Flax Seeds Milled Gluten Free Organic (Ground)
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6 tbsp water
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp salt
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup neutral oil (such as canola oil or vegetable oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
Chef's tip
Use a stick or block-style dairy-free butter - not a soft tub spread - and swap one-for-one.
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch salt

For serving

½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2
In a small bowl, stir together the ground flaxseed and water until combined. Set aside for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens to a gel-like consistency.

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