This Vegan Pumpkin Snack Cake is the perfect fall treat and so easy! It's tender, sweet, and loaded with cozy pumpkin spice flavor. Enjoy it with the simple streusel topping and a drizzle of icing, or pair it with your favorite frosting. No special equipment needed and only 10 minutes of hands-on prep time!
This simple little pumpkin snack cake turned out even better than I'd hoped! There's just something about the moist and tender crumb created by pumpkin puree and the blend of spices.
The recipe includes a vegan gluten-free streusel topping PLUS a quick 3-ingredient icing. I highly recommend serving it with both because it's the contrast that really takes this cake over the top!
Or if you'd rather decorate it with frosting, that's delicious, too! Basically, this vegan pumpkin cake is super versatile and easy. And you can easily scale it up to feed a crowd!
Related recipes:
Outside of pumpkin season, you'll love these banana coffee cake muffins. And if you're a fan of easy snack cakes like this one, be sure to give my matcha cake a try.
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Snack Cake
In a mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate, smaller bowl combine the wet ingredients. And in another bowl, prep the cinnamon streusel topping.
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until there's no dry flour.
Spoon the batter into a parchment-lined, 8-inch square baking pan.
Sprinkle the streusel mixture on top, and bake the cake for about 42 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes then lift out onto a cooling rack.
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Variations & Substitutions
Here are a few ways to customize your snack cake:
- gluten-free - Since the streusel topping is already gluten-free, all you need to do is replace the flour in the cake. I've tested it with King Arthur's Gluten Free Measure for Measure with great results.
- oil-free - Thanks to the crispiness of almond flour, the streusel is already oil-free (no vegan butter). And pumpkin makes the cake nice and moist. So just replace the ¼ cup oil in the batter with applesauce. Another option is to use a combination of plain non-dairy yogurt and applesauce.
- with nuts - Fold chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter, and sprinkle more on top! We raelly love the added crunch.
- scale it up - Serving a crowd? Double the ingredients and bake it in a 13x9 metal baking pan. Bake time is the same.
Another option is to use two 9-inch round cake pans and pair it with frosting, such as:- healthy vegan frosting without butter
- the spiced buttercream in my vegan apple cake recipe
- or the classic dairy-free vanilla frosting in this vegan birthday cake recipe
Can I freeze pumpkin cake?
Absolutely! Like most cakes, this pumpkin cake freezes well. For the best flavor, protect it from freezer burn by wrapping very well and placing in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Helpful Tips
- Don't have pumpkin spice on hand? Find details on how to make your own blend in the recipe notes.
- Use room temperature ingredients for the fluffiest crumb.
- Let the cake cool completely before slicing so it doesn't become gummy.
- You can also bake it in a 9-inch round pan or muffin pan (adjust bake time).
- The flavor of the spices improve as it sits. Bake the cake several hours to 1 day in advance if you can. Skip the streusel, and wrap the cake well to hold in moisture. Before serving add frosting or a simple drizzle of icing.
I hope you enjoy this easy pumpkin cake! If you try the recipe be sure to comment below and let us know.
Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Snack Cake
Equipment
- 8x8 baking pan - or 9-inch round cake pan
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1¾ cups all purpose flour - regular or gluten-free
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin spice blend - see Note 1 for alternative
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree - for homemade see Note 2
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup neutral oil - or applesauce for oil-free
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk - I used plain unsweetened soy milk
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
For the vegan gluten-free streusel:
- ⅓ cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon water
For the icing:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon non-dairy milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C) and line an 8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry cake ingredients (flour, spices, baking powder and soda, salt). In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients (pumpkin, sugar, maple syrup, oil, milk, vanilla, and vinegar). Don't combine dry and wet just yet.
- To make the streusel topping, in a small bowl stir together the almond flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the tablespoon of water and stir with a fork until the mixture looks clumpy and is uniformly moist.
- To make the batter, pour wet ingredients into dry, and stir just until there's no visible dry flour. The batter will be thick and fluffy. Transfer to the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the streusel mixture on top, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or when the center lightly bounces back when pressed.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out and place on a metal rack to cool completely.
- To make the icing, stir the ingredients together in a bowl, adding another teaspoon of milk if needed. Drizzle over individual slices of pumpkin cake just before serving.
Notes
- healthy vegan frosting without butter
- the spiced buttercream in my vegan apple cake recipe
- or the dairy-free vanilla frosting in this vegan birthday cake
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Tracy says
Really delicious cake! I used the applesauce instead of oil as mentioned and it was so moist and flavorful. I skipped the glaze since I had no powdered sugar and the streusel topping was just perfect!