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This pumpkin cake is moist and fluffy and full of delicious fall spices. Made in just one bowl and using simple ingredients, there are no eggs, no milk, and no butter needed!
Simple cake recipes are a common occurrence around here.
It’s no surprise that we make them on a very regular basis. We tend to try to use seasonal produce and that is why come Fall, we have a few favorites up our sleeve- applesauce cake, apple cake, and of course, a classic pumpkin cake.
Sure, we already have a 2 ingredient pumpkin cake that works as a treat, but this one is the show stopper, and it works as a layer cake too!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- No eggs, no. butter, no milk. This cake uses pantry staple ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
- Ready in 30 minutes. With just two minutes prep and 28 minutes baking time, this cake is fast.
- Made in one bowl. The batter is made in a single mixing bowl, so clean up is a breeze.
- Naturally vegan and gluten free. With no dairy in it and easily made gluten free, this is quite the diet friendly dessert!
The cake itself is moist, fluffy, and with a light and tender crumb. It’s sweet and with a light pumpkin flavor, and the cream cheese frosting gives it a little tang that takes it up a notch.
Ingredients needed
As we mentioned earlier, the ingredient list is very basic and there is no hard-to-find sweeteners or baking flours needed. Here is what you’ll need:
- All purpose flour. Either plain all purpose flour or gluten free flour can be used. I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Baking flour, as it works as a cup for cup replacement for standard flour. If you use another brand of gluten free flour, be sure that it contains xanthan gum in it.
- Baking powder. Gives some rise and fluffiness to the cake.
- Salt. Brings out the natural sweetness of the cake, and a must for any good baked good!
- Pumpkin pie spice. A fabulous fall spice mix, this intensifies the pumpkin flavor. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use a mix of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice.
- Cinnamon. Even though the pumpkin pie spice already has a little cinnamon in it, adding more gives it a more intense flavor hit.
- Pumpkin puree. Unsweetened pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. I used homemade pumpkin puree but you can use the canned variety. If you use the latter, your cake will be a little darker in color.
- Sugar of choice. A mix of white sugar and brown sugar is best, but use whichever you have on hand. Like the pumpkin puree, if you use all brown sugar, your cake will be much darker.
- Oil of choice. Any neutral flavored oil can be used. Coconut oil (refined), vegetable oil, or even canola oil are all fantastic options.
- Maple syrup. Adds extra sweetness and gives the cake a more tender and moist texture. You can also use agave nectar.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any good cake or baked recipe!
- Water. To mix everything together! If you’d prefer to use milk, unsweetened almond milk or any plant based milk will work well.
- Cream cheese frosting-.Optional, but highly recommended.
How do you make a pumpkin cake?
In a small bowl, add your flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, combine the rest of your ingredients, and mix until combined. Gently fold through the dry ingredients until just combined.
Transfer the cake batter into an 8-inch cake pan. Bake at 180C/350F for 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan completely, before frosting.
Tips to make the best recipe
- The ingredients provided make a single layer cake and frosting. For a 2 layer cake, double the ingredients and bake in 2 cake pans. For a 3 layer cake, triple the ingredients and bake in 3 cake pans.
- Do not over-bake the cake, as it continues to cook as it cools down. Once a skewer comes out clean from the center, the cake is done.
- Don’t be worried if your cake comes out darker in color than what I pictured. If you use canned pumpkin or brown sugar, your cake will be considerably darker.
- This pumpkin cake tastes delicious without frosting, so if you’d prefer more of a snack cake, omit the frosting and bake this in a 9-inch square pan.
Storage info
- To store: If your cake is unfrosted, you can store it at room temperature, covered, for up to 5 days. If frosted, or if you’d like the cake to keep longer, store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Let the refrigerated cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
- To freeze: Place slices of cake in a freezer friendly container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
More simple cake recipes to try
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if you’d like to make them this way, simply distribute the batter amongst a 12-count muffin tin and bake for 18-20 minutes. Alternatively, try 2 ingredient pumpkin muffins or healthy pumpkin muffins.
Swap out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend and this cake is then suitable for celiacs. You could also try making almond flour pumpkin muffins instead.
Easiest Pumpkin Cake (No eggs, No milk, No butter!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour gluten free, if needed
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup sugar of choice * See notes
- 1/3 cup oil canola, vegetable, or refined coconut oil
- 3/4 cup Pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together your flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon. In a mixing bowl, add the rest of your ingredients and mix until combined.
- Gently fold through your dry ingredients until just combined. Transfer to the greased cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out just clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely, before frosting.
Simple and yummy! In place of pumpkin puree, I made an apple spice cake, subbing unsweetened apple sauce that I needed to use up. Used 3/4 cup of brown sugar and still sweet enough.
Excellent recipe and tips!
Made this for a party, gluten-free, and topped with a spiced cream cheese frosting and was told one of the best cakes they ever had.
Could I use regular bottle breakfast maple syrup if I’m in a pinch – just cut down on the actual amount of sugar in the recipe?
Also can this be made in 6” cake pans? Wanting to make this for my daughters first birthday
I’m not sure- I’ve only tried this as written. You can, but need to reduce the cooking time.
Fantastic recipe! Thank you! My vegan sister shared it with me, but I’ve fed it to many people who are not vegan and everyone loves it just the same.
So glad to hear that!
This cake looks amazing!! 🤩 can the flour be substituted for almond or coconut to make it keto friendly?
Thank you!
Not for this recipe!
I use this recipe regularly- it’s amazing 🤩- I do use king
I do use kind Arthur’s 1:1 gluten free flour for it sometimes and it works but the texture is off. This cake left alone to its recipe is my absolute go to😍
Hi, I’m making this yummy recipe right now 😅😂 but I can’t see how much water you used as I can’t find it on the recipe card. Thanks 😊!!
Hi! I’m sorry it is 1/4 cup, I have updated the recipe card!
I am such a bad reader! so I found the paleo version right underneath…. It’s still early.. right? Thanks dear!!
Was debating making either gluten free or paleo version but was surprised by how different the flour measurements were: 21/4 oats vs. 1/2 cup coconut. Also one is baking powder other is soda. Wondering if the paleo version has the right quantity of flour?? Thank you. Looks delicious.
Hi Karen, that is correct- coconut flour has a completely different texture.
Awesome recipe, and love all the options since people can be so touchy with certain ingredients and allergies, etc. (For me because I was finding the option I had all the ingredients to make : ) ) I love cake for breakfast, with fruit and yogurt of course. It’s necessary once in a while, especially with five kids. It makes me the cool mom and keeps me sane lol can’t wait to make this!
You are my kinda mom, Liz! 🙂
I made these last night and am not sure what I did wrong. I followed the non-paleo version and mine are good, but they are not “fluffy” as yours appear to be. Mine are more of a condensed moist cake that didn’t rise. They’re good!! I was also pleased to see that it worked well with my blood sugars. I used the small baking dish and cut into 12 equal pieces. Then I divided one piece in half. PERFECT! This will be added to my holiday dessert list even though it’s really “breakfast.” I just wish mine had risen like the picture shown.
Hi Robyn! It really depends on what nut butter, flour etc you use to achieve that consistency- Also whether you use homemade pumpkin/canned pumpkin etc 🙂
OH OK that makes more sense. Thanks 🙂
No worries, Robyn 🙂
I went insane with the kabocha recipes during the spring, hahaha! I wouldn’t worry too much 😉
Haha, I miss our adventures!
Always happy to see a cake for breakfast recipe! I don’t know what my problem used to be, but I always, always let my chocolate expire and turn white. I wasn’t the biggest fan of sweets when I was younger so all my chocolate gifts used to go off. Crazy considering chocolate doesn’t last 24 hours in my house now!
Right? Tables turned for me too, I used to give my Easter candy away!
This would be yummy to eat for breakfast! What size pan did you use?
Hi Joanne! I use two- When I want a thick frosting, I use an 8 x 8 pan. For thicker cakes, I use a 4 x 6 pan 🙂
Sooooo I was messing around with pumpkin in February for the book, and that definitely felt weird. Possibly as weird as the snowmen I saw in Costco in August. Now they’re hanging out with the skeletons.
Also… skunk.
Costco is ridiculous. You could probably get Easter candy now.
Idk what’s wrong w me. On first glance I thought it said “breast cake.” That’s after your last recipe was pornographic. I promise I’m not crazy!
omg. You kill me, and I love it.
I’m slowly getting into the pumpkin spirit. It’s taking a while since it’s still beastly hot around these parts, but I won’t last much longer!
As far as expired chocolate goes, I’m almost positive I’ve eaten it. My version of dessert is to keep a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a high cabinet and grab a handful a couple times a month. Lord only knows how long I’ve dragged one bag on!
Dude, it’s pretty much summer 2017 already! 😀 You will return from travel season and it will be blueberry time again!
Ok. Silly question: should I grind the oats to a powder first before using them? Or just use as is…
Hi Shireen! You can add the whole oats in the blender. If you mix by bowl, you’ll need 2 cups worth of ground oats 🙂
Thank you!
Hi Arman, this is the most interesting recipe I’ve seen while poking around today for something new and cool to make. I was not in on the protein frosting ‘secret’ and a healthy frosting is something I’ve wanted to find for a while! Thanks! Pinned this one for later.
Hope you enjoy it, Mary! 🙂
I was going to pin this on like 4 Pinterest boards but Tailwind is down…woof. The nut butter in this recipes *thumbs up*
Hahahaha hope it works soon!
So Oats make a really amazing fluffy cake; and I love that you shared a pumpkin cake that everybody could pretty much eat! And I think it’s almost crazy how retailers are so quick to get to racing through all the holidays; it kind of makes me happy that I don’t work in retail? I don’t know, maybe I’ll work in retail some day.
🙂 What’s your favorite brand of pumpkin?
Absolutely! It’s worth me making recipes multiple times so everyone can enjoy it 🙂
Great recipe! Thank you Arman. But I have a question: do I need to cook first the pumpkin and then smash? In general, if I want to use pumpkin for baking – does it need to be cooked first? )) Or not always?
Hi Elena! If you have canned pumpkin, you can use that. If not, steam/boil the pumpkin first before mashing and measuring from there 🙂
Oh this one is right up my alley (again), mate! Pumpkin everything is starting to take over here. I saw pumpkin yogurt pretzels the other day at the store, and I thought they sounds good. Laura pointed out that they probably are good…for 3 pretzels. After that, they’d be too much. And then I saw pumpkin Cheerios, too. I think companies are learning that pumpkin sells! You know what I need? I need a company that sells this pumpkin cake…and I need them to open up a location in my basement. Is that too much to ask? 🙂
Wait, pumpkin cheerios? I need to try it out for myself!
I feel like all of your recipes are specifically made for me! Just the other day I was thinking about how I could have pumpkin in a different form other than oatmeal and pancakes for breakfast. Thanks for coming in clutch at the perfect time 🙂
🙂 Hope you try it out!
SO explain this to me: I was in WFM yesterday and the pumpkin was with the dog food. I was looking for treats for the new puppy, and I found pumpkin….
Wait, are you serious? Geebuz that’s intriguing!
I just cooked and mashed a pumpkin yesterday. And I have about 1 cup left. Your timing is spot on 🙂
I feel like the sooner people start to get crazy about Christmas the less I want to engange in it. Random fact: Most Germans put their trees up on the 24th December. So when I see people/ bloggers decorating Christmas trees in November I find it sooooo odd!
P.S. I like the spoon! So unique 🙂
Perfect! Oh that’s right, I remember Sophie telling me that and then doing it in Hamburg!