This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate Pumpkin Ganache. Easy 1 Bowl Pumpkin Sheet Cake with a thick chocolate frosting. Vegan Soyfree Recipe. Can be nut-free. Glutenfree option Jump to Recipe 
Cakes make for a perfect end to a festive meal or beginning a day :). This simple spiced vegan pumpkin cake is paired with a smooth hearty thick chocolate pumpkin ganache. The cake is made in 1 Bowl, without added refined sugar, and only takes 15 mins to put together. The frosting is just chocolate and pumpkin, no Butter, no cups of sugar! Simple ingredients, quick and festive!
Make it with less sweet for a breakfast cake. Double the recipe for a layered pumpkin spice cake! Add a sugar frosting layer in the middle and chocolate pumpkin all over. Top with candied pecans or serve with whipped coconut cream. More the merrier.
Mix all the wet ingredients, then fold in the dry to make a thick cake batter. Spread in parchment lined pan and bake. Brush with maple + water mixture for additional moisture. Then spread the ganache. Don’t like chocolate, use my vegan cream cheese based frosting.
More Festive Bakes
- Cinnamon Swirl Cake
- Eggnog Pound Cake
- Easy Coffee Cake – Cinnamon Streusel Cake
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Marble Cake
- Lemon blueberry pound cake
Gluten-free
- GF Cashew Butter Chocolate Marble Cake.
- Gluten-free Cinnamon Roll Bread yeast-free.
- GF Carrot Banana Bread – Also grain-free.
- Sweet Potato Crumb Cake. GF
If you make this cake, do let me know by commenting and using the rating option with the comment.
Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate Pumpkin Ganache
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree, , not pumpkin pie mix
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut milk, , or use almond milk
- 2 tbsp oil, , optional or use more non dairy milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, , add 1/2 tsp cinnamon for additional spice
- 2 to 3 tbsp sugar for sweeter, (coconut, cane or brown)
Dry:
- 1.25 cups flour, (I use a mix of all purpose and whole wheat)
- 3 tbsp almond flour, , or use more flour for nutfree
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Ganache:
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp almond or coconut milk
- 1-2 tbsp sugar, , optional
Instructions
- Line a brownie pan or 8 or 9 inch cake pan with parchment. Preheat the oven to 350 deg F (180 C).
- Mix all the wet ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until just about combined. The batter will be thick. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30 mins. 5 mins less or more depending on the pan used. Taller cake will need longer time. Check with a toothpick inserted in the middle. It should come out clean. For muffins or cupcakes, bake for 20 to 22 mins.
- Cool for 5 mins, then remove from the pan and cool completely before frosting. At this point you can optionally brush the cake with a mix of 1 tbsp maple syrup+ 2 tsp water(mix well in a small bowl). This keeps the cake more soft and moist.
- Make the ganache: Heat pumpkin puree and milk over medium heat until bubbling hot. Add chocolate, whisk for a few seconds, then take off heat. Continue to whisk until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Cool for 5 mins then chill for 15 mins to thicken. Then then spread over the cake. Add other garnishes such as chopped hazelnuts, coconut or candied pecans. Serve. The frosted cake can be refrigerated for upto 4 days. Frozen for upto a month
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello. We made this on Sunday and it was DIVINE!!!! It was SO GOOD that we ate ALL of it by the next day.
I made it again today but doubled the recipe- about how much time would you recommend my keeping it in the oven if the recipe is doubled?! 30” wasn’t enough this time around.
Thank you!! ❤️❤️
10-15 mins longer then check and continue. Time depends on the pan and the thickness of the cake etc
Hi Richa,
I used a 90% cocoa chocolate (lindt) but the ganache “broke”, the emulsion did not work, and I have an oily component by the side of my mixture. I followed all the instructions (dried a bit the pumpkin purée (homemade) and mixed with coconut milk, do you think the cocoa pourcentage could be the problem?
It could be. I do often have trouble with dark chocolate performing as well
So delicious! Perfect smaller size cake too.
Thank you!
Excellent!! Thank you. This is so easy to make, came together perfectly and the chocolate on top, yum! Made this for a small get together and it went over great!
That’s wonderful!
Wonderful. Absolutely delicious cake. I did make the glaze with 50 gr of chocolate instesd of 90, which is enough intensity for me. I really love the delicate flavour of this cake.
Amazing! Tastes great and perfect texture. And my colleagues who are chefs found it wonderful as well!
Thank you again Richa for your great recipes!
So awesome
Hi there! Would I be able to make this with the same amount of oat flour instead? And maple syrup instead of sugar?
No. Oat flour is gluten-free and it will need a little bit of starch to help Bind
I made this recipe and the consistency of the cake was really good. Second day was perfect. My guests thought it was on the bland side but I really didnt have maple syrup and used sugar instead (2/3 cup). This will be my TO-GO recipe I only will have to tweak the sugar to 1 cup next time. Thank you!
sounds good – thank you for your nice feedback
Can you make this in a circle cake pan?
Absolutely – an 8 or 9 inch pan is perfect.
My 11 year old daughter said she was bored, so I suggested she bake this cake. It was easy for her and really is delicious. It’s not too sweet at all, which the two of us appreciate. We will be making it again.
Awesome