Easy Vegan Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake

If you ask me, vegan pumpkin spice sheet cake is pure fall comfort in dessert form.

This crowd-pleasing cake brings all the cozy flavors of the season without any dairy or eggs. Warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg pair with rich pumpkin puree for that classic autumn taste.

It’s mixed up in one bowl and baked in a simple sheet pan, making it perfect for feeding a group. A light dusting of powdered sugar or cream cheese frosting helps the whole thing come together.

It’s a go-to recipe that satisfies everyone at the table, whether they’re vegan or not.

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What Kind of Pumpkin Purée Should I Use?

You can use either canned pumpkin purée or make your own from scratch, and both will give you great results in this cake. If you’re going the homemade route, sugar pumpkins (also called pie pumpkins) work best since they’re less watery and have a sweeter flavor than carving pumpkins. Canned pumpkin is totally fine too and actually saves you a lot of time – just make sure you’re buying plain pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling, which already has spices added. Whether you use canned or fresh, the key is making sure your pumpkin purée isn’t too watery, so if it seems thin, you can strain it through a fine mesh sieve for about 30 minutes before using.

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Options for Substitutions

This vegan cake is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you’re missing ingredients:

• Flax eggs: If you don’t have ground flaxseed, you can use chia eggs instead (3 tablespoons chia seeds + 9 tablespoons water). Let them sit for 15 minutes until gel-like. Commercial egg replacer or aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas) work too – use about 3 tablespoons.
• Pumpkin purée: Sweet potato purée or butternut squash purée make great substitutes. You can also use applesauce, though the flavor will be milder and less spiced.
• Nut milk: Any plant-based milk works here – oat milk, soy milk, or even coconut milk from a carton. Regular dairy milk works too if you’re not strictly vegan.
• Vegan butter/margarine: You can replace this with additional oil (use about 1/2 cup total oil) or even mashed banana for a slightly different texture and flavor.
• Spices: Don’t have all the individual spices? Use 4-5 teaspoons of store-bought pumpkin pie spice instead. If you’re missing cardamom, just add a bit more cinnamon.
• Vegan cream cheese: Regular cream cheese works if you’re not vegan, or you can make a simple frosting with powdered sugar, vegan butter, and a splash of vanilla instead.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with vegan pumpkin cake is not preparing your flax eggs properly – make sure to mix the ground flax seeds with water at least 15 minutes before using so they become thick and gel-like, which helps bind the cake together.

Another common error is overmixing the batter once you add the flour, which can make your cake dense and tough instead of light and fluffy – just mix until the ingredients are barely combined.

Don’t skip checking your cake with a toothpick inserted in the center, as vegan cakes can look done on top while still being wet inside, and make sure your pumpkin purée isn’t too watery by draining it on paper towels if needed.

For the best texture, let your cake cool completely before frosting, and if your vegan cream cheese frosting seems too soft, pop it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to firm up before spreading.

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What to Serve With Vegan Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake?

This cake is perfect on its own, but it pairs beautifully with a hot cup of coffee or chai tea that complements all those warm spices. You can also serve it alongside some vanilla coconut ice cream or whipped coconut cream for an extra indulgent treat. For a cozy fall gathering, try pairing slices with hot apple cider or even a pumpkin spice latte to really lean into those autumn flavors. The cake also works great as a dessert for Thanksgiving dinner, where it fits right in with all the seasonal dishes on the table.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This pumpkin spice cake actually gets better after a day or two! Store it covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. The flavors really meld together nicely, and the cake stays super moist thanks to all that pumpkin purée.

Freeze: You can freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 months – perfect for when you want a piece of fall comfort any time of year. The whole cake freezes well too, just wrap it tightly and thaw overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to serve.

Make Ahead: This cake is actually perfect for making ahead since it tastes even better the next day. You can bake the cake layers and freeze them unfrosted, then just whip up the cream cheese frosting when you’re ready to assemble and serve.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3700-4000
• Protein: 28-34 g
• Fat: 135-155 g
• Carbohydrates: 580-630 g

Ingredients

For the pumpkin cake:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 400 grams pumpkin purée
• 3/4 cup plant-based milk
• 3 flax eggs (3 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 9 tbsp water)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

For the dairy-free frosting:

• 110 grams margarine or vegan butter
• 220 grams vegan cream cheese
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 cups powdered sugar

To garnish:

• Crushed walnuts

Step 1: Prepare the Sheet Pan

Grease a sheet pan thoroughly and then line it with baking paper.

This ensures the cake doesn’t stick and can be easily lifted out after baking.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, baking powder, and baking soda until the spices are well dispersed throughout the flour.

This helps distribute the flavors evenly in the cake.

Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 flax eggs (3 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 9 tbsp water)
• 3/4 cup plant-based milk
• 400 grams pumpkin purée

In another large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, flax eggs (prepared by mixing 3 tbsp ground flaxseed with 9 tbsp water), plant-based milk, and pumpkin purée.

Whisk until well combined and smooth.

I like to make sure the flax eggs rest for a few minutes before mixing so they thicken and help bind the cake better.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures

• dry mixture from Step 2
• wet mixture from Step 3

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, stirring after each addition until just combined and no streaks of flour remain.

Be careful not to overmix, as this will help keep the cake tender.

Step 5: Bake the Pumpkin Cake

• batter from Step 4

Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan, spreading it out evenly with a spatula.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 17–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before frosting.

Step 6: Make the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

• 110 grams margarine or vegan butter
• 220 grams vegan cream cheese
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 cups powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat together the margarine or vegan butter and vegan cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

Add the maple syrup, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, and powdered sugar, mixing until the frosting is light and fluffy.

For an extra smooth texture, I like to sift the powdered sugar before adding it.

Step 7: Frost and Decorate the Cake

• frosting from Step 6
• crushed walnuts

Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the vegan cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.

Finish by sprinkling over the crushed walnuts for added crunch and flavor.

Slice and enjoy!

Easy Vegan Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake

Delicious Easy Vegan Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 14 minutes mins

Cook Time 29 minutes mins

Total Time 43 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 3850 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the pumpkin cake:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 400 grams pumpkin purée
• 3/4 cup plant-based milk
• 3 flax eggs (3 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 9 tbsp water)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

For the dairy-free frosting:

• 110 grams margarine or vegan butter
• 220 grams vegan cream cheese
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 cups powdered sugar

To garnish:

• crushed walnuts

Instructions

 

• Grease a sheet pan thoroughly and then line it with baking paper. This ensures the cake doesn't stick and can be easily lifted out after baking.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, baking powder, and baking soda until the spices are well dispersed throughout the flour. This helps distribute the flavors evenly in the cake.
• In another large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, flax eggs (prepared by mixing 3 tbsp ground flaxseed with 9 tbsp water), plant-based milk, and pumpkin purée. Whisk until well combined and smooth. I like to make sure the flax eggs rest for a few minutes before mixing so they thicken and help bind the cake better.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, stirring after each addition until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this will help keep the cake tender.
• Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan, spreading it out evenly with a spatula. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 17–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
• In a mixing bowl, beat together the margarine or vegan butter and vegan cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the maple syrup, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, and powdered sugar, mixing until the frosting is light and fluffy. For an extra smooth texture, I like to sift the powdered sugar before adding it.
• Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the vegan cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Finish by sprinkling over the crushed walnuts for added crunch and flavor. Slice and enjoy!