Simple Gluten Free Dairy Free Pumpkin Spice Cake

Here is my favorite gluten free dairy free pumpkin spice cake recipe, with a moist, fluffy texture and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger that make your kitchen smell like fall.

This pumpkin spice cake is perfect for anyone avoiding gluten or dairy, but honestly, you’d never know it’s missing anything. I love making this when we have friends over because everyone can enjoy a slice together. Plus, it stays fresh for days, which means cake for breakfast is totally acceptable, right?

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What Kind of Pumpkin Puree Should I Use?

For this cake, you’ll want to use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling which already has spices and sugar added. Canned pumpkin puree is perfectly fine and actually works great for baking since it has a consistent texture and moisture content. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can make your own by roasting sugar pumpkins or butternut squash, but honestly, the canned stuff saves time and gives reliable results. Just make sure to give it a good stir before measuring, as sometimes the liquid separates from the solids in the can.

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Options for Substitutions

This cake is already gluten-free and dairy-free, but there’s still room for some swaps if needed:

• Gluten-free flour: Stick with a good measure-for-measure blend like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur for best results. Regular all-purpose flour won’t work here if you need to keep it gluten-free, but if gluten isn’t a concern, you can use regular flour and skip the xanthan gum.
• Pumpkin puree: You can swap this with sweet potato puree, butternut squash puree, or even mashed banana for a different flavor profile. Just make sure it’s the same consistency as pumpkin puree.
• Applesauce: If you’re out of applesauce, try mashed banana, additional pumpkin puree, or even ⅔ cup of melted coconut oil for extra richness.
• Almond milk: Any non-dairy milk works here – oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk are all good options. If dairy isn’t an issue, regular milk works too.
• Dairy-free butter and cream cheese: For the frosting, you can use regular butter and cream cheese if dairy isn’t a concern. Coconut cream (the thick part from a chilled can) mixed with powdered sugar also makes a nice dairy-free frosting alternative.
• Pecans: Walnuts, chopped almonds, or even pumpkin seeds make great substitutes. You can also leave them out entirely if you prefer a nut-free cake.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with gluten-free baking is overmixing the batter, which can make your cake dense and gummy – mix just until the ingredients are combined and no dry flour streaks remain. Make sure your pumpkin puree is well-drained by patting it with paper towels, as excess moisture can lead to a soggy center that won’t bake through properly. Don’t skip checking if your gluten-free flour blend already contains xanthan gum before adding more, since doubling up can create a weird, stretchy texture that nobody wants in their cake. For the best results, let your dairy-free butter and cream cheese come to room temperature before making the frosting – cold ingredients won’t cream properly and will leave you with lumpy frosting instead of the smooth, spreadable consistency you’re after.

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What to Serve With Pumpkin Spice Cake?

This cake is perfect on its own, but I love serving it with a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea to really bring out those warm fall flavors. A scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream on the side makes it feel extra special for dessert, and the cool creaminess pairs beautifully with the spiced cake. If you’re hosting a fall gathering, try serving thin slices alongside other seasonal treats like apple cider donuts or caramel popcorn. For a cozy afternoon snack, just a glass of cold almond milk or oat milk does the trick perfectly.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This pumpkin spice cake stays moist and delicious when covered tightly and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. If your kitchen is warm or humid, pop it in the fridge where it’ll keep for up to a week. The cream cheese frosting does best in cooler temps anyway!

Freeze: You can absolutely freeze this cake for later! Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. I like to freeze some pieces unfrosted and add fresh frosting when I’m ready to serve – it tastes just like you made it that day.

Serve: Let frozen slices thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. If you stored the whole cake in the fridge, just let it sit out for 15-20 minutes to take the chill off. The flavors actually get better after a day or two as everything melds together!

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 4100-4300
• Protein: 37-42 g
• Fat: 180-200 g
• Carbohydrates: 590-630 g

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 cups pureed pumpkin
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (skip if already in flour mix)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

For the dairy-free frosting:

• 1/2 cup dairy-free butter, softened
• 8 oz dairy-free cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the topping:

• 1 cup raw unsalted pecans

Step 1: Prepare Oven and Baking Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line a 10”x15” baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring that the paper comes up the sides slightly for easy removal later.

Step 2: Mix Wet Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 cups pureed pumpkin
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, packed light brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, almond milk, pureed pumpkin, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Beat the mixture until it is completely smooth and all the sugars are well dissolved.

Step 3: Incorporate Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (skip if already in flour mix)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Stir in the gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, xanthan gum (if your flour mix does not already include it), baking powder, salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground ginger.

Mix thoroughly until you have a thick and smooth batter with no streaks of flour remaining.

Step 4: Bake the Pumpkin Cake

Transfer the gluten-free pumpkin cake batter (from Step 3) to the prepared baking pan.

Use a spatula to spread it out evenly into the corners.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Once baked, let the cake cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature before moving on to the frosting.

I always make sure it’s fully cool so the frosting doesn’t melt.

Step 5: Make the Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup dairy-free butter, softened
• 8 oz dairy-free cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a separate bowl, whip the softened dairy-free butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes until creamy.

Add the powdered sugar gradually, then add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Beat until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and well mixed.

I like to sift the powdered sugar first to avoid any lumps in the frosting.

Step 6: Frost and Garnish the Cake

• cream cheese frosting from Step 5
• 1 cup raw unsalted pecans

Once the pumpkin cake (from Step 4) is completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting (from Step 5) evenly over the top with an offset spatula.

Sprinkle the raw unsalted pecans over the frosted cake for a delicious crunch.

Cut into 2-inch squares for serving.

Simple Gluten Free Dairy Free Pumpkin Spice Cake

Delicious Simple Gluten Free Dairy Free Pumpkin Spice Cake recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 4200 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the cake:

• 2 cups pureed pumpkin
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (skip if already in flour mix)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

For the dairy-free frosting:

• 1/2 cup dairy-free butter, softened
• 8 oz dairy-free cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the topping:

• 1 cup raw unsalted pecans

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 10”x15” baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring that the paper comes up the sides slightly for easy removal later.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, packed light brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, almond milk, pureed pumpkin, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat the mixture until it is completely smooth and all the sugars are well dissolved.
• Stir in the gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, xanthan gum (if your flour mix does not already include it), baking powder, salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground ginger. Mix thoroughly until you have a thick and smooth batter with no streaks of flour remaining.
• Transfer the gluten-free pumpkin cake batter (from Step 3) to the prepared baking pan. Use a spatula to spread it out evenly into the corners. Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Once baked, let the cake cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature before moving on to the frosting. I always make sure it's fully cool so the frosting doesn't melt.
• In a separate bowl, whip the softened dairy-free butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes until creamy. Add the powdered sugar gradually, then add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Beat until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and well mixed. I like to sift the powdered sugar first to avoid any lumps in the frosting.
• Once the pumpkin cake (from Step 4) is completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting (from Step 5) evenly over the top with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the raw unsalted pecans over the frosted cake for a delicious crunch. Cut into 2-inch squares for serving.