This vegan gluten-free Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake captures everything you love about PSL season in cake form: it’s warm, spiced, and slightly caffeinated. A coffee-flavored vegan cream cheese frosting (or a simple maple glaze) complements the light, fluffy cake made from moist pumpkin batter infused with cinnamon, nutmeg, and espresso. This vegan gluten-free Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake recipe is straightforward and flexible, with clever substitutions that allow you to use whatever ingredients you have on hand.
NUMERICAL FACTS
- Cuisine: Seasonal, American
- Diet: Vegan
- Course: Tea or brunch cake, or dessert
- Forty-five minutes is the cooking time.
- Prep done in twenty minutes
- The entire time will be sixty minutes, with a cooling time
- Size/portion: 2-3 bites
- There are twelve slices all over
- The cooking method is baking
EQUIPMENTS
- Measuring cups
- Parchment liner
- Cooling rack
- A cake pan, 9-inch round or 8 by 8-inch square
- Whisk or electric hand mixer
- Measuring spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Large or medium mixing bowls
INGREDIENTS
- Pumpkin puree, one cup
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
- Coconut or light brown sugar, three-fourths cup
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- Baking soda, half a tsp.
- 1 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- Vanilla essence, one tsp.
- 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum
- Plant-based milk, half a cup
- 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice
- Any neutral oil, one-third cup
- 2 tablespoons of coffee
- Baking powder, one tsp.
FROSTING
- Coffee, 1-2 tsp.
- 2 tablespoons of margarine or vegan butter
- A pinch of salt
- 8 ounces of cream cheese
- Vanilla essence, half a tsp.
- 1-1/2 cups of sifted and powdered sugar
MAPLE GLAZE
- A pinch of cinnamon
- One cup of powdered and sifted sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons of vegan milk
- Maple syrup, 2-3 tbsps.
GARNISHING
- Dusting of powdered cinnamon or pumpkin spice
- Chopped roasted pecans
- Some beans of espresso
INGREDIENT NOTES
PUMPKIN PUREE
- Use either the canned puree of pumpkin or the homemade version. Always use the unsweetened puree. If not available, use the puree of sweet potato, but never choose the pumpkin pie filling.
FLOUR
- As the recipe is gluten-free, we will use the gluten-free flour blend that already contains the xanthan gum. If the xanthan gum is not present, you can add a quarter teaspoon of xanthan gum, as it is necessary to give the proper structure to the cake.
COFFEE
- The coffee addition provides the latte flavor to our cake. You may add one teaspoon of instant coffee + one teaspoon of water or two teaspoons of freshly brewed coffee.
MILK
- Soy, almond, oat, or coconut milk will work best as a low-calorie plant-based milk.
CREAM CHEESE
- Pick cream cheese from any trusted vegan brand like Violife, Kite Hill, Tofutti, etc. If you don’t want to use the commercial cream cheese, then make your own at home by combining powdered sugar, whipped coconut cream, and a little instant espresso.
INSTRUCTIONS
CAKE
- After turning on the empty oven, turn the baking temperature dial to 175 °C.
- Cover the pan using the parchment liner.
- Mix the pumpkin spice, baking soda, GF flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt well in a medium-sized bowl.
- Next, whisk or pulse the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, apple cider vinegar, espresso, plant milk, and vanilla essence in a big bowl.
- Combine the mixture of solid and liquid components.
- If the batter seems too thick, add 2 tablespoons of plant milk.
- Fill the prepped pan with the batter and level the surface.
- Keep the batter-filled pan in the oven(heated already).
- Baking time should be 45 minutes for a 9-inch round pan and 35 minutes for an 8 by 8-inch square pan.
- Give the cake ten minutes to rest on the counter after it exits the oven.
- After that, demold the cake, peel the parchment, and wait for it to cool down completely.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Pick a bowl and add the vegan butter and cream cheese to it.
- Beat both of them till smooth.
- Next, add espresso, vanilla essence, and mix.
- Now, add the powdered sweetener in portions between the beating process till you get the desired sweetness.
- Chill the frosting to make the consistency perfect for piping.
- Pipe the frosting over the cooled cake to cover it.
GLAZE MAKING
- Thoroughly combine the maple syrup and powdered sugar.
- Then, add plant milk and mix well.
- Repeat the above step till you get the pourable glaze.
- Pour the prepared glaze over the frosting to cover it.
- Finally, garnish the cake with chopped and roasted pecans.
TIPS
- Brush the cooled cake with brewed espresso before frosting to strengthen the coffee flavor.
- Mix the batter till all the components are just combined well. Overmixing will lead to bad results.
- Use the sifted GF flour and powdered sugar for a finer crumb.
- Always use all the components at room temperature while preparing the batter.
- Use a dry pan to roast the pecans for 3-4 minutes to have a crunchier topping.
STORING DIRECTIONS FOR LEFTOVER
FRIDGE
- Save the remainder of the cake slices in a box that is tightly sealed. Refrigerate for approx. 4-5 days.
FREEZING
- We don’t usually recommend freezing the frosted cake as the frosting separates. Pack the unfrosted cake using plastic, and for about two months, freeze it. Frost the cake when it comes to normal surrounding temperature after defrosting.
FAQs
Will skipping the espresso work?
- Yes, you may replace the espresso with the same amount of warm water and vanilla essence. Although the cake would still be too yummy, you will miss the latte note.
How to bake a moist cake?
- When a few moist crumbs come out with the toothpick, you can quit baking. Adding a couple of teaspoons of applesauce to the liquid mixture will also help you achieve the target.
How can I go nut-free while making the cake?
- You need to avoid nut-free flour, cream cheese, and milk. We have to choose all these vegan and nut-free options.
NUTRITIONAL FACTS/SERVING
Size/serve: One slice(one-twelfth of the cake)
The quantity of calories: ~350 kcal
Carbs(total): Forty-five grams
Fiber content: 5 g
Net carbs: Forty grams
Fat content: 16 g
Sugar: Twenty-four grams
Proteins: 6 g
Sodium: 300 milligrams
