Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake (Vegan)

Name: Easy Pumpkin Spice Dump Cake (One Step, Vegan)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 350 g plain flour; 225 g sugar (soft brown or golden is best); 2–3 tsp pumpkin spice; 1 tbs orange zest; 1 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda; Pinch salt; 225 ml water; 100 g vegan spread (melted); 150 g pumpkin puree; 4 tbsp golden syrup (about 60 g); 100 g icing sugar; 1 tsp ginger syrup; 2 tsp orange juice (as needed); 2 pieces candied stem ginger

Pumpkin Spice Dump Cake

My easy vegan pumpkin spice cake recipe is the ideal cake recipe for people who say they cannot bake. The cake is sticky, intense and packed full of pumpkin spice, with a hint of orange. The optional orange and stem ginger drizzle looks glamorous and tastes luxurious, but there is minimal effort and no artistic skill required.

This has to be one of the easiest bakes ever. You simply put all the ingredients into a bowl, blender or food processor and mix it into a smooth batter. Then you pour into a lined tin and bake. If you haven’t got a mixer, then it is easy enough to mix the old-fashioned way with a spoon and just little effort.

You don’t even need to worry (that much) about the size of the tin, as it is very easy to adjust the baking time. If you prefer, you can make the same batter as cupcakes, a bundt or a loaf.

It took me a long time to realise that pumpkin spice is not the same as spiced pumpkin, and that you can have pumpkin spice without any pumpkin! (It’s actually an American spice blend that we don’t usually find under that name in the UK, but it is becoming more common) But in the spirit of eating extra veg, I’ve added a good dollop of canned pumpkin puree to this cake. It helps to keep the cake moist and my conscience clear, as it’s packed with vitamins and minerals.

This easy pumpkin spice cake recipe is vegan, easily made gluten free and keeps for up to 5 days in a tin, if you have the willpower to leave it that long.

Flora Buttery

Flora, which was first made in 1964, is now 100% plant based, making it suitable for vegans, vegetarians and those who want to avoid dairy. As well as the original spread there also Flora Buttery, also plant based, but ideal for those wanting a creamy buttery taste. Like Flora Original, Flora Butterly has no preservatives, artificial colours or flavours, and is rich in omega-3s.

Flora Buttery is perfect when used in this easy pumpkin spice cake. You can, of course, use it wherever you would use your usual spread or butter; so on toast, on vegetables, for baking and for frying.

How to Make Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake

Step One – Grab your ingredients. There is a reason that top chefs always insist on mise en place – you don’t want to forget anything. I once put a cake in the oven without the sugar!

Step Two – Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.

Step Three – Add the pumpkin puree and golden syrup.

Step Four – Melt your spread in a small pan. Then add it to the rest of the ingredients along with the water.

Step Five – Mix it all together until you have a smooth batter. You can do this with a hand mixer, by hand or even in the food processor.

Step Six – Line a 8″ x 8″ or 9″ x 6″ baking tin with baking parchment.

Fuss Free Tip

Use binder or fold back clips to hold the parchment in place while you put the batter in the tin. One day I’ll learn how to fold parchment so it stays put when I line a tin but until then, I find that the clips work amazingly well. Remove before baking.

Step Seven – Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin. Give it a quick shake to level it. Bake at GM4/180°C/355°F for about 35–40 minutes, until risen and springy. A cocktail stick inserted into the middle of the cake should come out clean.

Orange & Ginger Drizzle

This easy orange and stem ginger drizzle turns your easy pumpkin spice cake into a stunning centrepiece. You can make the drizzle in advance, but it will soak into the cake after a day, so don’t decorate until a few hours before you want to serve.

The secret to the pretty zig-zag lines of icing is to use a plastic bag.

Step One – Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Take the stem ginger out of the syrup and finely chop.

Step Two – Stir a teaspoon of the stem ginger syrup into the icing sugar. Slowly add some orange juice, a few drops at a time, stirring as you go so that the icing is well combined. Then test the consistency. It should run off the spoon, leaving a trail in the bowl that disappears after a few seconds.

Pour the icing into a piping bag, or any small, clean plastic bag, and seal it with a clip.

Step Three – When you are ready to decorate the cake, snip the corner off the bag. Starting from one corner, gently squeeze the bag to drizzle the icing back and forth across the cake. I find it is easier to space the lines of icing out, and go over the cake several times.

Step Four – Scatter the stem ginger pieces over the cake. Allow 20 minutes for the icing to set before serving.

Hints, Tips & Variations for Pumpkin Spice Dump Cake

Hints and Tips

By far the easiest way to make this is to use an electronic scale. Put your mixing bowl on the scale and zero it before adding each ingredient. As the recipe is so forgiving, you can use a rough conversion of 1 g = 1 ml for the syrup.
If you use a spoon to measure the syrup, dip it in a mug of hot water first. The syrup will then slide off the spoon easily.

Can I make this gluten free?

YES! Simply substitute your usual gluten free flour.

Will this cake freeze?

Yes! Wrap well and freeze for up to 6 weeks. Decorate once defrosted.

Recipe Variations

If you can’t find pumpkin spice blend, make your own to your taste, or use regular mixed spice.
Substitute molasses, honey (as long as your cake doesn’t need to be vegan) or maple syrup for the golden syrup.
Add a pinch of chilli or powdered ginger for extra heat.
Use figs or dates in place of the pumpkin, for a fruitier cake. These can be either chopped or blended.
Add a handful of chopped stem ginger to the batter.
Decorate with a few flaked almonds.

Baking Variations

Mug Cake – Fill a microwaveable mug 2/3 full with the batter and zap in the microwave for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, until risen and cooked through.
Bundt Cake – Pour the batter into a well-greased bundt tin and bake for 40–45 minutes until risen and golden. Check with a toothpick to see it the cake is cooked.
Loaf Cake – Pour the batter into a well-greased loaf tin and bake for 40–45 minutes until risen and golden. Check with a toothpick to see it the cake is cooked

Tried this recipe?If you try this recipe please tag #FussFreeFlavours on Instagram or X (Twitter). It is amazing for me when you make one of my recipes and I really do love to see them. You can also share it on my Facebook page. Please pin this recipe to Pinterest too! Thanks for reading Fuss Free Flavours!

Close up of a square of pumpkin spice cake

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4.89 from 72 votes

Easy Pumpkin Spice Dump Cake (One Step, Vegan)

This easy vegan pumpkin spice cake is rich and delicious, packed with warming autumnal spice.

Simply put all the ingredients into a mixer or food processor, mix together and bake.

Swap in your favourite gluten-free flour to make this gluten free. Egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free and vegan, this cake works for everyone. With plenty of flavour in the cake, the decoration is optional but well worth trying.

Servings:

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Ingredients

350 g (2.8 cups) plain flour
225 g (1.13 cups) sugar (soft brown or golden is best)
2–3 tsp (2) pumpkin spice
1 tbs orange zest
1 tsp (1 tsp) baking powder
½ tsp (0.5 tsp) bicarbonate of soda
Pinch salt
225 ml (0.9 cups) water
100 g (0.46 cups) vegan spread (melted)
150 g pumpkin puree
4 tbsp (4 tbsp) golden syrup (about 60 g)

For the orange and stem ginger drizzle

100 g icing sugar
1 tsp ginger syrup
2 tsp orange juice (as needed)
2 pieces candied stem ginger

Instructions

For the cake

Place all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix.
Add the pumpkin puree and golden syrup.
Melt the spread and add to the bowl with the water.
Mix it all together until you have a smooth batter. You can do this with a hand mixer, by hand or even in the food processor.
Line a 8" x 8" or a 9" x 6" baking tin with baking parchment. Pour the batter into the lined tin. Bake at GM4/180°C/355°F for about 35–40 mins, until the cake is well risen and a cocktail stick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes, as a freshly baked cake is very fragile when still hot. When it is cool enough to handle, lift out of the tin and leave to fully cool on a wire cake rack.

For the orange & stem ginger drizzle

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Finely chop a few pieces of the stem ginger.
Stir a teaspoon of the stem ginger syrup into the icing sugar. Slowly stir in some orange juice, a few drops at at time.
Test the consistency. It should run off the spoon, leaving a trail in the bowl that disappears after a few seconds.
Pour the icing into a piping bag, or other small, clean plastic bag.
When you are ready to decorate the cake, snip the corner off the bag. Starting from one corner, gently squeeze the bag and drizzle the icing back and forth across the cake. I find it is easier to space the lines of icing out, and go over the cake several times.
Scatter the stem ginger pieces over the cake. Allow 20 minutes for the icing to set before serving.

Notes

Hints and Tips

By far the easiest way to make this is to use an electronic scale. Put your mixing bowl on the scale and zero it before adding each ingredient. As the recipe is so forgiving, you can use a rough conversion of 1 g = 1 ml for the syrup.
If you use a spoon to measure the syrup, dip it in a mug of hot water first. The syrup will then slide off the spoon easily.

Can I make this gluten free?

YES! Simply substitute your usual gluten free flour.

Will this cake freeze?

Yes! Wrap well and freeze for up to 6 weeks. Decorate once defrosted.

Recipe Variations

If you can't find pumpkin spice blend, make your own to your taste, or use regular mixed spice.
Substitute molasses, honey (as long as your cake doesn't need to be vegan) or maple syrup for the golden syrup.
Add a pinch of chilli or powdered ginger for extra heat.
Use figs or dates in place of the pumpkin, for a fruitier cake. These can be either chopped or blended.
Add a handful of chopped stem ginger to the batter.
Decorate with a few flaked almonds.

Baking Variations

Mug Cake – Fill a microwaveable mug 2/3 full with the batter and zap in the microwave for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, until risen and cooked through.
Bundt Cake – Pour the batter into a well-greased bundt tin and bake for 40–45 minutes until risen and golden. Check with a toothpick to see it the cake is cooked.
Loaf Cake – Pour the batter into a well-greased loaf tin and bake for 40–45 minutes until risen and golden. Check with a toothpick to see it the cake is cooked

Nutritional Information

This recipe is 9 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Pumpkin Spice Dump Cake (One Step, Vegan)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 189 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 82mg4%

Potassium 146mg4%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 18g20%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 1430IU29%

Vitamin C 0.8mg1%

Calcium 45mg5%

Iron 1.9mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Cake

Cuisine: Baking, Vegan

Keyword: Cake

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For more ideas on making the most of pumpkin season, try my Spiced Pumpkin & Cranberry Cupcakes or Spiced Pumpkin, Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup.

Recipe for easy vegan pumpkin spice cake commissioned by Flora. All opinions our own.

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