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Pumpkin Layer Cake with chai spices, a thin layer of pumpkin cashew filling, and topped off with creamy dairy free cinnamon buttercream frosting. It will delight your senses. The perfect fall dessert!
I have such a decadent dessert for you guys today! It celebrates the fall and holiday seasons – my fave!
I made not one, but two pumpkin cakes bursting with seasonal spices! Then I layered ’em up while adding a sweet creamy pumpkin cashew filling.
I topped the whole thing off with more indulgence in the form of dairy-free cinnamon buttercream, which I then sprinkled with more cinnamon sugar.
Oh my gosh – this Chai Spiced Pumpkin Layer Cake is a slice of heaven!!
Ingredient notes
This cake is so moist and soft! And it doesn’t require any eggs or oil!
Here’s what you’ll find inside…
Flour ~ Spelt flour is a whole grain flour that can replace all-purpose flour at a 1:1 ratio. It bakes up soft and fluffy and is the perfect wholesome choice for this pumpkin layer cake.
Sugar ~ Coconut sugar is my go-to dry sugar. It’s a natural sugar made from coconut palm sap and has a lovely caramel-like flavor similar to brown sugar.
Pumpkin ~ Use 100% pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
Milk ~ I like full fat canned coconut milk for this recipe. It adds the fat content that baked goods need in a healthy way.
Spices ~ I created the Chai flavor of this cake by using Simply Organic spices – cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves. They are so fragrant and full of flavor.
Aquafaba ~ Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas. It works as an egg replacer and helps baked goods rise and bake up soft and fluffy.
Frosting ~ I’m not trying to fool anyone into thinking this is health food. It’s frosting. For a cake. For a seasonal, holiday cake. For a decadent sweet treat.
We eat healthy for almost every meal and even most of our snacks and desserts. Therefore, it’s not concerning to me that we indulge in processed or sugary foods every once in awhile. We definitely don’t make it an every day occurrence.
I did attempt to make a less processed, lower sugar frosting and, while it was ok, it wasn’t the light, airy sweetness that I was going for. So, here we are with this perfect dairy free buttercream with a hint of cinnamon. Let’s all enjoy a special treat!
*Update 11/02/16 – Thank you to everyone who voted! My Chai Spiced Pumpkin Layer Cake took home the Reader Choice Award in the Simply Organic bake off hosted by Go Dairy Free!! Click HERE to view all of the entries and winners.
More vegan pumpkin desserts
- Frosted Vegan Pumpkin Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
- Pumpkin Fudge Brownies
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Pumpkin Bread
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
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Chai Spiced Pumpkin Layer Cake
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Chai Cake (makes 2 9-inch round cakes)
- 2 ¼ cups spelt flour
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon Simply Organic Ground Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons Simply Organic Cardamom
- 1 ½ teaspoons Simply Organic Ground Nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons Simply Organic Allspice
- ¾ teaspoon Simply Organic Ground Ginger
- ¾ teaspoon Simply Organic Ground Cloves
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups pure pumpkin purée
- ¾ cup coconut milk I prefer to use full fat, but lite will work too
- ½ cup aquafaba liquid from a can of chickpeas
- ¼ cup coconut butter melted or softened (not coconut oil)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Cashew Filling
- ⅓ cup cashew butter
- ¼ cup pure pumpkin purée
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon Simply Organic Ground Cinnamon
- thin with non-dairy milk if needed
For the Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup dairy free butter I used and recommend Earth Balance Buttery Spread
- 2 cups organic powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½-1 teaspoon Simply Organic Ground Cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Sugar Sprinkle
- equal parts ground cinnamon and organic cane sugar a pinch of each is all you'll need
Chopped pecans, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut out two 9-inch circles of parchment paper and place them in the bottoms of your cake pans. Set aside.
For the Pumpkin Cake:
- Whisk together the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 cups pumpkin purée, coconut milk, aquafaba, softened coconut butter (*see note), apple cider vinegar, and vanilla.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until combined, but do not over mix.
- Pour half into one cake pan and repeat with the other half in the remaining cake pan.
- Bake for 28 to 32 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto the wire rack to continue cooling completely.
For the Pumpkin Cashew Filling:
- Whisk together the cashew butter, ¼ cup pumpkin purée, ¼ cup coconut sugar, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon or two of non-dairy milk, if needed, to thin. You don't want it runny, just spreadable. If you need to add milk or not will depend on how stiff your cashew butter is.
For the Dairy Free Cinnamon Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the dairy free butter and powdered sugar. Beat until creamy and smooth. Add the vanilla, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Taste and add an additional ½ teaspoon cinnamon if you want it more pronounced.
To assemble:
- Once the cakes are completely cool, spread the Pumpkin Cashew Filling all over the top of one of the cakes (bottom side up) and place the other cake on top of the filling, again bottom side up. Spread the Dairy Free Cinnamon Buttercream all over the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and chopped pecans, if desired. Slice and devour!!
Gwen says
Ahhhhmazing. If I could give it more stars I would. Definitely a keeper. I made this for Thanksgiving 2020 and it was lived by all. Sent some home with a guest and shared with some neighbors. Thank you.
Gwen says
Oops, posted twice, sorry 😐
Gwen says
Ahhhhmazing! I made this for Thanksgiving this year as I wanted to include some more plant based recipes as I slowly transition to a WFPB lifestyle, and it was enjoyed by everyone! Sent some home with a guest and shared pieces with my neighbours. This will be a permanent dessert in my recipe collection. Thank you so much! Many Blessings 🙂
Jenn Sebestyen says
I’m so glad everyone loved it, Gwen! Thank you so much for your feedback. Happy Thanksgiving!
eos says
this looks delicious! would i need to add more or less unbleached flour in substitution of spelt flour?
Jenn Sebestyen says
You should be able sub for the same amount of wheat flour. Enjoy!
Hannah says
Can you use almond flour or a 1-1 gluten free flour instead of the spelt?
Jenn Sebestyen says
You could try a 1:1 gluten free flour blend…should work just fine. Almond flour won’t work though. Enjoy!
Leila Eden says
I want to bake this for thanksgiving, I am a vegan but even my non-vegan family is excited about this recipe. I was wondering why coconut butter instead of coconut oil or vegan butter? I have to buy many different ingredients for the cake and just don’t really know what I would do with coconut butter at the house after this cake, can I use anything else?
Jenn Sebestyen says
Hi, Leila. Coconut butter is made from the whole coconut, so it’s a healthier option than oil. I haven’t tried it with butter or oil so I can’t 100% guarantee, but I think either should work. I would suggest using either one softened at room temperature, not melted. Let me know how it turns out!
Michelle says
Oh Wow! This sounds great. I would like to make it for Thanksgiving. Do you know of a good replacement for the cashew butter?
Jenn Sebestyen says
Thanks, Michelle! Any nut butter would work, but would obviously affect the flavor…not in a bad way, just different. Or can you not have nuts?