Can this pumpkin cake be made vegan?

My almond flour cake recipes always contain eggs, which help with leavening, moisture and structure. I haven't tested this recipe with an egg substitute.

Can you substitute another type of flour?

I've only tested this recipe with the combination of almond flour and tapioca flour. For recipes made with wheat flours, check out this pumpkin bundt cake or pumpkin snack cake .

Can this cake be baked in a different sized pan?

I prefer an 8-inch square pan for this recipe but you can also use a 9-inch round cake pan. If you only have a 9-inch square pan, you can still use it, but the cake will not be as high and you’ll need to reduce the baking time by about 5 minutes. I haven’t tested this cake in a loaf pan, but it could work in a 8.5 × 4.5 inch loaf pan but you'll need to increase the baking time by 20-25 minutes.

Can this cake be made with homemade pumpkin puree?

Homemade pumpkin puree made with fresh pumpkin tends to be a little watery so I usually avoid baking with it. The added liquid can really throw off the texture of baked goods.

Almond Flour Pumpkin Cake

Description

Soft, tender and fluffy, this Almond Flour Pumpkin Cake is made with pure pumpkin, warm spices and almond flour. It’s naturally gluten-free and topped with a tangy cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

For the cake:

2 cups (208g) fine blanched almond flour
1/2 cup (65g) tapioca flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup (110g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (130g) pure pumpkin
1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:

4 ounces (half block) full fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups (180g) powdered sugar, sifted (plus more, if necessary)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8-inch square pan and line it with slightly overhanging parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar.
Add the pumpkin, maple syrup, oil and vanilla to the egg mixture and whisk until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and use a spatula to fold in until just combined.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth out the top with an offset spatula.
Bake for 27-29 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, add the cream cheese and butter to a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to cream together. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and beat until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Spread the frosting onto the cooled cake. Cut into pieces and serve, or store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

Make sure you use pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, which already has sugar and spices added to it.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, be sure to measure your flours using the spoon and level method with a dry measuring cup.
It’s important not to over mix the batter as this could result in a dense and heavy cake.
You can make this recipe dairy-free by using plant-based butter and cream cheese for the frosting. (Just follow the instructions in my banana cake with oil recipe).
For a thicker and sweeter cream cheese frosting, add more powdered sugar.
Be sure to check out the other sections above the recipe card for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.