Post Views: 5,797

My Vegan Pumpkin Pudding Cake might be the coziest dessert you’ll make all season. It’s part cake, part pudding, and a warm, spiced pumpkin dessert that bakes up with a soft, fluffy cake on top and a rich caramel-like sauce underneath. Serve it straight from the oven with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, and it’s pure fall comfort in a dish. This is a great option for the holidays when you don’t want to fuss with a making a pie or cake.

What is a pudding cake?

If you’ve never had a pudding cake, think of it as a self-saucing dessert that starts with a simple batter that separates as it bakes into two distinct layers: a tender cake on top and a luscious pudding below. The secret is pouring boiling water over the batter before baking (yes, really). That liquid sinks to the bottom, mingles with the sugar, and transforms into a thick, sweet sauce as it bakes.

The result is a dessert that’s a little old-fashioned, a little magical, and absolutely perfect for pumpkin season.

What you’ll need:

Flour, sugar, and baking soda to create a light, fluffy cake texture. This recipe uses baking soda instead of baking powder because the batter includes acidic ingredients (brown sugar and pumpkin). Baking soda reacts with that acid to create carbon dioxide bubbles, which helps the cake rise and stay tender without over-leavening. Baking powder already contains both an acid and a base, so it reacts twice (once when wet and again in the oven) which would make a pudding cake rise too much and lose its dense, saucy texture.
Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spices that bring all the cozy, fall flavor.
Salt which balances the sweetness and enhances the spice.
Vegan heavy cream or coconut cream keeps the cake rich and tender. Country Crock, Silk and Califia make non-dairy vegan heavy whipping creams or a thick canned coconut cream will work as well.
Pumpkin puree which is the star ingredient (make sure it’s pure pumpkin, not pie filling).
Vegan butter that adds richness and that buttery flavor.
Vanilla extract rounds out the warm flavors.
Pecans or walnuts (optional) for a little crunch and texture.
Brown sugar and cinnamon form the base of that caramel pudding layer.
Boiling water which is the key to creating the “self-saucing” effect.
Optional add-ins could include dried cranberries and/or dark chocolate chips (pumpkin and chocolate is a great combo).

Why you’ll love this recipe.

Easy and approachable with no mixer, no complicated steps, just simple baking magic.
Rich, warm flavor with cinnamon, spice, and pumpkin that come together perfectly.
Vegan and dairy-free. You won’t miss the traditional butter or cream.
Beautiful texture with soft cake on top and silky pudding-like sauce underneath.
Perfect for fall gatherings like Friendsgiving, holidays, a work potluck or just a cozy night in.

Serving and storage suggestions.

This pudding cake is best served warm so the sauce stays gooey and the flavors shine. Top with vegan vanilla ice cream or non-dairy whipped cream. It’s a dessert that feels special but doesn’t require much effort, just the way a fall dessert should be.

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. To reheat, microwave individual servings for about 20–30 seconds until warm and saucy again. It reheats beautifully and tastes just as comforting the next day.

More of my pumpkin recipes you should try!

If you love this one, check out my five-star rated Vegan Pumpkin Pie and my post on the Best Canned Pumpkin Options for Baking to help you pick the perfect one for your next dessert. You may also want to try one of my pumpkin recipes below (just click the name).

Vegan Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Recipe by Kreg Sterns

5.0 from 2 votes

Course: Desserts, Easy Eats, Holiday, RecipesDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

This easy vegan Pumpkin Pudding Cake bakes into a soft, spiced pumpkin cake with a rich caramel-like sauce underneath for the ultimate cozy fall dessert.

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated cane sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 teaspoon each of nutmeg and ginger and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves)
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup vegan heavy cream or coconut cream
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 cup vegan butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Topping
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups boiling water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, spices and salt. Add cream, canned pumpkin, melted vegan butter and vanilla and mix until blended. Stir in pecans. Transfer to a greased 9 inch square or medium sized oblong baking pan placed on a cookie sheet for easy transfer to the oven. For the topping, combine the brown sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle over batter. Pour water all over top but do not stir it in.
Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out mostly clean and liquid is bubbling around the edges, about 30-35 minutes. Cool a bit in the pan on a wire rack. Serve warm with vegan ice cream or vegan whipped cream if desired. Store leftovers in the fridge and you can heat up pieces in the microwave to warm them.

Recipe Video

Notes

I prefer adding spices separately rather than using a pumpkin pie spice blend but that’s your choice.
I used a medium sized oblong baking dish (8×10) but a 9” square pan will work fine as well. You might need to adjust baking times if you use a smaller or larger sized baking pan.