Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

Make this moist vegan pumpkin cake with homemade vegan cream cheese filling in a bundt pan. Top it with a vegan buttercream glaze,  add a cute cinnamon stick and raffia ribbon stem for a delicious seasonal cake that looks like a pumpkin! Who doesn’t love a cream cheese-filled spicy moist pumpkin cake? This pumpkin bundt cake uses pumpkin puree and is especially moist with a velvety sweet, slightly tangy cream cheese center.

Check out this post with all the vegan pumpkin recipes – both sweet and savory – from Veggie Fun Kitchen!

What you will need to make this Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Filling:

For the cream cheese filling:

• Silken tofu – firm (affiliate link)
• vegan butter
• coconut oil
• pumpkin puree (I use canned. Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree- not pumpkin pie filling.)
• all-purpose flour
• powdered sugar
• brown sugar
• granulated sugar
• ground flaxseed
• cornstarch
• baking powder AND baking soda
• pumpkin pie spice AND cinnamon
• salt
• apple cider vinegar
• vanilla
• orange food color (optional)

A bundt cake makes a perfect PUMPKIN!

The first time I made this cake, I was assigned to take a dessert for a work potluck. I had been experimenting with vegan cakes and other pumpkin desserts that would impress even non-vegans. When I spied my bundt cake pan in the back of the cupboard, I knew this would be the perfect cake to bring; and it didn’t disappoint! Everyone raved about it and asked if I’d be bringing it to the next monthly potluck.

To make the stem I used  6″ cinnamon sticks and two colors of green raffia ribbon – all found on Amazon (affiliate links).

There were quite a few cinnamon sticks left over. No worries! I’ve been using them as stir sticks in my morning coffee and some fun seasonal drinks I’ve been making like my Harry Potter Pumpkin Juice.

Tips and Tricks for Making the Recipe for Vegan Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese

Do read through the tips and tricks section – especially if you are new to making vegan cakes from scratch!

Can we bake a cake without eggs?

Yes, yes we can! Eggs are used to help the cake rise and also used to hold things together. This recipe uses a combination of apple cider vinegar and baking soda to give it a little lift, and a “flax egg” to help hold things together.

Make the flax egg by mixing together ground flaxseed and very hot water. Let it sit for about five minutes while the flax begins to soften and slightly gel up.

I don’t like to use canned pumpkin. Can I make my own pumpkin puree?

Go for it! If you are a purist and want to make your own pumpkin puree, you will need about 1 1/2 cups of puree to equal the same amount found in a 15 ounce can of pumpkin.

I’ve heard sugar isn’t vegan. This cake uses sugar. Is it vegan?

Sugar, unless it is specifically labeled as vegan or organic may use bone char in the processing. Read this interesting article by PETA that best explains it. If you are concerned about using a non-compliant sugar and can’t find one labeled vegan, simply purchase all three of your sugars organic which can easily be found in any grocery store.

But what about the cream cheese? Can I just use vegan cream cheese?

Maybe….okay, here is the deal…

• Vegan cream cheese isn’t consistent like regular cream cheese. You really don’t know from brand to brand what you are going to get. Some might be made with nuts, some might be soy-based. Some are creamier than the others and they all have a different softening/melting rate. When you are baking cream cheese in a cake, you need a consistent result. I experimented with a couple of different brands. One worked well, and the others didn’t. That’s when I discovered silken tofu.
• Silken tofu has a very different texture from the regular tofu that you press, and cut, and use as chucks in some vegan meals. Silken tofu is more liquidy – or silken, like its name says.
• When you open the package of silken tofu, go ahead and carefully drain out the liquid. You don’t need to press it out. In fact, it will fall apart if you do.
• Add the drained silken tofu to a high-speed blender or food processor along with the other ingredients and blend till smooth. Set aside while you make the rest of the recipe.
• It’s hard to find the silken tofu but will be soooo worth it. I have not found silken tofu at my local grocery store. It is shelf-stable and might be found in the Asian section or in an Asian market. I order mine from Amazon (affiliate link):

Other Tips and Tricks:

• I make the cream cheese filling first and set aside while making the cake ingredients.
• Start your flax egg in the bowl in which you are going to mix the wet ingredients. You can assemble your other ingredients while the flax egg is setting. It will be only slightly goopy – not as goopy as a real egg.
  • Mix your dry ingredients together and then your wet ingredients into the bowl with the flax egg. Combine together.
• Grease and flour your bundt cake pan very well. I use vegetable shortening. Check to see if there are any shiny spots after flouring. This means you missed a spot. Go back and put a dab of grease on. You don’t want your cake sticking in any of the little crevices that are common on a bundt cake pan.
• Put about half the pumpkin cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out. Carefully spoon the cream cheese filling around the center of the cake, trying to avoid the edges the best you can.
• Top with the remaining pumpkin cake batter and smooth over the cream cheese filling.

Baking your cake:

• Bake on a sheet pan or cookie sheet of some sort.
• It cooks for a long time. Check your cake after 50 minutes. The cake should spring back and it should be separating slightly from the edges of the pan. If it is not finished yet, put back in for 5-minute increments for a total of up to 60 minutes.
• Allow to cool in pan for about 10 minutes or until you can handle the pan without burning your fingers. Turn onto a cooling rack until it is totally cool.
• You do not want to eat this cake warm. The cream cheese filling is just not…right unless it is fully cooled.
• When you are ready to put your cake on the plate to finish it up, put the pan back on top, then turn so that you can put your cake plate on top of the pan and then turn again so that the cake is on the plate and lift off your pan. This video might help explain.: pumpkin cake pan

The finishing touches:

Cake without frosting? what’s the point? Try one of my buttery glazed for a delicious topping:

• Browned Butter Glaze
• Brown Sugar Cinnamon Glaze (coming soon)
• Maple Glaze (coming soon)

Adding a little orange food color and sprinkles is the perfect finishing touch. For some fun vegan sprinkles. I buy mine from The Baking Time Club. You can also find some on Fancy Sprinkles

For a pro-finish with your icing, put in in a pastry bag or even plastic baggie with the corner cup out. Then you can direct exactly where your want it to go.

Looking for more vegan pumpkin goodness?

Look no further! For some yummy sweet pumpkin recipes try:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip  cookies, Just Like Grandma’s 

Pumpkin Muffins with Pecans

Apple Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Caramel Sauce

And for some savory dishes try:

Pumpkin  Black Bean Soup

Pasta with Pumpkin  Walnut Sage Sauce

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I hope you enjoy the recipe, but please don’t say goodbye!

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