Description
This Vegan Pumpkin Coffee Cake is a moist, warmly spiced autumn dessert featuring layers of pumpkin butter and a crumbly topping, perfect for a cozy breakfast or an indulgent snack. It is made entirely plant-based using vegan butter, yogurt, and buttermilk, delivering rich flavor and a tender crumb with a sweet, tangy glaze on top.
Ingredients
Scale
Crumb Topping
- â…” batch vegan pumpkin butter
- 60 g all-purpose flour
- 40 g light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix
- 40 g vegan butter (softened)
Dry Ingredients
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 300 g pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 75 g light brown sugar
- 120 ml olive oil
- Half batch vegan buttermilk (soy milk + vinegar)
- 80 g vegan Greek-style yogurt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon vegan pumpkin butter (reserved for icing)
Glaze
- 90 g powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vegan Greek-style yogurt
Instructions
- Preparation: Make the vegan pumpkin butter at least two hours ahead or up to two days in advance. Line the base and sides of a 7.5 or 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) fan-forced or 180°C (356°F) conventional.
- Make Crumb Topping: Combine all crumb topping ingredients—pumpkin butter, flour, brown sugar, pumpkin spice mix, and softened vegan butter—in a mixing bowl. Rub them together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles sandy crumbs. Set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour, pumpkin spice mix, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt into a bowl. Stir to evenly combine and set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, olive oil, vegan buttermilk, vegan Greek-style yogurt, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and fully blended.
- Make the Batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, gently folding after each until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.
- Assemble: Spread half of the batter into the prepared springform pan. Smooth an even layer of the pumpkin butter on top (reserve 1 tablespoon for the glaze). Add the remaining batter and smooth the surface. Top with the prepared crumb mixture evenly.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a skewer into the center; it should come out mostly clean with a few crumbs. If wet batter adheres, bake 5 minutes more and recheck.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully remove it and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Make the Glaze and Finish: Whisk together powdered sugar, vegan Greek-style yogurt, and the reserved 1 tablespoon pumpkin butter until smooth. Once the cake is fully cooled, drizzle the glaze evenly over the top and serve.
Notes
- Make the vegan pumpkin butter ahead to save prep time and allow flavors to develop.
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to keep the cake’s texture just right.
- Vegan buttermilk is made by adding vinegar to soy milk and letting it curdle; this helps activate the leavening agents.
- Ensure the cake is completely cool before glazing to prevent melting the glaze.
- The cake can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
