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+ servings
3 vegan pumpkin cake bars stacked on top of each other.
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4.96 stars (69 ratings)

Vegan Pumpkin Cake Bars

This easy vegan pumpkin cake is extra fluffy and topped with vegan cream cheese icing. It’s baked in a large sheet pan, then cut into bars for a sweet and nicely spiced fall treat you can feed to a crowd.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Cooling time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 20 slices
Calories: 236kcal
Author: Nora Taylor

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake

Frosting

  • 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) vegan butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons non-dairy milk, as needed

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a jelly roll pan (15 x 10 inches). Set aside.
  • Mix the ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl and set aside to make your flax eggs.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, coconut oil, sugar and flax eggs until smooth.
  • Now add the flour to the wet ingredients. Sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt on top of the flour and mix with a large spoon until just combined.
  • Pour into the prepared pan and smooth out evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
  • Make the Frosting: Using a hand mixer, beat the softened vegan butter for about 2 minutes until creamy, then add the powdered sugar, apple cider vinegar and vanilla and beat everything together until smooth and creamy, adding a tablespoon of non-dairy milk at a time as needed. If you add too much milk and it gets runny, you will need to add more powdered sugar.
  • Once the cake is cooled completely, frost the cake, cut into bars and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Use refined coconut oil if you don't want a coconut taste. May also substitute canola oil, avocado oil or melted vegan butter. You could probably use 1/2 applesauce and 1/2 oil to cut down on the fat but it will affect the overall flavor and taste of the cake.
  2. I haven't made these gluten free, but like most of my cake recipes a quality Gluten Free Flour Mix would likely work just fine. 
  3. This recipe makes a lot of bars (20) so if you want less feel free to cut the ingredients in half and make it in a 9 x 13 inch cake pan.
  4. Make sure the cake is completely cooled before frosting so it doesn't melt. You can speed up the process by placing the cake in the refrigerator. 
  5. Store leftover cake bars on the counter for 2-3 days, covered, or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. They can also be frozen with or without the frosting. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 189mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 3309IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg