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    Home » Holiday recipes » Gluten free Pumpkin Cake

    Gluten free Pumpkin Cake

    Published: Oct 17, 2021 by Amanda · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    It's that time of year when everyone loves baking with pumpkin and this gluten free pumpkin cake recipe is always a winner! Topped with cream cheese frosting and decorated with chopped walnuts it looks and tastes impressive at any dessert table.

    gluten free pumpkin cake on a white cake stand surrounded by autumn leaves

    When developing this gluten free pumpkin cake I took inspiration from my gluten free carrot cake as it uses similar ingredients. You can use canned pumpkin puree but I prefer to use homemade pumpkin puree when possible both will work well when making this easy gluten free pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • 💭 Gluten Free Baking
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Gluten free Pumpkin recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients

    gluten free pumpkin cake labelled ingredients

    gluten-free pumpkin cake

    • Gluten free plain flour - Gluten free all purpose flour
    • Sugar - I used caster sugar but granulated white sugar will also work in this recipe.
    • Baking powder - Acts as a leavening and rising agent by reacting to heat. Making the cake light and rise well.
    • Baking soda - Bicarbonate of soda
    • Spices - This recipe uses ground cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg that goes so well in pumpkin cake and gives it that seasonal taste and smell that you will love.
    • Salt
    • Xanthan Gum - An essential ingredient in most gluten free baking. It prevents the ingredients from separating as it is a stabilizer. Essentially acting as gluten would gelling everything together.
    • Pumpkin puree - This pumpkin cake made with pumpkin purée. Canned pumpkin purée or homemade pumpkin puree will work in this recipe. I used my homemade pumpkin puree but you can used canned if you prefer.
    • Oil - The makes the cake soft and moist. The best oil to use requires keeping it to a neutral-flavored oil like vegetable oil as this is what I used but canola oil is also a good choice. using oil also means that this is a dairy free pumpkin cake (see variations below for more information for a gluten free dairy free pumpkin cake).
    • Eggs - Gives the cake structure. Be sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
    • Vanilla extract

    Cream cheese frosting recipe

    • Powdered sugar - (Icing sugar) Always sieve the powdered sugar before adding to the cream cheese as you want it to be smooth and free of any lumps.
    • Cream Cheese - I used Philadelphia cream cheese but you can use your preferred brand of cream cheese
    • Unsalted Butter - Room temperature
    • Vanilla extract
    • Chopped Walnuts - If desired to top but you can use your preferred decorations or sprinkles.

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    • Preheat Oven to 170°c/325°F/Gas mark 3.
    • Prepare 2 cake tins with parchment paper.
    dry ingredients for gluten free pumpkin cake in a clear bowl
    wet ingredients for gluten free pumpkin cake in a clear bowl
    • Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside.
    • In a medium-sized bowl whisk all wet ingredients together until combined. Then add the pumpkin purée to wet ingredients and mix well.
    pumpkin cake wet ingredients being poured into dey ingredients
    pumpkin cake batter full mixed
    • Then pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk together until combined.
    pumpkin cake batter divided between two cake tins
    baked pumpkin cake on a cooling rack
    • Divide the pumpkin cake batter evenly between the baking tins and spread evenly. Then place in oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
    • Check with a wooden skewer and if it comes out clean the cake is ready. place on a cooling rack and leave them in the tins until cool.
    • Once the cakes are cool you can begin making the cream cheese icing
    cream cheese frosting being spread on bottom layer of the pumpkin cake
    gluten free pumpkin cake on a white cake stand fully iced with cream cheese frosting on top
    • With an electric beater beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy.
    • Add the sieved icing sugar a few tablespoons at a time beating until fully combined. Add Vanilla and beat until light and fluffy
    • Place the frosting in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before icing the cake as this will make it easier to spread.
    • Once the cakes are cool spread half the frosting on the bottom layer and spread evenly then top with the second cake. Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining frosting and decorate as desired.
    • I decorated with chopped walnuts but you can use your preferred decorations or sprinkles.

    💭 Gluten Free Baking

    • Gluten Free Flour – I used a shop-bought Gluten free flour blend from Doves Farm Freee from range. Which is a flour blend of Rice, Potato, Tapioca, Maize, and Buckwheat flour. I have had reports that others have used Bob’s Red Mill and other Gluten free All purpose blends with my recipes that have worked well. I would love to know what flour blends worked for you so feel free to get in touch by leaving a comment below or you can contact me directly.
    • Kitchen Scales - Using digital scales is recommended when baking. I always measure using scales and grams as baking is a science. When baking gluten-free it is essential to weigh out ingredients to get the best results! There is no need to purchase expensive digital scales and you can find them available cheaply online. (Although for small amounts I will use spoon measurements)
    • Oven Temperatures - Your oven temperature may be slightly different. As all ovens vary in temperature and the baking time is used as a guide. Some ovens run hotter than others. You could invest in an oven thermometer to be more accurate.

    Variations

    When making this recipe always be sure to check all your ingredients are gluten free. To make pumpkin cake gluten free I used Doves freee from plain flour but you can use your preferred brand of gluten free all purpose flour.

    Below are some changes you can make to suit your own preferences.

    • Gluten free dairy free pumpkin cake - The cake ingredients are all gluten and dairy free as it uses oil instead of butter. To make it fully dairy free all you have to do is switch the frosting to your preferred dairy free frosting. The cinnamon buttercream frosting used in my gluten free gingerbread cupcakes goes really well with pumpkin cake. Just be sure to use dairy free butter and cream.
    • Nut free pumpkin cake - The cake recipe is already nut free. Just miss out the chopped walnuts and add your preferred nut free topping to decorate.
    • Gluten free pumpkin cupcakes - This recipe can be made into cupcakes by dividing the cake batter into 12 to 14 muffin cases and bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes. Checking with a wooden skewer and when it comes out clean they are ready to be removed from the oven.

    Equipment

    To make this pumpkin cake I recommend that you use 2 round baking tins. I used 8" tins. To make the cream cheese frosting I used an electric stand mixer but an electric mixer or Beater will work well. You can make the cream cheese frosting without an electric mixer but will take longer to make and require some work when beating.

    3 slices of gluten free pumpkin cake on white plates surrounded by autumn leaves

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I make pumpkin cake gluten and dairy free?

    Yes, the cake is already gluten and dairy free. Substitute the cream cheese frosting for your preferred dairy-free frosting.

    How to store the pumpkin cake?

    The pumpkin cake can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days. I recommend you store it in the refrigerator as this will keep the cream cheese frosting fresh. You can remove it from the refrigerator a few hours before serving to allow the cake and frosting to come to room temperature.

    Can I freeze the pumpkin cake?

    Yes, The cake without the frosting can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Once defrosted you can then add the frosting.

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    📖 Recipe

    gluten free pumpkin cake on a white cake stand surrounded by autumn leaves

    Gluten free Pumpkin Cake

    Easy Gluten free pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. A delicious gluten free pumpkin dessert using pumpkin purée. It's that time of year when everyone loves baking with pumpkin and this gluten free pumpkin cake recipe is always a winner! Topped with cream cheese frosting and decorated with chopped walnuts it looks and tastes impressive at any dessert table.
    5 from 31 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 16 Servings
    Calories: 541kcal

    Nutritional information is meant as a guideline and all information is approximate.

    Author: Amanda
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 2 round baking tins ( I used 8" tins)
    • Electric mixer or Beaters

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for gluten free pumpkin cake

    • 300 grams Gluten free all purpose flour AKA Gluten free plain flour in the UK
    • 200 grams Sugar
    • 2 Teaspoons Baking powder Some brands may have ingredients that contain gluten. Always be sure to check the label.
    • ½ Teaspoon Baking soda AKA Bicarbonate of soda. Some brands may have ingredients that contain gluten. Always be sure to check the label.
    • 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
    • ¼ Teaspoon Ground All Spice
    • ¼ Teaspoon Ground nutmeg
    • ¼ Teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ Teaspoon Xanthan Gum
    • 200 grams Pumpkin puree
    • 240 ml Oil Vegetable or Canola
    • 4 Large Eggs Room temperature
    • ½ Teaspoon Vanilla extract

    Ingredients for Cream cheese frosting

    • 600 grams Powdered sugar (Icing sugar) Sieved
    • 270 grams Cream Cheese (I used Philadelphia cream cheese)
    • 130 grams Unsalted Butter Room temperature
    • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract

    Instructions

    How to make gluten free pumpkin cake

    • Preheat Oven to 170°c/325°F/Gas mark 3.
    • Prepare 2 cake tins with parchment paper.
    • Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside.
    • In a medium-sized bowl whisk all wet ingredients together until combined. Then add the pumpkin purée to wet ingredients and mix well.
    • Then pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk together until combined.
    • Divide the pumpkin cake batter evenly between the baking tins and spread evenly. Then place in oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
    • Check with a wooden skewer and if it comes out clean the cake is ready. place on a cooling rack and leave them in the tins until cool.
    • Once the cakes are cool you can begin making the cream cheese icing

    How to make Cream cheese frosting

    • With an electric beater beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy.
    • Add the sieved icing sugar a few tablespoons at a time beating until fully combined. Add Vanilla and beat until light and fluffy
    • Place the frosting in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before icing the cake as this will make it easier to spread.
    • Once the cakes are cool spread half the frosting on the bottom layer and spread evenly then top with the second cake. Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining frosting and decorate as desired.
    • I decorated with chopped walnuts but you can use your preferred decorations or sprinkles.

    Notes

     
    Can I make pumpkin cake gluten and dairy free?
    Yes the cake is already gluten and dairy free. Substitute the cream cheese frosting for your preferred dairy-free frosting.
    How to store the pumpkin cake?
    The pumpkin cake can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days. I recommend you store it in the refrigerator as this will keep the cream cheese frosting fresh. You can remove it from the refrigerator a few hours before serving to allow the cake and frosting to come to room temperature.
    Can I freeze the pumpkin cake?
    Yes, The cake without the frosting can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Once defrosted you can then add the frosting.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 12.9g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10.3g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 43g

    Disclaimer

    Nutritional information is meant as a guideline and is always an approximate calculation. Recipes may include information of various products used. It is your responsibility to check that ingredients you use when making a recipe are gluten free.

    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @glutenfree.tranquility or tag #glutenfreetranquility!

    I hope you enjoyed this gluten free pumpkin cake recipe.

    I would love your feedback.  Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below. You can also tag me in any photos taken when trying this recipe over on my Instagram.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sharon

      January 11, 2022 at 12:43 am

      I just made this.... oh yummy!!
      Instead of icing, I topped with cool whip. But honestly, it didn't even need cool whip. It's delicious as is! Thank you for this recipe 💖5 stars

      Reply
      • Amanda

        January 11, 2022 at 2:35 pm

        Thank you Sharon for your lovely review. It makes me so happy that you enjoyed the recipe!

        Reply
    2. Drake

      October 21, 2021 at 10:32 am

      Looks lovely, going to make it this weekend.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Amanda! I am passionate about creating gluten free versions of all the foods that I enjoy. I love sharing them with others looking for easy but delicious gluten free recipes.

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