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.
I love developing gluten free cakes and 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.
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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.
- 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
- 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 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 King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour, Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Flour, Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, with my recipes.
- 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.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, the cake is already gluten and dairy free. Substitute the cream cheese frosting for your preferred dairy-free frosting.
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.
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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More Gluten free Pumpkin recipes
📖 Recipe
Gluten free Pumpkin Cake
Nutritional information is meant as a guideline and all information is approximate.
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
Nutrition
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.
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.
Sharon
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 💖
Amanda
Thank you Sharon for your lovely review. It makes me so happy that you enjoyed the recipe!
Drake
Looks lovely, going to make it this weekend.