These ultra moist vegan pumpkin spice cupcakes are a must make for Autumn / Fall. A perfectly spiced sponge with real pumpkin puree is topped with a lightly spiced buttercream pumpkin. Vegan, No-Egg, No-Dairy and easy to make. Keep reading to learn how to make them.
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
My vegan pumpkin spice cupcakes are the perfect sweet treat for fall, blending cozy and warming spices with the rich, earthy, natural sweetness of pumpkin. These moist and flavoursome cupcakes offer a indulgent dessert without the use of any animal products, making them ideal for those following a plant-based lifestyle! Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or simply embracing autumn’s flavours, these cupcakes are easy to make, topped with a scrumptious dairy-free buttercream pumpkin and are sure to make you ultra cozy with each bite.
Looking for more pumpkin recipes? Check out my:
No-Bake Vegan Pumpkin Truffles
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake
Mini Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cheesecakes
VIRAL Vegan Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts
Why you’ll love these cupcakes
Jotted some of the key selling points to why you are absolutely going to LOVE this recipe.
- 100% Vegan friendly / plant based.
- Simple ingredients.
- Fun to make.
- Made with real pumpkin!
- Cozy and warming spices.
- Decorative pumpkin buttercream detail.
- Great for kids to make and decorate.
- Flax-egg makes for a perfect cupcake.
- Tall and domed cupcakes, full of flavour.
- Naturally orange coloured cakes!
- Perfect for birthdays, special occasions or gatherings.
Tools you’ll need
I’ve listed below the some key tools you’ll need in order to make these cupcakes. Links are affilicted (see my disclosure policy for more details).
- Pumpkin silicone mould
- Mixing bowls
- Cupcake cases
- Cupcake tin
- Electric hand whisk
- Stand mixer
- Kitchen scales
- Rubber spatula
- Piping bags
Ingredients you’ll need
These cupcakes contain simple, easy to find ingredients which you may already have to hand in your kitchen cupboard or pantry. If not, i’ve listed them below for you with some further details.
- Plain / all purpose flour : This serves as the base of the cupcakes.
- Golden caster sugar: You can use regular white caster sugar but the golden adds to the richness, adding a caramel flavour to the bake.
- Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda : these two raising agents make the cakes super light an fluffy!
- Pumpkin spice mix : A blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
- Ground flax-seed and water : This creates the egg substitute.
- Pumpkin puree : Only use a canned / tinned pumpkin puree for this recipe.
- Apple cider vinegar : Acts as a leavening agent, making a light and airy cupcake.
- Oil : Use a neutral flavoured oil. My go-to is sunflower oil!
- Dairy-free butter : Use a block butter for this recipe. my go-to are Flora Plant Butter and Naturli Vegan Block.
- Icing / powdered sugar : Make sure to sieve before using to remove any lumps.
- Dairy-free milk : You can use any dairy-free milk, including almond, soya or oat. A splash will help loosen the buttercream making it super creamy.
- Orange food gel : Use a vegan friendly, high pigmented food gel, not a liquid food colour. I’ve linked the one I use here.
- Cocoa powder : You can either use cocoa powder or a drop of brown food gel to make the stalk of the buttercream pumpkin. Alternatively, you could use a chocolate chip or pretzel stick for the stalk.
How to make the buttercream pumpkin
The unique buttercream pumpkin on top of the cakes is sure to catch eyes!!! It’s a simple yet effective trick which is also super fun to make. To make the buttercream pumpkin using a silicone mould, start by filling the mould with smooth, soft orange buttercream, ensuring all of the crevices are packed for a smooth, detailed finish. Level the top with a spatula to remove any excess, press a baked cupcake on top then freeze the mould for about 15-20 minutes until the buttercream is firm. Once chilled, gently pop the buttercream pumpkin out of the mould and voila….. perfectly iced cupcakes.
If you make, and love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Thank you & happy baking! Make sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram , TikTok and Facebook! And if you want to pin this recipe for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, above or below this post, or on any of the photos. Happy baking all!
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 10–12 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
The BEST Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with a moist pumpkin sponge and buttercream pumpkin decoration. Vegan, no-egg, no-dairy.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the cupcakes
- 250g of plain / all purpose flour
- 300g of golden caster sugar
- 3 + 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons of water
- 340g of pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- 65ml of sunflower oil
Ingredients for the buttercream
- 150g of dairy-free block butter
- 380g of icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice
- Orange food gel
- Brown food gel or cocoa powder
- Dairy-free milk (if needed)
Instructions
Method (cakes)
- Preheat your oven to 180ºC fan and line two cupcake tins with cupcake cases.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pumpkin spice, baking powder and baking soda. Mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the the flaxseed with the water, stir and leave aside to jellify for 5 minutes until thickened.
- Add the thickened flax into the dry along with the pumpkin puree, apple cider vinegar and oil. Mix until a smooth batter, don’t over-mix!
- Use spoons or an ice-cream scoop for ease to fill the cupcake cases 3/4 full with the batter. The cupcakes with rise a-lot so make sure not to over fill the cases.
- Place the cupcakes into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 20-22 minutes. You will know they’re ready when you put a knife or skewer down the centre of the cupcake and it comes out clean and they’re springy to the touch.
- Once baked, place the cupcakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully before icing.
Method (buttercream)
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter, whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.
- Sift in the icing sugar, pumpkin spice and orange food gel. Whip for 5 minutes on high speed until the buttercream becomes pale and fluffy in texture. If it’s too runny, add in a few more chunks of butter to get it to the right consistency. You might need a splash of milk.
- Separate a-little buttercream into a separate bowl and colour brown with brown food gel or some cocoa powder. Transfer both orange and brown buttercreams into separate piping bags and snip off the tips.
- For the stalk, pipe a line of the brown buttercream into the silicone mould, then swirl over the orange to fill the entire pumpkin mould. Use an off-set spatula to smooth out the top and neaten (refer to video for example).
- Turn a cupcake upside down and press into the buttercream to stick. Make sure it’s centeral to the pumpkin.
- Place in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
- Once the pumpkin feels firm, carefully release the buttercream pumpkin from the mould by popping it out, being careful not to move the cupcake.
- Allow to come back to room temperature before enjoying.
Notes
To store: Store these cupcakes in an air-tight / sealed container in the fridge. As they contain fresh pumpkin puree, it’s best to enjoy them within 1-2 days of making.
Cupcakes can be stored in an air-tight / sealed container at room temperature overnight before frosting the next day.
What dairy-free butter to use? My go-to are Flora Plant Butter and Naturli Vegan Block.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
I made these for the office and got lots of enthusiastic comments. They turned out lovely and fluffy and I think these are definitely some of the best cupcakes I’ve ever made. Lovely buttercream too.
Author
Hello Evy! Awww im sooo happy you enjoyed! xx