Starting off pumpkin spice season RIGHT with these gluten free vegan pumpkin bars! Moist pumpkin cake with all the fall spices, topped with the creamiest dairy free cream cheese frosting.
There are very few desserts that I like more than pumpkin pie. It has and always will be one of my most favorite desserts. Now, if I can’t have a slice of homemade pumpkin pie, I’ll go for any dessert that has all the flavors of pumpkin spice deliciousness.
Guys, I’m pretty sure I just made the most epic pumpkin bars EVER. I wish I could give you a bite right now so that would really know what I’m talking about. This pumpkin cake is so incredibly moist and has just the right balance of fall flavors. I’m still shocked when a cake can be this good, considering it has no gluten, dairy or eggs. Magical.
The real star of the show is that layer of dairy free cream cheese frosting you see right there. I used the new Miyoko’s dairy free cream cheese {LOVE all of their products!} and it had just the right amount of tanginess, which helps to offset the sweetness. It makes for one heavenly bite when paired with the pumpkin cake.
Are you all about the pumpkin desserts too? If so, I just know you are going to love these gluten free vegan pumpkin bars.
- 1 3/4 cups Sarah's gluten free flour blend
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk beverage
- 1/3 cup grape seed or sunflower seed oil
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
- 1/3 cup dairy free cream cheese {such as Miyoko's}
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1-2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- cinnamon for sprinkling
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 9x13-inch baking pan by spraying with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In separate bowl, stir together pumpkin puree, almond milk, oil, maple syrup, water, vinegar and vanilla. Pour over flour mixture and mix until batter is fully combined and smooth.
- Spread batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-27 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Leave cake in pan and allow to cool completely.
- To make cream cheese frosting, beat together shortening and dairy free cream cheese for 1 minute in large bowl of standing mixer. Add sifted powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon almond milk and vanilla. Beat until light and creamy, adding additional milk if needed.
- Spread cream cheese frosting over cooled pumpkin cake. Sprinkle on a little cinnamon, if desired. Slice and serve.
These were delicious! Thanks for another wonderful recipe. We have dairy and soy allergies and can’t really find a cream cheese substitute everyone likes, so for the frosting I did a sort of modified buttercream using a little lemon juice (to make it cream cheese-esque).