Vegan pumpkin spice fruit loaf cake has all the flavours and aromas of a wholesome fall or autumnal cosy day. Enjoy a slice with a well earned cup of hot tea, coffee or cocoa.
This pumpkin spice cake is packed with the goodness of dried fruit, pumpkin puree and amazing pumpkin spices whilst being incredibly moist and soft. Top with an optional quick and easy vegan cream cheese frosting and a scatter of crispy chopped walnuts for extra specialness.
Vegan pumpkin spiced fruit cake is the perfect family autumn or Halloween treat.
Although a slice is delicious all-year round and the pumpkin puree can be replaced with apple sauce.
How To Prepare Vegan Pumpkin Spice Fruit Loaf Cake
Add the soft brown sugar, vegan margarine and plant-based milk.
Mix and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.
Stew for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat, scoop the mix into a bowl, and allow to cool.
Sieve self-raising flour into a bowl.
Add the individual spices or replace with a pumpkin spice mix.
Once the stewed dried fruit has cooled, mix through the pumpkin puree.
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Stir until just combined.
Place on the middle oven shelf.
Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden and the cake is beginning to come away from the sides.
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Fruit Loaf Cake Recipe FAQS And Notes
Pumpkin spice cake can be stored in a cool, dry area within an airtight container for at least 1 week, possibly longer if well wrapped.
Wrap in a layer of greaseproof paper, and a second layer of kitchen foil.
If a vegan cream cheese topping has been added the cake can be stored in the fridge if preferred and wrapped as suggested above.
Yes. Vegan fruit cake freezes well. Wrap well with freezer-proof paper and a second layer of kitchen foil or within a re-usable freezer bag etc.
Defrost completely before enjoying. Remove the wrappings and leave on a chopping board or similar until the cake is at room temperature.
Whole fruit cakes can be frozen or individual slices can be wrapped separately, for ease of removing one or two slices at a time from the freezer.
Here in the UK pumpkin spice mix is not readily available to purchase as an individual ingredient. Instead we have mixed spice which is commonly used especially during the autumn and festive months.
There is arguably not much difference between the two spice mixes albeit the spices contained with the mixes does tend to differ slightly.
For example mixed spice contains coriander, fennel and often pimento as well as the usual suspects of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Whereas pumpkin spice mix has a larger proportion of cinnamon along with possibly ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.
Despite the slight spice differences within the two blends, either one can replace the other if one can not be sourced.
Alternatively in the US apple pie spice mix may also be sourced and this can also be used if its the only thing available. Apple pie spice mix contains many of the same spices as pumpkin pie mix but often with the addition of cardamon.
For an apple pie spice mix this is a link to a Betty Crocker recipe.
For a mixed spice mix this is a link to a BBC good food recipe.
Yes of course. Simply replace with homemade or shop-bought apple sauce.
It is simple to prepare homemade pumpkin puree.
To begin add chopped pumpkin (peeled, deseeded and stringy bits removed) to a saucepan. Pour in a cup or two of water, or enough to come nearly half way up the pumpkin, and simmer until soft. A lid can be added to the pan for speedier cooking. Stir often and ensure the water does not run dry.
Once soft remove the pumpkin with a slotted spoon and blend until smooth using a food processer or hand blender.
Or mash with a potato masher and sieve to remove any lumps. Although this method may require more time to ensure a smooth consistency. However a few small lumps will not make too much difference for the pumpkin spice cake recipe.
A large whole pumpkin can be used to prepare a batch of pumpkin puree to store in the freezer. I freeze in 400g/ 14-15 oz portions, which is about a can size, and then simply defrost to room temperature before using in a recipe. Freeze in freezer-proof containers or freezer bags.
For pumpkin lattes, smoothies, etc., freeze the pumpkin puree in ice cube trays. Once frozen pop out the cubes and place in a freezer bag until required.
Any leftover pumpkin cooking liquid can be added to soups, stews, etc. Or even used to water outdoor plants.
It doesn't make sense to waste leftover pumpkins after Halloween. Not when the pumpkin can be quickly prepared into pumpkin puree, frozen and enjoyed in your favourite autumnal recipes (savoury and sweet).
This vegan pumpkin spiced fruit cake can be enjoyed without frosting but a cream cheese frosting is a special delicious addition.
All that is required is vegan soft cream cheese and icing/powdered sugar.
Mix about 50-60 grams of vegan cream cheese with 150-200 grams of sieved icing sugar and whip (either by hand or with a mixer) until the frosting is thick and smooth.
Add extra icing sugar if the frosting is too thin or a small amount of extra cream cheese if the frosting is too thick to spread easily.
When the cream cheese frosting is at your desired consistency its ready to spread over your cake.
Simply adjust the quantities if a greater amount of cream cheese frosting is preferred. Sprinkle a few crushed or broken walnuts or pecans over the frosting for extra delicious texture and flavours.
More Delicious Easy Bakes To Enjoy:
Traditional Fruit Loaf Cake (makes for the ideal vegan Christmas/festive cake base)
Vegan Scottish Border Tart (delicious alternative to festive mince pies)
British Traditional Vegan Eve's Pudding (tasty cinnamon-lemon flavoured sponge baked over soft delicious fresh apples)
Old School British Dinners Jam And Coconut Sponge (serve with hot custard for the ultimate comfort pudding)
Pumpkin Spice Fruit Loaf Cake
Equipment
- Cake or loaf pan, capacity 1 kg/ 2 Ib (pound)/ 1.06 US quarts pan
- Greaseproof paper/parchment for lining baking pan
- Saucepan, for stewing dried fruit
Ingredients
- 100 grams vegan margarine I use dairy-free Flora or Vitalite
- 225 grams soft-brown sugar or replace with granulated, caster, or demerara sugar, etc
- 160 ml plant-based milk such as oat or soya
- 450 grams dried fruit mix any combination of dried fruit or use ready-prepared dried fruit mix. I like to add at least 100g chopped dates to the mix.
- 225 grams self-raising flour
- 130 grams pumpkin puree check recipe notes for a simple homemade method, or use shop-bought. Or replace with homemade or shop-bought apple sauce.
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon the spices here can be replaced with 2 ½ teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix
- ¾ teaspoon dried ginger powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon dried allspice powder
- ⅛ teaspoon dried mace powder
Instructions
Stew the dried fruit (this can be done several hours in advance to save time)
- Add the dried fruit, vegan margarine, sugar, and plant milk to a saucepan.
- Mix and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Stew gently for 10 minutes, stir occasionally.
- Decant the stewed fruit into a bowl so that it can cool quicker. If preparing the dried fruit a few hours in advance, simply leave in the pan to cool.
- Once cool mix the pumpkin puree through the dried fruit.
Preheat the oven to 150 Fan/ 170 Celsius/ 325 Fahrenheit/ Gas 3.
- Prepare a loaf or baking pan by lining with greaseproof paper or similar.
- Sieve the self-raising flour into a bowl. Add the spices. Mix thoroughly.
- Next add the dried fruit mix to the flour and stir until all combined.
- Scoop the cake mix into the loaf pan. Level the surface.
- Bake on the middle shelf for 50-60 minutes. Check after 50 minutes. Cake is ready when golden, the sides are coming away from pan, and a skewer comes out clean.
- My cake was ready after 50 minutes in a fan oven which tends to cook quicker than other types of ovens, so your cake may require a few more minutes.
- Leave to cool in the pan for 30 minutes before carefully removing and allowing to cool completely on a wire rack or chopping board.
- Once cool a vegan cream cheese frosting can be added along with a sprinkle of crushed walnuts or pecans. A simple method is included within the recipe notes.
Notes
- Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
- Vegan pumpkin spice cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 7 days, likely longer if well wrapped. Wrap in a layer of parchment/baking paper and a second layer of kitchen foil.
- To refresh staler but perfectly fine slices of cake, heat in a warm oven for a few minutes or on a dry non-stick pan or a panini hotplate, etc.
- Pumpkin spice fruit cake can be frozen as a whole cake or as individual slices. Wrap the cake or individual slices well and store in a freezer bag for up to 4 months. Defrost, with the wrappings removed, on a chopping board until the cake is at room temperature.
- Pumpkin puree can be either homemade or shop bought. Or replace with homemade or shop bought apple sauce.
- It is simple to prepare homemade pumpkin puree. To begin add chopped pumpkin (peeled, deseeded and stringy bits removed) to a saucepan. Pour in a cup or two of water, or enough to come nearly half way up the pumpkin, and simmer until soft. A lid can be added to the pan for speedier cooking. Stir often and ensure the water does not run dry. Once soft remove the pumpkin with a slotted spoon and blend until smooth using a food processer or hand blender. Or mash with a potato masher and sieve to remove any lumps. Although this way may require more time to ensure a smooth consistency. However a few small lumps will not make too much difference for the pumpkin spice cake recipe. A large whole pumpkin can be used to prepare a batch of pumpkin puree to store in the freezer. I freeze in 400g/ 14-15 oz portions which is about can size, and then simply defrost to room temperature before using in a recipe. Freeze in freezer-proof containers or freezer bags. For pumpkin lattes, smoothies, etc., freeze the pumpkin puree in ice cube trays. Once frozen pop out the cubes and place in a freezer bag until required.
- Any leftover pumpkin cooking liquid can be added to soups, stews, etc. Or used to water outdoor plants! It doesn't make sense to waste leftover pumpkins after Halloween. Not when the pumpkin can be quickly prepared into pumpkin puree, frozen and enjoyed in your favourite autumnal recipes (savoury and sweet).
- This vegan pumpkin spiced fruit cake can be enjoyed without frosting but a cream cheese frosting is a special delicious addition. All that is required is vegan soft cream cheese and icing/powdered sugar. Mix about 50-60 grams of vegan cream cheese with 150-200 grams of sieved icing sugar and whip (either by hand or with a mixer) until the frosting is thick and smooth. Add extra icing sugar if the frosting is too thin or a small amount of extra cream cheese if the frosting is too thick to spread easily. When the cream cheese frosting is at your desired consistency its ready to spread over your cake. Simply adjust the quantities if a greater amount of cream cheese frosting is preferred. Sprinkle a few crushed or broken walnuts or pecans over the frosting for extra delicious texture and flavours.
Danielle Wolter
I am just loving the fruit and pumpkin here! It sounds just incredible - perfect for fall and the holidays.
It is so tasty. So flavourful and the aromas that are produced while baking are drool worthy!
Mahy
I can't believe how juicy this cake looks. This is just the way I like my cakes to be!
Me too! I love juicy fruits in a fruit cake 🙂
Farah Abumaizar
This looks so wonderful, and simple to make! Thanks for the step by step photos they'll really come in handy. Can't wait to try this out!
Your welcome. Be sure and let me know how you get on 🙂
Tavo
This is such an. original recipe! I loved it! All my favorite fall flavors in one dessert!
Awesome! Hope you enjoy 🙂
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
I love the idea of the fruit as well as the pumpkin and it's so long since I had a fruitcake where the fruit was plumpled up by boiling too. So moist and tasty!
Yes I so agree, the stewing of the dried fruit is a traditional method and results in lovely juicy fruits 🙂