Gluten-Free Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake (vegan!)

This Gluten-Free Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake is an easy vegan fall dessert made with real pumpkin, warm spices, and rich olive oil. Moist, fragrant, and topped with a silky maple olive oil cinnamon glaze and sprinkle of cinnamon, it’s the perfect cozy cake for pumpkin season.

This Gluten-Free Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake is so soft, tender, and infused with cozy fall spices — the kind of simple, elegant dessert that tastes like autumn in every bite. I know it was a hit at my house because It was completely gone within 2 days 🤭. This cake is indulgent, yet made with better-for-you ingredients and it’s so light and soft, you’d never believe it is completely vegan and gluten-free!

The pumpkin cake itself is refined sugar-free making it totally acceptable to enjoy as a morning treat with coffee, or part of a cozy fall brunch spread. It pairs beautifully with chai or an oat milk latte. But it’s also sweet enough with the maple olive oil cinnamon glaze to enjoy as a light dessert after dinner.

🍂 Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake

Beautifully simple. This easy cake batter bakes into a golden square snack cake, perfect for brunch, dessert, or gifting.

Perfectly moist and tender. The real pumpkin and olive oil keeps the cake light and fluffy, without any dryness. You’d never guess there’s no eggs and no dairy!

Naturally dairy-free and egg-free. A beautiful balance of pumpkin purée, baking powder and soda, a vegan “buttermilk”, and olive oil replaces the need for eggs while allowing the to rise and be soft and airy.

Full of cozy, fall flavor. Warm spices, real pumpkin, and coconut sugar make every bite comforting.

Ingredients

Dry Cake Ingredients

Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. You’ll want to use a gluten-free flour blend that mimics traditional flour for a perfectly soft, tender cake. My go-to 1:1 baking flour is this one. There are a few other brands that make great baking flours, but it is best that they contain xanthan gum.

Coconut sugar. Adds natural sweetness and a subtle caramel flavor that complements the pumpkin and spices beautifully.

Baking powder. Gives the cake lift and a light, fluffy texture.

Baking soda. Works with the vinegar to help the cake rise and stay moist.

Salt. Enhances all the warm, cozy flavors and balances the sweetness.

Pumpkin pie spice. A comforting blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.

Ground cinnamon. Add an extra touch of cinnamon in the cake, because cinnamon is my fav! 😍

Wet Cake Ingredients

Pumpkin purée. The star ingredient that brings rich pumpkin flavor and moisture. Be sure to use pure canned pumpkin and NOT pumpkin pie mix!

Unsweetened plant milk. Creates a smooth, batter while keeping the cake dairy-free — almond, oat, or soy all work beautifully. I used unsweetened oat milk.

Apple cider vinegar. Combined with the plant milk it creates a vegan “buttermilk”. It also activates the baking soda for a fluffy texture and balances the sweetness with a gentle tang. Don’t worry, you won’t taste it in the cake!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Unfiltered, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil works best for this cake. I used this one.

Pure vanilla extract. Adds a subtle sweetness and rounds out the flavor profile.

For the Maple Olive Oil Cinnamon Glaze

Powdered sugar. Creates a silky, sweet glaze that sets softly for a glossy finish. Look below for my recommendation on a vegan powdered sugar (that’s right, not all powdered sugar is vegan!)

Olive Oil. Adds smoothness and flexibility to the glaze so it stays soft when sliced.

Pure maple syrup. Adds a hint of maple flavor to the glaze.

Unsweetened plant milk. Adjusts the thickness of the glaze for the perfect consistency.

Cinnamon. For sprinkling on top of the glaze. This is optional, but highly recommended! 😋

Products Used In This Recipe

How To Make This Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Combine ½ cup of unsweetened plant milk with the apple cider vinegar, stir and let it sit for about 5 minutes. This creates a vegan “buttermilk”.

💡 Read more about vegan buttermilk in this post!

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry cake ingredients. 

Add the pumpkin puree, olive oil and vanilla to a medium bowl then add the vegan buttermilk and whisk everything together until well combined and smooth.

Then add the wet ingredients to the dry cake ingredients. Stir the cake batter just until there is no dry mix left. Do not over mix or the cake won’t be as light and airy.

Lightly spread the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing. Allowing the cake to completely cool allows for a better texture.

To make the glaze, sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon of plant milk at a time until the glaze is smooth, thick, and pourable (it should fall slowly off the whisk like ribbons). Let the glaze sit for 5 minutes before pouring it over the cake. Pour the glaze over the completely cooled cake, tilting the pan to fully cover the surface. Sift cinnamon over the glaze if desired. Let the glaze set for about 30–40 minutes.

Storage

Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week. The flavor deepens beautifully after the first day.

FAQs

Can I use homemade pumpkin purée instead of canned?
I haven’t tried making this cake with homemade pumpkin purée, but imagine it would work just fine. Just make sure it’s well-drained and smooth for the best texture.

What type of olive oil is best for baking?
A high-quality, light and mild extra virgin olive oil (like CIAO!’s unfiltered, cold-pressed Sicilian olive oil) works best. It adds richness without overpowering the pumpkin and spices or making the cake too heavy.

Can I use another oil?
Technically yes, but olive oil adds a unique richness and depth that other oils can’t match — especially a high-quality one. If you’re going to swap oils, I would suggest a high quality avocado oil.

Can I make this refined sugar-free?
While the cake itself is refined sugar-free, the glaze is not. If you prefer to swap out the powdered sugar with an alternative option you may do so, however, I have not tried that and I am not sure it would yield the same results.

Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes! This cake tastes great the next day as the flavors deepen. I wouldn’t make it more than a day ahead of time though, as gluten-free vegan baked goods tend to dry out quicker, and the glaze tends to soak into the cake. I would wait to glaze the cake 1-2 hours prior to serving.

Can I freeze pumpkin olive oil cake?
Yes — wrap slices individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving or warming slightly.

Why does the glaze sometimes crack when sliced?
That can happen if the glaze is too thick or the cake is warm. Slice the cake when completely cool and with a warm knife to help.

Can I add mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts?
Absolutely! Fold in mini vegan chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or walnuts before baking.

What’s the difference between icing and glaze?
A glaze is thinner, pourable, and often made from powdered sugar mixed with a liquid such as plant milk, maple syrup, or olive oil. A glaze typically sets with a soft sheen and remains slightly tacky or flexible — perfect for loaf cakes, bundt cakes, or donuts.

An icing, on the other hand, is thicker and more opaque, made with less liquid for a spreadable consistency. It’s often whipped or beaten to hold its shape, giving desserts like cupcakes or layer cakes a more defined, decorative finish.

This Gluten-Free Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake celebrates everything we love about fall! If you make cake, don’t forget to leave a comment below as well as giving this recipe a five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  rating! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you make it- I’d love to see yours! 🧡🎃✨🍁

Other Pumpkin Flavored Bakery To Try

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