I developed this cake recipe for the Vancity virtual and live potluck. I wanted it to be gluten-free and vegan so that everyone at the potluck could enjoy it. It took a few tries to get the texture just right, but I’m really happy with the final recipe. It’s really tasty and it’s pretty healthy as far as cakes go. Not only is it beautiful, it’s super easy to make.
Enjoy!
A beautiful gluten-free vegan pumpkin cake loaf.
- 1 1/3 cups gluten-free flour, (or 2/3 cup GF flour and 2/3 cup GF Oat flour)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (mix with dry ingredients)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cardamom, (optional)
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp aquafaba, (optional, but recommended)
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar (mix with aquafaba)
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional)
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp goji berries, (optional)
- 3 small pears
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a small bread loaf pan (approximately 5 by 9 inches). Cut two 3 inch strips of parchment paper and insert one in the pan lengthwise and the other width-wise. Make sure the strips are long enough that you can hold on to them to lift the cake out of the pan when it has finished baking.
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In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together and set aside.
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In your stand mixer, whisk the aquafaba on low speed for two minutes and then medium speed for two more minutes. Add the cream of tartar. Whisk on high speed for 4 more minutes. Gradually add 3 tbsp of sugar when the aquafaba start to foam up. Whisk on high speed for 2 more minutes or until firm peaks form.
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In another bowl, whisk the other wet ingredients together. Pour the aquafaba onto the wet ingredients. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients a little bit at a time and fold with a spatula. Try not to over mix. You don't want to deflate the aquafaba too much. Pour the batter into the pan.
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Cut a little bit off of the bottom of each of the pears so that they will stand up straight in the pan.
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Slowly insert each pear into the batter. Place them in the centre of the loaf pan one at a time. Push the pears down almost all the way to the bottom of the pan. Top the batter with the pumpkin seeds.
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Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan.
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Garnish with Goji berries.
- Aquafaba is bean water. It can be used as an egg replacement. Approximately three tablespoons of aquafaba equals one egg. In this recipe, I used 3 tbsp of chick pea liquid from a can of chick peas.
- If you don't have aquafaba on hand, add 3 more tbsp of almond milk or one egg.
- I used 2/3 cup Robin Hood gluten-free flour and 2/3 cup GF oat rolled oats that I blended in the food processor until it became a fine flour.
- If you want to make mini muffins instead of a loaf, the cooking time will be approximately 15 minutes.