It’s October which means I am more than ready to unleash fall flavors like the ones you’ll find in this crowd-pleasing Pumpkin Spice Cake. Besides, it was such a hot summer, this cake is my version of a rain dance for fall. Bring on the cool nights and colorful leaves!
As I write this I’m sitting in a hotel room in Los Angeles and I realize people who live here may not fully understand the desire for the change of seasons.
I tried to take that in a little yesterday as I was walking on the beach. I tried to imagine the number of people from Missouri who may have never experienced the Pacific Ocean spilling out over the sand in dramatic waves, one after the other.
Or the sounds of seagulls and pelicans calling as they scan the seas (or tourists) for their next meal.
I imagine not everyone from Missouri has seen a site like that. And the same may be true in reverse. Not everyone who lives in sunny California has seen or experienced the autumn season quite like we do. They may not, therefore, understand the attraction.
Of the people who live in four season climates, fall has to be on one of the favorites. It’s cliché, I know, (and you know how I hate to be so ordinary), but it is definitely one of mine too.
And that’s not just because I love the cooler days. Who wouldn’t love the reprieve from 100 degree temperatures and 90+ percent humidity! That’s great, but there’s more to fall than that. I also like the longer nights – giving more time with family and less to running to and fro.
And, of course, the vibrant orange, red, and yellow explosion of color bursting across the landscape is more than amazing.
But what I love most of all are the fall flavors. Cinnamon. Ginger. Nutmeg. Cloves. And Pumpkin. Oh how I love the pumpkin!
That’s probably something we all can agree on – whether our backyard is a beach or a bucolic countryside…or somewhere in between.
That’s why I was more than thrilled to open up my first can of pumpkin and get out the spices…and go to town in the kitchen. I call it my “rain dance” for fall. The only difference is fall comes whether I dance for it or not. But I don’t care. The dance is part of the deal and I’ll continue to play my part. Care to join me?
Pumpkin Spice Cake
Ingredients:
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
- ½ cup soy buttermilk (soy milk combined with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar)
- 1 cup Vegan Butter (aka Earth Balance)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 15 oz can pureed pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ½ cups flour, (either regular flour or for a gluten-free version use: 1 cup buckwheat flour, 1½ cups brown rice flour)
- ½ cup corn starch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
Directions:
- Heat oven to 350*F. Spray a 9 X 13 baking pan with vegetable spray
- In a food processor, combine the rinsed chickpeas with the soy buttermilk. Pulse for several seconds until the chickpeas are smooth. Add the Vegan Butter and sugar and pulse some more until everything is good and creamy. Add the pumpkin and vanilla and pulse a little more, for the fun of it.
- In a separate bowl stir together the flour, corn starch, baking soda, salt, cinnamon nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir until well combined.
- Next pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flour mixture and stir until well-combined. Just say “no” to clumps of flour in your batter! That’s what I say!
- Add chopped pecans if you’re into that kind of thing.
- Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan and bake for about 35 – 40 minutes. You can always do the old piece of dry spaghetti trick. Insert a piece of dry spaghetti into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done! If not, you should let it bake for another 5 minutes or so.
- Allow the cake to cool before adding the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting.
My favorite part of this recipe? Taking the time to enjoy each bite!
Living in the prairies, I really miss the ocean at times, but I do adore watching the leaves change colours during Fall.
That pumpkin cake looks so perfect, light and fluffy with just the right amount of icing, yum!
October 19, 2012
2:55 pm
I just want to tell you that I made your scrambled tofu for lunch and it was delicious! I never made it with the starch/soy milk slurry, and that made the texture so much better. A little hot sauce on the finished product and some daiya cheddar shreds, and I was good to go. Thanks! Can’t wait to browse through the rest of your blog!
October 24, 2012
1:03 pm
Wow, Pam, Thanks so much for your kind comments. So Glad you liked the scrambled tofu. I love that recipe too. It’s a perfect breakfast to get the day started on the right foot!
October 24, 2012
5:01 pm
That is one gorgeous cake Marly. I go a little overboard o pumpkin this time of year.
October 26, 2012
10:32 am
Nice to meet you, Marly! Beautiful cake…a pumpkin spice cake always goes over like crazy around here!
October 26, 2012
12:01 pm
This looks so good, Marly!! I love the addition of chickpeas!!
October 27, 2012
9:06 am
Pumpkin spice cake sounds so great right now!
October 27, 2012
6:44 pm
Such a gorgeous color — looks delicious!
October 28, 2012
2:41 pm