Easy Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake

Are you ready for the easiest fall recipe of all time? My vegan pumpkin spice cake is only 5 ingredients (2 for the cake, 3 for the icing). My daughter Ana has declared it’s “better than mac n cheese” which is saying a lot because mac n cheese is her favorite food. Well, actually this cake is now her new favorite food. And it’s so easy that at age 9 she could probably even make it all by herself.  

Yes, it’s vegan. Being healthy is another story, but hey, it’s cake so healthy isn’t super high on the priority list, right? I can promise that it is delicious! And did I mention it’s easy? It’s not so much a recipe as a technique I learned a few years ago doing Weight Watchers. Ready? 

5 Ingredient Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake

Cake: 

1 box of spice cake mix

1 can of cola

Mix the cake mix with a can of Coke or whatever dark cola you have. Then bake it according to the package directions. I like to use a greased glass 13×9 dish and bake it at 350 for about 30 minutes. 

Optional: You could add chopped nuts into the batter for more texture.  

 Icing: 

2 cups of powdered sugar 

3 tablespoons of almond milk (or more if necessary)

pumpkin pie spice to taste

Once the cake is cool, mix the icing ingredients together and pour the glaze over it. 

All done!

It’s surprisingly light and fluffy because of the soda bubbles. I have to stop myself from having seconds or sometimes thirds. 

The only thing to note is that not all box mixes are created equal. Be sure to double check the ingredients to see if milk or eggs are listed. (Some are manufactured on equipment that handle those allergens. This isn’t a big deal for me, but might be something you want to consider.)

This cake is perfect for introducing kids to the kitchen or making a fast and easy dessert to take to a party. It’s all the flavors of fall and also works great for people with dairy or egg allergies. 

Even better news: The cake mix + soda trick works in endless combinations. I use this to make my favorite easy chocolate cake (Devil’s food cake mix with cherry Coke or Dr. Pepper). Dark cola works better for darker cakes. White or lemon cakes work better with clear citrus sodas like Sprite. 

Have you used the soda short-cut? What are your favorite flavors? 

If you like this recipe, please remember tp pin and share. 

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