Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake (Egg Free, Nut Free)

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This gluten free pumpkin cake is incredibly moist and has a rich pumpkin flavor. It's made with tigernut flour and topped with a homemade pumpkin spice frosting. Not only is this cake gluten free, but it's also egg free, nut free, dairy free, paleo and vegan friendly!

I'm getting so excited for the fall! I mean, I'm sad that summer is coming to an end because I miss having my kids home and our carefree summer schedule, as well as all the summer fruits, swim dates and river adventures. BUT, I am so ready for all of the baking, cooler temperatures and pumpkin flavored everything.

This gluten free pumpkin cake is the perfect way to ease yourself into the falls months. It's moist and tender, fairly dense (which I love) and topped with a creamy homemade frosting. The cake has a delicious pumpkin and maple flavor and while baking, will make your whole house smell like fall.

Also, I decided to make this paleo pumpkin cake with tigernut flour. If you haven't heard of tigernut flour before, then I urge you to read my tigernut flour guide - it will tell you everything you need to know. I chose tigernut flour, because it is not only gluten free and grain free, but also nut free. All that being said, you can swap the tigernut flour for almond flour.

Why You'll Love this Pumpkin Cake Recipe

paleo friendly - made with simple, wholesome ingredients
gluten free and grain free - made with a combination of tigernut flour, tapioca starch and ground flax
nut free - the perfect gluten free pumpkin cake for someone with a nut allergy
egg free and vegan - made without eggs or animal products
easy to make - make the batter into two bowls pour into a lined baking dish and bake in just 30-35 minutes
moist and delicious - this cake has a super moist, tender texture and rich pumpkin flavor

Ingredients

The full recipe for this gluten free pumpkin cake can be found in the recipe card below, but here's an overview of what you'll need for the cake and the frosting:

Pumpkin Cake

tigernut flour - to keep this cake gluten free, grain free AND nut free. The best swap is blanched almond flour
tapioca starch - helps with the cake texture. You can use arrowroot starch instead.
ground flax - this recipe is egg free, so the ground flax helps bind the ingredients.
pumpkin spice - adds a deeper pumpkin flavor. You can swap with cinnamon if you prefer.
baking soda - for the rise
salt - enhances the flavors
canned pumpkin puree - since this is a pumpkin cake
maple syrup - to sweeten the cake
water - to thin the batter
avocado oil - may swap with olive oil
vanilla extract - for flavor

Frosting

palm shortening - may swap with butter if you aren't dairy free
coconut cream - just the thick white cream from a can of full fat coconut milk/cream
powdered sugar - you can make your own paleo powdered sugar, use powdered monk fruit sweetener or regular powdered sugar (just note, regular powdered sugar is not paleo)
vanilla extract - for flavor
pumpkin spice - for flavor. You may swap with cinnamon.

How to Make a Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake

The batter for this pumpkin cake is made in two bowls, spread into a lined baking dish and then baked for 30-35 minutes. Once cooled, you can top it with my homemade pumpkin spice frosting or any other frosting you enjoy. I baked my cake in a 7" x 11" baking dish, but an 8" square dish will work too. Here are the steps:

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 7" x 11" baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry cake ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the wet cake ingredients.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and combine with a spatula until well mixed. The cake batter is thick.

Spread the batter into your lined baking dish. Then place the cake in your oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

After baking, remove the cake from your oven and cool to room temperature in the baking dish.

Once cooled, make the frosting and spread it over the cake. Cut to desired size and serve!

Tips and Tricks

Measure ingredients by weight: although I give measurements by volume, it's best to measure the flours by weight. This ensures accuracy and will result in a better end product. I use a small kitchen scale for all of my baking.
Cool the cake in the baking dish: the cake continues cooking in the baking dish, so don't remove it until it has fully cooled. Once cooled to room temp, you can place the cake in the fridge to chill a little before frosting it.
Mix the frosting with an electric whisk: an electric whisk works best for combining all of the frosting ingredients and creating a smooth frosting texture.
Store in fridge: this cake will spoil if stored at room temperature, so keep it in the fridge.

Storage

You can store the cake in the baking dish, just cover it with plastic wrap or bees wax wrap. Or place the cake in a separate, airtight container. The cake is incredibly moist and the frosting does not keep at room temperature, so store the cake in the fridge. It is best eaten within one week.

FAQ

What is tigernut flour?

Tigernut flour is made from finely ground, peeled tigernuts. As confusing as it may be, tigernuts are not actually nuts, but small root vegetables. They are naturally sweet and nutty in flavor, perfect for baking!

Check out my tigernut flour guide to learn more about tigernut flour and how it can be used in recipes.

Is there a swap for tigernut flour?

Yes, you can replace tigernut flour with almond flour at a 1:1 ratio.

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