This gluten free and vegan Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake is so moist and has the most delicious pumpkin and warm spice flavor. It’s topped with vegan caramel sauce and coconut whipped cream making it the perfect Fall dessert!

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I’m so excited to share this recipe for gluten free and vegan Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake with you all today!

The pumpkin cake is already so good, but when you top it with homemade vegan caramel sauce and coconut whipped cream it just takes this dessert to the next level!

Ever since I came across Cocomels vegan caramels last year, it has opened up SO many different recipe options.

I use it to make my gluten free and vegan Chocolate Covered Caramel Apples, my Coconut Caramel “Twix” Cookies, and now to make the vegan caramel sauce for this cake.

I recently reached out to Cocomels to share just how much I love their products and they sent me some of their Pumpkin Spice Cocomels to try.

They are amazing! They are just like their normal vegan caramels, but with pumpkin spice added. They are so perfect for Fall and worked amazing in this dessert!

The vegan caramel sauce recipe used in this recipe can be made with the Cocomels Pumpkin Spice Caramels or their traditional vegan caramels.

So let’s talk about how to make this delicious gluten free and vegan Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake!

GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN PUMPKIN CARAMEL POKE CAKE RECIPE INGREDIENTS:

Gluten free Pumpkin Cake Ingredients:

Gluten free all purpose flour: I use “Better Batter”
Gluten free oat flour: If you can’t have gluten free oats, sorghum flour will work as a substitute
Coconut sugar: brown sugar can also be used
Baking powder
Baking soda
Xanthan gum: omit if your gluten free flour already contains xanthan gum
Salt
Cinnamon
Ginger
Nutmeg
Pumpkin purée
Dairy free milk: I use “So Delicious unsweetened Coconut Milk”
Maple syrup
Avocado oil: melted refined coconut oil will work as well
Vanilla Extract
Chopped pecans: optional to use for topping

Vegan Caramel Sauce Ingredients:

Coconut Whipped Cream Ingredients:

Full fat canned coconut milk: refrigerated overnight
Maple syrup
Vanilla extract

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CARAMEL SAUCE:

To make vegan caramel sauce:

Add 1/2 cup canned coconut milk to a microwave safe bowl.
Unwrap caramels and add them to the bowl.
Microwave in 20 second increments stirring between each one until the caramels are completely melted. The caramel sauce will still be pretty runny right out of the microwave.
Place the caramel sauce in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until the caramel has thickened.

HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN CARAMEL POKE CAKE:

Make Vegan Caramel Sauce: Add 1/2 cup canned coconut milk to a microwave safe bowl. Unwrap caramels and add them to the bowl. Microwave in 20 second increments stirring between each one until the caramels are completely melted.
Cool Caramel Sauce: The caramel sauce will still be pretty runny right out of the microwave. Place the caramel sauce in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until the caramel has thickened.
Freeze Mixing Bowl: Place the mixing bowl that will be used for the coconut whipped cream in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Preheat oven: to 350°F. Grease a 7×11 2 quart oblong baking dish.
Mix Dry Pumpkin Cake Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together gluten free all-purpose flour*, oat flour*, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and xanthan gum (if your flour doesn’t contain it).
Add Wet Pumpkin Cake Ingredients to Dry: Add the pumpkin puree, dairy free milk, maple syrup, avocado oil, and vanilla to the bowl and stir until combined.
Bake: Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Prepare Coconut Whipped Cream: While the pumpkin cake is baking, prepare the coconut whipped cream. Open the cans of coconut milk and scoop the thick cream that has risen to the top of the cans. Add the cream to the large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl that has been in the freezer.
Whip Coconut Milk: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip the coconut cream until you can form soft peaks with the cream (about 3 minutes).
Add Remaining Ingredients: Mix in the remaining ingredients until well incorporated. I recommend chilling the coconut whipped cream for 30-60 minutes to firm up.
Cool Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once the cake has cooled, the caramel has thickened, and the coconut whipped cream is set, assemble the cake.
Assemble Cake: Use a straw to poke holes in the pumpkin cake (usually about 12 holes). This will allow the caramel to get into the cake. Pour all but 2 tbsp of the caramel sauce over the pumpkin cake and use a rubber spatula or spoon to spread the caramel sauce over the cake evenly. Spread the coconut whipped cream evenly over the caramel sauce to cover the cake. Use a spoon to drizzle the remaining caramel over the cake. Optionally top with chopped pecans.

TIPS FOR MAKING GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN PUMPKIN CARAMEL POKE CAKE:

Make sure you refrigerate the coconut milk overnight before making the coconut whipped cream. We only want the thick cream that rises to the top after being refrigerated overnight. The coconut milk used for the caramel sauce does not need to be refrigerated.
If you use a 9×13 pan for this cake, your cake will be very thin. This 2 quart oblong baking dish is the perfect size for this recipe. You can also use an 8×8 pan for a thicker cake, but you will need to increase the bake time until a toothpick comes out clean.
For the best results, I recommend weighing your flour for this recipe. This is the inexpensive scale I use. Not everyone measures flour the same and in gluten free baking the amount flour can change the texture of the baked goods.

♥ Don’t forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment below if you give this recipe a try! ♥

Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake – Gluten Free, Vegan

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Author: Morgan | Just What We Eat
Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 35 min
Total Time: 1 hr
Yield: 10–12 servings 1x

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Description

This gluten free and vegan Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake is so moist and has the most delicious pumpkin and warm spice flavor. It’s topped with vegan caramel sauce and coconut whipped cream making it the perfect Fall dessert!

Ingredients

Scale

For the gluten free Pumpkin Cake:

1 cup (167g) gluten free all purpose flour (I use “Better Batter”)
1 cup (116g) gluten free oat flour (or sorghum flour)
1/2 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your gluten free flour already contains xanthan gum)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup pumpkin purée
3/4 cup dairy free milk (I use “So Delicious unsweetened Coconut Milk”)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup avocado oil (coconut oil works as well)
1 tsp vanilla
chopped pecans (optional for topping)

For the vegan Caramel Sauce:

1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk
1 3.5 oz bag Cocomels vegan caramels

For the Coconut Whipped Cream:

2 cans full fat canned coconut milk (refrigerated overnight*)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

Add 1/2 cup canned coconut milk to a microwave safe bowl. Unwrap caramels and add them to the bowl. Microwave in 20 second increments stirring between each one until the caramels are completely melted.
The caramel sauce will still be pretty runny right out of the microwave. Place the caramel sauce in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until the caramel has thickened.
Place the mixing bowl that will be used for the coconut whipped cream in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 7×11 2 quart oblong baking dish.*
In a large bowl, whisk together gluten free all-purpose flour*, oat flour*, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and xanthan gum (if your flour doesn’t contain it).
Add the pumpkin puree, dairy free milk, maple syrup, avocado oil, and vanilla to the bowl and stir until combined.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
While the pumpkin cake is baking, prepare the coconut whipped cream. Open the cans of coconut milk and scoop the thick cream that has risen to the top of the cans. Add the cream to the large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl that has been in the freezer.
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip the coconut cream until you can form soft peaks with the cream (about 3 minutes).
Mix in the remaining ingredients until well incorporated. I recommend chilling the coconut whipped cream for 30-60 minutes to firm up.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once the cake has cooled, the caramel has thickened, and the coconut whipped cream is set, assemble the cake.
Use a straw to poke holes in the pumpkin cake (usually about 12 holes). This will allow the caramel to get into the cake. Pour all but 2 tbsp of the caramel sauce over the pumpkin cake and use a rubber spatula or spoon to spread the caramel sauce over the cake evenly.
Spread the coconut whipped cream evenly over the caramel sauce to cover the cake. Use a spoon to drizzle the remaining caramel over the cake. Optionally top with chopped pecans.

Notes

Make sure you refrigerate the coconut milk overnight before making the coconut whipped cream. We only want the thick cream that rises to the top after being refrigerated overnight. The coconut milk used for the caramel sauce does not need to be refrigerated.

If you use a 9×13 pan for this cake, your cake will be very thin. This 2 quart oblong baking dish is the perfect size for this recipe. You can also use an 8×8 pan for a thicker cake, but you will need to increase the bake time until a toothpick comes out clean.

For the best results, I recommend weighing your flour for this recipe. This is the inexpensive scale I use. Not everyone measures flour the same and in gluten free baking the amount flour can change the texture of the baked goods.

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