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All the cozy fall flavors packed into one creamy dessert: vegan pumpkin tiramisu! It’s made with a pumpkin sponge cake infused with warm spices, layered with a rich and velvety-smooth pumpkin cream, and finished with a dusting of cocoa powder!
If there is one dessert you absolutely have to try this fall, it’s this pumpkin tiramisu. And I don’t say that lightly, it’s truly a little gem!
Shortly after working on my matcha tiramisu, I realized that I could easily transform that recipe into a seasonal dessert that captures everything we love about fall: pumpkin and warm spices. Well, it turned out even better than I imagined!
I’ve kept the recipe as easy as possible. This means that you won’t have to make a single ladyfinger in this recipe! Instead, you will make a quick sponge cake that’s loaded with both pumpkin and warm spices. Ready to dive in?
🍂 The Ultimate Fall Dessert
Double the pumpkin flavor.
Through testing, I discovered two things. First, ladyfingers don’t work so well here. They do not bring any pumpkin flavor, and when dipped in coffee, they actually overpower the cream. Second, starting with a pumpkin sponge cake but using a regular vanilla cream leaves the tiramisu missing that warm, cozy flavor we are after.
That’s why you will find pumpkin in both components of this dessert: the sponge cake AND the cream. And to make it even cozier, both are generously infused with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg!
Silky-smooth and ultra creamy.
Just like in traditional tiramisu, the cream in this plant-based version is rich, velvety, and perfectly smooth. It’s deliciously creamy, yet still holds its shape well when sliced, as you can see in the photos!
🎃 Essential Ingredients
Pumpkin Sponge Cake
In this recipe, a simple 1-bowl pumpkin sponge cake replaces the ladyfingers used in traditional tiramisu. Here’s what you will need:
- Flour – All-purpose flour makes the base of the cake, providing structure. You may be able to replace it with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, but I haven’t tried it yet.
- Sugar – I went with granulated white sugar, but light brown sugar or coconut sugar will also work.
- Pumpkin purée – Use pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. One 15-ounce (425 g) can is enough to make both the sponge cake and the cream.
- Oil – For moisture and richness. I suggest using a neutral oil such as canola, grapeseed, or safflower oil.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves! Alternatively, you can replace all of those spices with about 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
- Baking powder and baking soda – Both leaveners help the sponge cake rise and get a fluffy texture.
Pumpkin Cream
- Firm silken tofu – It makes the base of the cream. Don’t worry, you cannot taste it at all once blended with the other ingredients!
Note: You will need FIRM silken tofu, not any regular silken tofu. Firm silken tofu, as the name suggests, is firmer than regular silken tofu. That’s why it’s essential that you use firm silken tofu for this recipe. Otherwise, your cream will be liquid.
Where to buy it: You can generally find it in the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores or well-stocked supermarkets.
You will also need:
- Pumpkin purée – You will also find pumpkin purée in the cream! Not only does it give the cream its light yellow color, but it also adds even more pumpkin flavor.
- Coconut cream – Then you have coconut cream for richness and creaminess. Note: You can either buy a can of coconut cream or refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk and scoop out the solid part on top. Either way, be sure to take the coconut cream out of the refrigerator at least 2 hours before blending it.
- Vegan butter – Along with the coconut cream, vegan butter does two things: it creates a rich, silky-smooth consistency + helps the cream firm up once chilled.
- Powdered sugar – To sweeten the cream.
- Spices – Again, just like in the sponge cake, you will find the usual suspects: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
📔 Success Tips
The temperature of your ingredients counts!
This is especially important for the pumpkin cream. Make sure the butter is melted but not hot, and that both the silken tofu and coconut cream are at room temperature. If any of them are too warm or too cold, the cream will turn out grainy once blended.
Let it chill overnight.
The pumpkin cream will appear very liquid after blending. This is completely normal as it will firm up once chilled. That’s why it’s essential to allow your tiramisu to chill overnight in the refrigerator for optimal texture.
Dust just before serving.
To prevent the cocoa powder from absorbing the moisture and turning dark, it’s best to dust the tiramisu right before serving. Note: Some cocoa powders are specifically made for dusting and stay light brown for several days in the fridge, though I haven’t had the chance to try them yet.
🥣 Overview: How To Make Pumpkin Tiramisu
1. Make the sponge cake
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
- Add the wet ingredients. Pour in the plant-based milk, pumpkin puree, oil, and vanilla extract.
- Mix. Use a wooden spoon to mix the batter until smooth.
- Spread the mixture. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly on a baking sheet.
- Bake. Then, bake the sponge cake for 11-12 minutes, and allow it to cool completely.
2. Prepare the pumpkin cream
- Combine all the ingredients. Add all of the cream ingredients to a blender.
- Blend. Blend for 10-15 seconds or until smooth and creamy. At this point, feel free to taste the cream and adjust the sweetness to your liking.
3. Assemble
- Slice the pumpkin sponge cake. Cut the sponge cake into two rectangles that fit in your baking dish.
- Transfer to a baking dish. Next, arrange one layer of sponge cake at the bottom of your baking dish.
By the way, if you’re wondering whether you missed the step where you dip the sponge cake in coffee, you didn’t! After testing it a few times, I found that soaking the sponge cake (which is already quite moist from the pumpkin purée) just made it soggy and didn’t add anything to the texture. Skipping the dip actually works best here. The cake remains soft and moist, yet retains its delicate texture and flavor.
- Top with cream. Pour half of the pumpkin cream over the sponge cake and spread it into an even layer.
- Repeat. Place the second layer of sponge cake over the cream, and finally, pour the remaining cream on top.
- Refrigerate. Chill the tiramisu for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Dust with cocoa powder. Right before serving, dust the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh sieve. Enjoy!
🍫 Customize the Final Dusting
Cocoa powder is not your only option when it comes to dusting! You can replace it with:
- Spices: Either pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon.
- Biscoff powder: Process Biscoff cookies in a food processor until they form a coarse powder. Sprinkle it over the top of your tiramisu for extra texture and a delicious caramelized cookie flavor!
- Chocolate shavings: Use a vegetable peeler to shave some dark chocolate and sprinkle it over the cream.
What to Do With Leftover Pumpkin Purée
Since this recipe calls for a total of 1 and 1/4 cups of pumpkin purée, you will have leftover. You can use it to make:
- Pumpkin Pancakes – Made with simple ingredients, they make a hearty breakfast on chilly days.
- Pumpkin Bread – Perfectly moist and tender!
- Pumpkin Oatmeal – Stir 2-3 tablespoons of pumpkin purée into your morning oatmeal and add a generous pinch of pumpkin spice for a warm, fall breakfast.
- or Pumpkin Congee! Although my original recipe calls for roasting a fresh pumpkin, you can easily replace it with pumpkin purée.
❄️ Storing Leftovers
- To store: You can store this tiramisu in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Transfer leftovers to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
💬 FAQs
Yes, halve the recipe and layer the sponge cake and cream into three 3-inch (7.5 cm) ramekins.
First, make sure to use the exact ingredients and amounts specified in the recipe. Replacing the coconut cream, skipping the butter, or changing their quantities can affect the texture. Second, be sure to let the tiramisu chill overnight in the refrigerator. The cream is quite liquid after blending, but thickens as it cools.
Thanks to the pumpkin purée and spices, you won’t taste any coconut flavor in this tiramisu!
Definitely! It tastes even better the next day as flavors have time to merge.
I hope you will love this creamy pumpkin dessert! Although it’s not exactly a traditional tiramisu, it’s every bit as indulgent. Packed with plenty of pumpkin, warm spices, and with just the right amount of sweetness!
⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
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Vegan Pumpkin Tiramisu
Equipment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Sponge Cake
- 1 and 1/2 cup (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened plant-based milk
- 1/2 cup (116 g) pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) oil
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
Pumpkin Cream
- 3/4 cup (340 g) firm silken tofu at room temperature
- 14 tbsp (200 g) vegan butter (melted and cooled down for 10-15 minutes)
- 3/4 cup (175 g) pumpkin purée
- 1 and 1/2 cup (360 g) coconut cream at room temperature
- 2/3 cup (80 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
For Dusting
- 1/4 cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
Pumpkin Sponge Cake
- Preheat the oven to
350 °F (175°C) and line a 16×12-inch (40×30 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper. - Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices until well combined.
- Pour in the wet ingredients. Next, add the plant-based milk, pumpkin puree, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix the batter using a wooden spoon until it is smooth.
- Spread the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking sheet and spread it into a thin, even layer of approximately 15×11 inches (38×28 cm) in size. I suggest using a silicone spatula, but a spoon will work too.
- Bake. Then, bake the sponge cake for 11-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
Pumpkin Cream
- Before starting: ensure that all of the ingredients are at room temperature. The melted butter should not be hot. The firm silken tofu and coconut cream shouldn't be cold.
- Pat the tofu dry. Carefully rinse the firm silken tofu under water, drain it, and pat it dry using a few sheets of kitchen paper towels. You don't need to press it hard, but try to remove the extra moisture.
- Blend. Add the firm silken tofu, melted vegan butter, pumpkin purée, coconut cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and spices to a high-speed blender. Blend for 10-15 seconds or until the cream is very smooth. At this point, feel free to taste it and adjust the spices and/or sweetness to your liking.
Assemble
- Slice the sponge cake. Cut the pumpkin sponge cake into two rectangles of about 9×7-inch (23x18cm), to match your baking dish. This should be the size of your baking dish. If your dish is a different size or shape, simply cut the sponge cake into two layers that will fit inside.
- First layer. Place one layer of sponge cake in the bottom of your baking dish.
- Second layer. Pour half of the pumpkin cream (approximately 2 cups) over the sponge cake and spread it evenly.
- Repeat. Then, top with the second layer of sponge cake, and finish with another layer of pumpkin cream.
- Chill overnight. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and chill the tiramisu for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Dust with cocoa powder. Just before serving, dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh sieve.
- You can store this tiramisu in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
The temperature of your ingredients counts!
This is especially important for the pumpkin cream. Make sure the butter is melted but not hot, and that both the silken tofu and coconut cream are at room temperature. If any of them are too warm or too cold, the cream will turn out grainy once blended.Let it chill overnight.
The pumpkin cream will appear very liquid after blending. This is completely normal as it will firm up once chilled. That’s why it’s essential to allow your tiramisu to chill overnight in the refrigerator for optimal texture.Dust just before serving.
To prevent the cocoa powder from absorbing the moisture and turning dark, it’s best to dust the tiramisu right before serving. Note: Some cocoa powders are specifically made for dusting and stay light brown for several days in the fridge, though I haven’t had the chance to try them yet.
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
Leave a Comment
No ladyfingers, no coffee, yet still a wonderful tiramisu packed with pumpkin flavor. The sweetness is just perfect too. Pure genius!
Glad you liked it Vivian! Thanks for taking the time to write a review, I really appreciate it.
This is honestly the best vegan pumpkin tiramisu I’ve ever had! Very easy to make and full of pumpkin flavor. Made it today and there were no leftovers, even the non-vegans loved it. Amazing recipe, thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you so much for your great feedback Neko!
Glad you liked this pumpkin tiramisu!