Vegan Pumpkin Babka (Soft and Fluffy!)

Perfect for the autumn season! This Vegan Pumpkin Babka has all the pumpkin spice goodness you can ask for - deliciously soft and sweet and with delicious crunchy pecans.

Vegan Pumpkin Babka Recipe

A babka for every occasion throughout the year - that's the dream, ha! This vegan pumpkin babka is truly all I want this autumn time - wonderfully soft and fluffy and filled with all the pumpkin spice flavors - simply divine! 

The dough for this babka is made with dry active yeast and a simple technique using 'Tangzhong' to create the fluffy texture of the bake without the use of eggs. To flavor the vegan babka, there is pumpkin puree baked into the soft dough and the braid is spread with a pumpkin spice mixture using warming spices, maple, and pumpkin puree. For a wonderful crunch, I've added pecan nuts, which become like delicious nature's candy when baked!

Let's jump right into the recipe!

What you'll need to make Vegan Pumpkin Babka

Ingredients

• plain flour (all-purpose)
• unsweetened plant milk
• dry active yeast
• dark brown sugar
• ground cinnamon
• ground ginger
• salt
• canned pumpkin puree (or homemade)
• rapeseed oil
• maple syrup
• ground nutmeg
• ground allspice (optional)
• ground cloves
• crushed pecans
• agave nectar or maple syrup for the sticky sweet coating (optional)

Equipment

• 2 mixing bowl
• wooden spoon
• whisk
• saucepan
• sharp knife
• rolling pin

How to make Pumpkin Spice Babka

This babka is made out of 2 main elements: the dough and the filling. As the dough needs rest and rise once before the filling is added and once after, let's start with that one!

Step 1: Creating the soft dough

To make the dough so soft and fluffy without the use of eggs, we're using dry active yeast in this recipe in combination with a technique found in Asian baking: Tangzhong! You can read a little more about it in my Chocolate Babka recipe here. In this technique, we're using a small part of the flour and roughly half of the recipe's plant milk and whisk it up on the stove until it becomes a thick and sticky mixture. You could practically say it sticks the fluffy loaf together in the end, ha!

In the meantime, combine all dry ingredients for the dough - the flour and yeast - into a large mixing bowl and create a well in the middle. In a separate bowl or jug, whisk together the plant milk, pumpkin puree, salt, and oil and set aside. 

Once thick and sticky, remove the Tangzhong from the heat and add it to the well in the middle of the mixing bowl. Pour in the rest of the wet ingredients and using a spatula or wooden spoon, combine all ingredients until you get a soft dough. Switch over to using your hands, once the dough becomes too sticky, then knead the dough into a smooth dough ball on a lightly floured surface - this should take about 5-8 minutes. 

Place the dough into a lightly greased mixing bowl and cover, then set it aside in a warm place and allow for the dough to rise for 1 hour. During this time it will double in size. 

Step 2: Pumpkin Spice Seasoning

In the meantime, prepare your babka seasoning! In a small bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and spices and set aside until the dough is ready.

Step 3: Shaping the babka

Once the resting time elapses, remove the dough from the bowl and give it another quick knead for about 1 minute, then roll it into a rectangle of roughly 5 mm thickness. Spread the babka seasoning mix across the entire dough and sprinkle your crushed pecan nuts over the entire babka, keeping a few aside for the top. Gently begin rolling it up along the long edge. Make sure to roll it tightly without the filling squeezing out. You should end up with a long log shape. 

Line a loaf tin with non-stick parchment.

Using a sharp knife, cut the babka log in a straight line down the middle, leaving about 2.5 cm (1 inch) connected at the top. Now it's time to create the typical babka shape! Carefully lift the right strand over the left, and repeat until the entire babka is wonderfully knitted. You should see all the filling of your babka layers on the top - simply gorgeous!

When you've reached the end of the babka strand, firmly pinch them together to seal, then push the top and bottom to squish your babka into the right shape for your loaf tin and carefully lift it into the tin. Cover again and let it rise for another 30 minutes. 

Step 4: Vegan Egg Wash and Baking

Preheat your oven to 190°C (374°F) and create the vegan 'egg wash' by combining maple and plant milk. Brush the babka with the egg wash and sprinkle the remaining pecan nuts on top. 

Transfer the loaf tin to the oven and bake at 190C (374F) for 20-25 minutes or until golden. 

Remove from the oven and drizzle with a little agave nectar or maple syrup for a deliciously sticky coating. Set the babka aside and allow for it to cool at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before removing the babka from the tin.

How to serve the babka

Enjoy the babka sliced, on its own, or topped with ice cream, yogurt, vegan butter, or maple syrup. So divine!

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If you love this recipe, definitely check out these as well:

• Chocolate Hazelnut Babka
• Homemade Pumpkin Puree
• Homemade Pumpkin Spice Mix

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