Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C fan). Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans by lining them with parchment paper. If you don't have three pans, bake the layers one at a time and keep the remaining batter covered until needed.

Combine the dairy-free milk and apple cider vinegar in a bowl, whisking together. Allow to rest for 10 minutes so it thickens into a vegan buttermilk.

In a separate large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir to mix thoroughly.

Blend the sunflower oil and pumpkin puree into the buttermilk mixture. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix only until no streaks remain.

Evenly distribute the batter among the prepared cake pans. Gently tap each pan on the counter to remove trapped air bubbles.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 25–30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean and the tops bounce back when lightly pressed.

Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert them onto the rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container until you're ready to frost.

Beat the softened dairy-free butter and cream cheese together in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Sift in the powdered sugar and cinnamon, then beat on high speed for 5 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Position one cake layer on a serving plate. Evenly spread a layer of the buttercream over the top. If you're using caramel, create a small depression in the frosting and spoon 1–2 tablespoons of caramel sauce into it.

Place the second cake layer on top, pressing down gently, and repeat with the third layer. Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream over the entire cake, then refrigerate for 10–15 minutes.

Take the cake out of the refrigerator and apply a thicker final coat of frosting, using a cake scraper to smooth the sides and top.

Using a piping bag fitted with a star tip, pipe a decorative swirl of white frosting around the top perimeter of the cake.

Split the leftover frosting into two separate bowls. In one bowl, mix in the orange food gel and a pinch of cocoa powder to achieve a deep orange hue. In the other, add extra cocoa powder for a chocolate shade. Transfer the orange frosting to a piping bag with a small round tip, and snip the tip off the bag containing the brown frosting.

Use the orange frosting to pipe small pumpkin shapes around the side of the cake, then add brown stalks with the chocolate frosting. If any frosting remains, pipe tiny pumpkins along the top edge as well.

Cut the cake into slices and serve.