This spice cake right here was a home run all a round. There’s something you have to know about me. I love eating layered cakes, but making them is a completely different story. I hate dividing batter out into pans. Using a serrated knife to level off the cake when it’s baked. Then frosting a cake so that the crumb doesn’t get into the frosting. It requires real, hard work. And I applaud those that make the effort to make said cakes. The cakes that I don’t mind making? My one-bowl chocolate chip bundt cake, my lemon olive oil pound cake, and now this simple spice cake. What do all of them have in common? They’re baked in one pan and don’t require much effort on the bakers part, yet they still taste delicious! And since Thanksgiving is usually pie overload, I figured why not share a recipe that brings you all the warmth of a pumpkin pie but in cake form. In full transparency, this cake contains no pumpkin, but it does use all the spices in pumpkin spice. And don’t even get me started on that tangy cream cheese icing. Have mercy! A squeeze of lemon juice in the frosting balances out the flavors in the cake and the sweetness in the frosting. I got rave reviews from everyone I shared this cake with. It’s a good one, and I hope you’ll give it a go!
What do you need to make spice cake?
All-purpose flour: I’ve only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour, so I can’t say if any other type of flour can be used hereLeavening agents: this is baking powder and baking soda. The carbon dioxide that these ingredients release into the cake helps make it light and fluffy.Ground spices: You’ll need ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, ground cloves, ground black pepper, and salt for this recipe. Dark brown sugar: Adds sweetness and a deep, rich flavor. If I have muscovado sugar on hand, I swap that for the dark brown sugar. Light brown sugar also works for this recipe.Oil: You can use canola, vegetable, coconut, or even corn oil for this recipe.Flavorings: molasses and vanilla extract help bring flavor to this cake. These work hand in hand with the ground spices we’re using.Unsweetened apple sauce: apple sauce helps add moisture to the cake and allows us to cut back on the amount of oil we’re usingEggs: eggs play a critical role in this recipe. They add structure and stability to the batter as well as adding moisture to the cake.
How to make the best spice cake:
What do I need to make the cream cheese frosting?
Softened butter: be sure it’s softened; otherwise, it isn’t easy to mixSoftened cream cheese: be sure it’s softened; otherwise, it isn’t easy to mixPowdered Sugar: also called confectioners sugarLemon Juice: just a couple of teaspoons gives it that signature tang that you get from my 1-hour cinnamon roll cream cheese icingMilk: you’ll need anywhere from 1-2 teaspoons. When making frosting, add a tiny quantity at a time. Frosting turns into icing really quick if you add too much liquid
How to make the cream cheese frosting:
This cream cheese icing is straightforward. Allow the cream cheese and the butter to come to room temperature so that it’s easy to mix. Then, combine the two in a bowl with an electric mixer. Stir in the milk, lemon juice and the powdered sugar and continue to mix until smooth! Then, spread the frosting over the cake using a cake spatula.
- If you have muscovado sugar on hand, I suggest using that in place of the dark brown sugar. Light brown sugar can also be used.
