Name: Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure); 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/2 teaspoon allspice; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1 3/4 cups packed light-brown sugar; 3/4 cup vegetable oil; 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce; 4 large eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 cup buttermilk*; 1 cup chopped pecans (optional); 8 ounces cream cheese (nearly at room temperature); 1/2 cup salted butter (nearly at room temperature); 16 ounces powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Print Recipe

No ratings yet

Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Course: Dessert

Keyword: cake, cream cheese

Servings:

Author: Cooking Classy

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour scoop and level to measure
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 3/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk*
1 cup chopped pecans optional

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese nearly at room temperature
1/2 cup salted butter nearly at room temperature
16 ounces powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round baking pans well with non-stick baking spray then lightly dust with flour and shake out excess.
In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves for 20 seconds, set aside.
Pour brown sugar into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Break up brown sugar with fingertips until no clumps remain.
Pour in vegetable oil and applesauce, set mixer with paddle attachment and blend until well combined (occasionally stop and scrape bowl throughout mixing process).
Mix in eggs and vanilla.
Add in 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined, then blend in buttermilk, then add remaining 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix until well combined.
Divide mixture evenly among two prepared baking pans. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25-28 minutes.
Allow to cool in pans about 5 - 10 minutes then run a knife around edges to ensure cake is loose and invert upside down onto a wire rack to cool.
Frost with cream cheese frosting.
For the frosting: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream butter and cream cheese until smooth.
Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until well blended.
*If you don't have buttermilk you can make your own by mixing 1 Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar with enough milk to equal 1 cup. Whisk and let rest 5 minutes before using.