A rich, moist cake flavored with the perfect combination of warming spices and topped with a perfect buttercream frosting. I’m certain that this Classic Spice Cake will become one of your favorite fall desserts!
Friends, I have found a new obsession…
You guessed it – spice cakes! With so many Fall ingredients loaded into one cake, I simply do not know how one could not love this one. I garnish mine with pears, plums, candied walnuts, and some honey, but if I am being honest… This cake doesn’t need a thing. And yes, the leftover cream cheese frosting in my fridge has been a major blessing in my life this week. If spice cake just isn’t your thing, you can find more Fall recipes here.
Let’s make it!
First, I know what you’re wondering…
What is spice cake made of?
Spice cake is a moist cake that is traditionally flavored with spices such as cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and ginger.
What is the difference between spice cake and carrot cake?
Spice cake actually is a type of spice cake including spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Classic Spice Cake Ingredients
To make this easy Spice Cake, you will need the following ingredients. See the full recipe card below for detailed amounts and instructions!
- Flour – All purpose flour
- Baking powder and salt – Cake must haves
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and clove – The perfect blend of warming spices!
- Sugar – Dark brown sugar is what is called for in this cake. You can use light brown if you’re in a pinch, but dark brown will give you more flavor. Either way the brown sugar helps to create a moist cake!
- Butter – Unsalted butter
- Eggs – Our batter binder
- Almond extract – I swear this is the ingredient that makes this cake!
- Buttermilk – The rich tang of the buttermilk gives the best flavor in this cake.
- Cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar – For the cream cheese frosting, of course!
How to Make A Classic Spice Cake
To make this Spice Cake, simply:
- Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two round cake pans and set aside. In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking powder, spices, salt and set aside. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar about 2 minutes on high until fluffy. Lower mixer speed and add eggs one at a time until fully combined. Add almond extract. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture and buttermilk – beginning and ending with the flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of buttermilk). Fully mixing after each addition.
- Bake: Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn onto wire rack. Allow to cool completely before frosting. For the best frosting application, place cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
- Make the cream cheese icing: Beat the butter and cream cheese in electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Lower speed and add confectioners’ sugar and almond extract. Mix on high speed for about 2 minutes, until frosting is nice and fluffy.
- Assemble: Place a dot of frosting onto the center of your cake plate and place one cake layer on top of it. This helps keep the cake from sliding on your plate. Add a layer of frosting on the top of that cake layer (about 1 cup of frosting). Place second cake layer on top of the frosting, pressing down gently. Frost cake as desired. I frosted it mine as a “naked cake” with little icing on the sides, as shown in these photos.
- Serve: Serve on its own or garnished with pears, plums, figs, or nuts.
Pan size: I use two 6 inch cake pans to get a taller cake, but you can also use two 8-9 inch pans as well. The wider your pan the quicker your cake will bake so just check it earlier.
Make ahead: This cake can be made ahead of time and chilled in the fridge until ready to serve.
To store: Once fully cool, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To freeze: This cake freezes great. To freeze your cake, allow it to cool completely and then wrap it in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. It can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
More Fall Desserts You’ll Love!
- Apple Cider Blondies
- Easy Spiced Snickerdoodles
- Easy Pumpkin Scones
- Pumpkin Spice Madeleines With Maple Glaze
- Caramel French Toast Bake With Berry Sauce Topping
- Cinnamon Banana Bread
- Pumpkin Pecan Fudge
A Classic Spice Cake
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 inch two layer cake 1x
Description
A rich, moist cake flavored with the perfect combination of warming spices and topped with a perfect buttercream frosting. I’m certain that this classic spice cake will become one of your favorite fall desserts!
Ingredients
CAKE:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon clove
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two round cake pans and set aside. In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking powder, spices, salt and set aside. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar about 2 minutes on high until fluffy. Lower mixer speed and add eggs one at a time until fully combined. Add almond extract. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture and buttermilk – beginning and ending with the flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of buttermilk). Fully mixing after each addition.
- Bake: Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn onto wire rack. Allow to cool completely before frosting. For the best frosting application, place cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
- Make the cream cheese icing: Beat the butter and cream cheese in electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Lower speed and add confectioners’ sugar and almond extract. Mix on high speed for about 2 minutes, until frosting is nice and fluffy.
- Assemble: Place a dot of frosting onto the center of your cake plate and place one cake layer on top of it. This helps keep the cake from sliding on your plate. Add a layer of frosting on the top of that cake layer (about 1 cup of frosting). Place second cake layer on top of the frosting, pressing down gently. Frost cake as desired. I frosted it mine as a “naked cake” with little icing on the sides, as shown in these photos.
- Serve: Serve on its own or garnished with pears, plums, figs, or nuts.
Notes
- Pan size: I use two 6 inch cake pans to get a taller cake, but you can also use two 8-9 inch pans as well. The wider your pan the quicker your cake will bake so just check it earlier. Make ahead: This cake can be made ahead of time and chilled in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Make ahead: This cake can be made ahead of time and chilled in the fridge until ready to serve.
- To store: Once fully cool, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: This cake freezes great. To freeze your cake, allow it to cool completely and then wrap it in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. It can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Cakes & Cupcakes