Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a warm, comforting dessert filled with cozy spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Topped with a rich cream cheese frosting, this cake is moist, fluffy, and bursting with flavor—perfect for fall gatherings, holidays, or anytime you crave something nostalgic and sweet.
Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Why This Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Is the Best
- Warm Spice Blend: Packed with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves for a deep, aromatic flavor.
- Soft and Moist Texture: The cake is tender and fluffy with just the right amount of density.
- Creamy Frosting Finish: A tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting complements the spiced cake perfectly.
- Beautiful for Any Season: Its rustic look and rich aroma make it a showstopper on any dessert table.
Perfect for Any Occasion
Whether you’re serving it at birthday, or a cozy weekend gathering, Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting feels special. The warm spices and creamy topping make it a comforting crowd-pleaser all year round.
Ingredient Notes
For the Cake:
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and helps support the moisture-rich batter.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: A blend of leaveners for a fluffy, well-risen crumb.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the spices.
- Ground Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves & Nutmeg: Classic warm spices for deep autumnal flavor.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and rich molasses notes for extra depth.
- Vegetable Oil: Keeps the cake soft and tender for days.
- Unsweetened Applesauce: Adds moisture and subtle fruitiness while reducing the need for extra fat.
- Buttermilk: Activates the leaveners and brings a slight tang for balance.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients and help the cake rise.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the spice with a touch of warmth.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Unsalted Butter: Creates a smooth, creamy base with richness.
- Cream Cheese: Adds tangy flavor and creamy texture to contrast the spiced cake.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting for a perfect consistency.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances all the flavors with its subtle warmth.
Tips for Making the Best Spice Cake
- Use Fresh Spices: Freshly ground spices deliver the best flavor and fragrance.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix just until combined to keep the cake light and tender.
- Cool Completely Before Frosting: Let the cake cool fully so the frosting doesn’t melt or slide off.
- Beat the Frosting Until Smooth: For a silky, spreadable texture that’s easy to work with.
- Top with Nuts or Spice Dusting: Add chopped pecans or a sprinkle of cinnamon on top for a beautiful finish.
Serving Suggestions
- With a Cup of Coffee or Chai: Warm spices pair perfectly with cozy drinks.
- With Toasted Nuts: Garnish with chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch and flavor.
- With a Dusting of Cinnamon: Add a little extra spice right before serving.
- As Cupcakes: Turn the recipe into spiced cupcakes for easy individual servings.
A Must Try
From the moment it comes out of the oven, Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting fills your kitchen with the smell of cinnamon and cloves. Each bite is soft, warmly spiced, and perfectly balanced by the creamy tang of the frosting. This is the cake you’ll want to make again and again—especially when the weather turns cool and your cravings turn cozy.
Be sure to check out these other delicious recipes!
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Flourless Chocolate Cake
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Mint Chocolate Sheet Cake
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Lemon Pistachio Cake
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Orange Almond Cake
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Blueberry Bundt Cake
Spice Cake
Warm, cozy, and irresistibly spiced! This moist Spice Cake is layered with dreamy cream cheese frosting—perfect for fall or any time of year 🎂🍂
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 360g
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar 440g
- 1 cup vegetable oil 240ml
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce 240ml
- ½ cup buttermilk 120ml
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened 225g
- 1 8-ounce/115g block cream cheese room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar 720g
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Give two 9-inch cake pans a good spray with baking spray so nothing sticks later on.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. You’re building all that cozy spice flavor here!
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk the brown sugar, oil, applesauce, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla until everything’s nice and smooth. Pour this sweet and creamy mix into your dry ingredients and whisk just until it all comes together—don’t overmix!
- Divide the batter evenly between your two prepared pans and pop them in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the centers bounce back when you lightly press them.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then flip them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Now you’ve got two fluffy, spice-filled layers ready for frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl—or the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment—beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until it’s smooth, creamy, and fluffy. This should take about 2 minutes and smell amazing already!
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar a little at a time. Don’t forget to pause now and then to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything gets mixed in nicely. Once it’s all combined, add the vanilla and give it another whirl on medium-low speed until it’s light, fluffy, and ready to spread—about 1 more minute.
For the Assembly:
- Place one of your cake layers on a cake stand or serving plate—this is your base! Spread about 1 cup of frosting on top, nice and even. Gently place the second cake layer on top, then cover the whole cake with the rest of the frosting—don’t forget the sides!
- Now for the fun part: decorate however you like!
- If you’re not serving it right away, no worries! You can keep it in the Refrigerate , loosely covered, for up to 3 days and it’ll still taste amazing.
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale for flour—it’s the most accurate and helps avoid dense cake. No scale? Spoon and level your flour to prevent overpacking.
- Don’t overmix the batter! Mix just until everything comes together for a light, tender cake.
- Bring ingredients to room temp. It helps everything mix smoothly and gives you lump-free frosting and better batter texture.
- Soften butter by leaving it out for 1–2 hours. Avoid the microwave—it can melt the butter and ruin your frosting. In a rush? Cube it to speed things up!
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Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting