I really think you’re going to love this Spice Cake Recipe! Super simple to make and full of Fall spices (without being over-whelming on the tastebuds) and covered with a silky-smooth cream cheese frosting!
This is one recipe you’re going to want to make every Fall. It reminds me of a cross between my carrot cake (minus the carrots, of course) and my gingerbread. I love the simplicity of tossing everything in a 9×13 pan and then frosting it right in the pan once it’s baked and cooled. Easy and delicious!
Spice Cake
This super soft, exquisitely spiced cake recipe is quickly climbing the ranks to be one of my favorite cakes ever. Ok, admittedly my cake loyalties shift frequently, but right now it’s definitely at the top of the list.
During the summer, my similarly moist, flavorful, and simple banana cake usually ranks supreme, but this summer it had some tough competition. As many of you know, I’ve been working super hard to get ahead on recipes in anticipation of Baby Boy’s arrival this month (it could be any day now!), and so I started working on my Fall recipes months ago.
The amount of pumpkin and pumpkin spice I went through in June was unusual and a little strange, sure, but I loved the jump start I got on Fall baking (/my favorite kind of baking). This Spice Cake recipe was perfected during the hot summer, and despite its cozy Fall flavors it provided some tough competition to my favorite summer recipes.
How to Make Spice Cake
Made in just one bowl (not counting the frosting, of course, which needs its own bowl) the base of this spice cake is super simple to make. The steps listed below correspond to the numbered steps in the collage above.
- Combine your sugars and your dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Whisk really well, until completely combined.
- Add melted butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix well. I like to use an electric mixer or my stand mixer as the batter can get pretty thick when you first add your butter and oil.
- Pour into a lightly greased 9×13 pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The center will settle and sink a bit as it cools, this is OK! I was really worried about this at first and was actually able to tweak the recipe to a point where it didn’t sink at all, but none of my taste testers liked the flavor/texture as much as when it settled a bit after baking. We’re just going to cover this with our cream cheese frosting anyway, so don’t worry about it!
- Make your frosting! I highly recommend cream cheese frosting and include that in the recipe below, but my vanilla frosting would work well here, too. Whipped cream would also be another good topping!
- Frost the (cooled) spice cake right in the pan, slice, and serve!
What Spices Go Into Spice Cake?
We’re using a blend of ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg. These will be stirred in with your dry ingredients in steps 1/2 above.
Enjoy!
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Spice Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 315g
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed 300g
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil 235ml
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted (113g)
- 4 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup buttermilk ¹ 60ml
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 8 oz cream cheese softened (225g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 440g
Instructions
SPICE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and grease and flour a 9x13 baking dish (or spray with baking spray). Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars (granulated and brown), baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices (cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg).
- Add canola oil and melted butter and stir well. The batter will be pretty thick at this point, that is OK, but using an electric or stand mixer will make it easier to combine everything.
- Add eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.
- Add vanilla extract and buttermilk and stir until ingredients are well-combined.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake on 350F (175C) for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow to cool completely before topping with cream cheese frosting.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Combine cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until creamy and well-combined. Stir in salt and vanilla extract.
- Gradually, with mixer on low-speed, stir in powdered sugar until completely combined.
- Spread evenly over cooled spice cake.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Diane says
Although the flavor of the cake was very good, I too, like others, found it to be very oily. I baked mine in 2 -9” pans and had oil sitting in bottom of pan upon removal. I followed directions to the letter. No alterations except the size pan.
Sam says
I’m disappointed to hear this, Diane. I’ve never had this outcome (you can see in the video mine was not oily) and don’t think that baking it in the 9” pans should have made this happen, either. I did have someone who complained that it was oily realize that they had accidentally used 2 sticks of butter instead of just one, but other than that I’m really not sure why it would turn out this way 🙁
Roxy says
Loved this cake! My husband usually goes for pie. He had two pieces!
Thanks for the great recipe!
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so happy to hear that the spice cake was such a hit, Roxy! I am so glad that everyone enjoyed it, including your husband. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Linda says
I made cupcakes and the oil leak through the liners and puddled in the pan. The batter was very oil. Do sheet cakes need more oil?
Sam says
Hmm, not really, while this is a moist cake I wouldn’t have expected it to have been that oily when made into cupcakes (though I have not made it as cupcakes myself). That seems odd to me that it was so wet.
Morgan says
This recipe is very similar to my aunt’s recipe. She has been gone for many years now and all of us miss her and her cooking. I was wondering, though. Nearly all of my recipes have more baking powder than baking soda. Did I get the measurements wrong, more baking soda than baking powder in this one? Reversing them might make the cake a bit lighter and “fluffier”. But I’ll try it your way first. I am making for my Christmas dinner dessert this year. Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Sam says
Hi Morgan! The amounts of baking powder/soda used will vary depending on the other ingredients used. The ingredients listed here are correct as written but I have tested it with varying amounts of baking powder/soda. If you’d like, the cake can be made with 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and just 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, it will rise a bit more but I personally found the flavor and texture to not be as desirable as it was when made as written (as did my taste testers). However you make it I hope you enjoy! 🙂
MICHELE says
Can this be made into cupcakes ?
Sam says
Hi Michele! It should work as cupcakes, but the top will probably be pretty flat. 🙂
Andrea Bostwick says
This is was a test recipe for my daughter’s 18th bday cake. She loves spice and vanilla cake and cream cheese icing! The icing was a huge hit, and the cake was good too. It tastes a bit oily..I’m not sure what I did or didn’t do? It cooked beautifully though!!
Sam says
Hi Andrea! It’s a very moist cake but shouldn’t taste oily, did it cool completely before you tried it? I’m glad it was a hit overall though!
Gayatri says
I tried this recipe and it turned out delicious. Who would have thought a cream cheese frosting would pair so well with spice cake.
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cake, Gayatri! The cream cheese adds just the right amount of sweet. I am happy you liked the pairing. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
mae says
hi sam! would almond milk be okay to use instead of buttermilk?
Sam says
Hi Mae! Since almond milk generally has less fat than buttermilk my concern would be that the cake may not be quite as moist. Since this is a very moist cake anyway, you might be able to get away with it, though! However, to maintain the acidity I do recommend you follow the steps listed in my buttermilk substitute (add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice) that way the ingredients all still react properly. I hope that helps and I hope you love the spice cake!
mae says
thank you! it worked great!! i added a splash of cognac in the cake mix and some maple syrup in the frosting– it turned out so delicious!
Sugar Spun Run says
That is wonderful, Mae! I am so glad! Enjoy! 🙂
Liz says
Hey Sam! How do you store the cake? How long will it keep? Looking to make something a day or two ahead of thanksgiving. Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run says
Hello, Liz! I recommend storing it in an airtight container. It should last up to one week. 🙂
Liz says
Thank you so much! And congrats on the new addition!