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 ½ above.
Enjoy!
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Spice Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (315g)
- 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed (300g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoons ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil (235ml)
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted (113g)
- 4 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ 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 ½ 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Mandi
I made this recipe and followed every direction exactly and it turned out awful. The outside was hard and the middle wasn’t done so I had to let it cook for another 5 minutes. Then when I was finally able to take it out of the oven and decided to try and let it cool and see if maybe it would be somewhat ok to eat and not let it all go to waste and the outside edges became hard as a rock and I basically had to saw through with a sharp knife to cut it so I ended up throwing it out. I check my oven temperature regularly because I am always baking and cooking things and I have never had an issue with my oven or anything so I know that it wasn’t something wrong with anything on my end. I really don’t have a clue what happened because in my entire life I have never had anything I baked not turn out. I have won several contests with cakes from scratch also ever since I was 8 years old until last year. So I really don’t have a clue what went wrong. I wish it turned out because it smelled amazing it was just hard as a rock. I wish I could say it turned out and was good but I can’t.
Sam
I’m so sorry this happened, Mandi! That is so odd especially if your oven is baking properly. Is it possible something was mis-measured somewhere? I’ve made this cake several times and haven’t had this experience so I’m really bummed to hear it. 🙁
Mandi
I triple check all of my measurements everything I make anything. I pre measure and have everything sitting lined up and ready to go when I need it and I go back down the line and make sure everything is correct at least 3 times. I have ocd so I have to check bc it drives me crazy if I don’t lol. I’m not sure what happened. I don’t know if my weather had anything to do with it but I wouldn’t think it would affect it. I live in Florida and it was raining pretty hard. But I haven’t ever had an issue with any other cake or anything I have made so I’m not thinking it was because of that. I will give it another try tomorrow when it is sunny and see what happens and then I’ll leave a note on how it turns out. Hopefully it won’t go bad again because it’s a waste of ingredients but I hate failing and if you make it a ton then I’ll try again. 😃
Sam
That’s really odd. I have made it many times and never come across this issue. I hope it goes better tomorrow. 🙂
Mandi
I tried it again and it didn’t work again. Not sure what is going on. I gave it a shot though
Cassandra Cadrain
Made this cake and followed the recipe to a tee. Baked it for even under 40 mins.. but the outside was over baked and inside underbaked. What a waste. Ended up throwing it all out. And it have caved in.cake was dense and heavy.
Sam
Hi Cassandra! I’m so sorry to hear this. Is your oven temperature accurate and were you baking it on the center rack? It sounds like your oven may be running hot causing the outsides to cook too fast. The cake caved because it sounds like it wasn’t fully cooked all the way through, this would also make it dense.
NJ
Something seems off… very dry on the outside and too much ginger… the taste is more like gingerbread not a well balanced spice cake.
Leah
I’m hoping to make this as a Bundt cake this weekend. Do you think that will work? Suggestions on baking time?
Sam
Hi Leah! It should work as a bundt cake, but I’m not sure on bake time.
Leah
It turned out great!! I baked it fir 50 minutes and it came out moist inside with a nice crunchy caramelized crust outside. My dark brown sugar was a brick when I went to use it so instead I used 1 1/3 C light brown sugar and about 2 T molasses…it was absolutely delicious!!!
Sam
Thanks for the feedback! I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much. 🙂
Robin Farmer
Would love to make this but I need half as much do you have the measurements for 1/2 cake? Thanks
Sam
Hi Robin! I don’t have it written out, just divide all of the ingredients in half. 🙂
Megan
Does it need to be refrigeratorated after you ice it?
Sam
Hi Megan! It can be stored at room temperature in an air tight container. 🙂
Justine
This batter smells delicious. I tried to bake cupcakes with it and they sunk in the middle. Almost as if I forgot an ingredient. I double checked and did not forget anything. Do you know any reasons why the cupcakes wouldnt rise??
Sam
Hi Justine! This cake has a tendency to sink when made as cupcakes. Unfortunately it’s just the nature of this cake. I have been working on a cupcake version though, but I don’t quite have it perfected.
Stephanie Mims
I love this recipe! It is not too sweet like some cakes. I made them into cupcakes and left some unfrosted. I love them with and without!
Sam
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Stephanie! Thank you so much for commenting and letting me know how they turned out for you 🙂
Melissa
I’d like to do this as a two layer 8” round cake. What adjustments would I need to make to the recipe for this?
Sam
Hi Melissa! Only the baking time would need to be adjusted, I would suspect it would probably need about 30-35 minutes, but having not tried it myself in these pans I’m not certain exactly how long it will take.
Mary Salvati
This is wood good! I made this for thanksgiving for my family and it was gone in a flash! I love all you recipes!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Mary! 🙂
Ariel Ofri-Akman
havent tried it yet but ittl be amazing. I’m planning on making this recipe in a sheet pan for my local hospital. I’m gonna double the recipe, but how long should I bake it for approximately? also love the blog, the channel, everything, you are amazing and so positive. <3<3<3<3<3
Sam
Thank you so much, Ariel! Unfortunately I don’t know how long it would need to bake in the bigger pan. I would just keep an eye on it. 🙂
Veena
Tried this cake for the first time. Taste was good. But only thing i is it was not very moist. I followed the recipe . Any suggestions.
Btw I enjoy all your recipes.
Sam
O no! I’m so sorry this happened! Is there any chance it was slightly over-baked? I’m glad you enjoy everything and hope this one will turn out better for you next time. 🙂
Alecia
My store has been out of ginger every time I look for it. I do have two big jars of pumpkin spice in my cabinet that contains most of these spices, can I substitute pumpkin spice and what ratio should I use?
Sam
So it would definitely change the taste some, but i’m sure it would still be good. I would probably use the cinnamon as listed and then maybe substitute all of the other spices 1:1
Hannah Banana
Used mayo as a substitute for eggs, it’s also a good trick if you are finding that the cake isn’t moist enough! So far, I’m loving this recipe!
Sam
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Hannah! 🙂
Lynne G.
How much Mayo did you use?
Jennifer
The flavor of this cake was amazing. My issue is that the cake was dry and the crumb was tough. I made sure to not over mix it and I baked it 5 minutes less than instructed because it was done. Do you have any suggestions to try next time? I really want to love this cake.
Sam
Hi Jennifer! So if it was already done 5 minutes before the indicated time I think it was just over-baked overall. Is it possible that your oven is running hotter than it lets on? This is a common problem with ovens unfortunately, I would recommend getting an oven thermometer and placing it near the center of your oven. Also make sure to bake on the center rack. Another possibility is that too much flour was accidentally used, that can dry out a cake, too. I hope this helps and I hope you’ll give it another shot! From what you’ve said I think it just needs less time in the oven, even a minute or two too long can dry out a cake and make it tough, and if your oven is running hot it may have just baked too long.