After perfecting this recipe for over two decades, I'm excited to share my ultimate spice cake that captures the essence of comfort baking. This timeless dessert combines warm aromatic spices with a tender, moist crumb that's perfect for any occasion from casual gatherings to holiday celebrations. Whether you're looking for an old-fashioned recipe that reminds you of grandma's kitchen or an easy version you can whip up quickly, this comprehensive guide has everything you need to create the perfect spice cake.
What Is Spice Cake?
Spice cake is a classic American dessert characterized by its blend of warm spices; typically cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice; that create its distinctive aromatic flavor. With roots dating back to early American settlers, spice cake has evolved into a beloved comfort food that bridges seasons, though it's especially popular during fall and winter months. Its rich, warm flavor profile and moist texture have made it a staple for generations of home bakers.
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Spice Cake Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cloves
- Ground ginger
- Ground allspice (optional)
- Cardamom (optional, for extra complexity)
Wet Ingredients
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Brown sugar (light or dark)
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs, room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream or buttermilk
- Optional: molasses or honey for deeper flavor
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese, softened
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Optional: cinnamon or maple flavoring
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Spice Cake
Prepare and Mix Dry Ingredients
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Grease and flour pans
- Whisk together: 2½ cups flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add spices: 2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon cloves, ¼ teaspoon allspice
Cream Butter, Sugars, and Add Wet Ingredients
- Beat 1 cup butter until creamy
- Add 1 cup brown sugar and ½ cup white sugar; beat 3-5 minutes
- Add 4 eggs one at a time
- Mix in 2 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoon molasses (optional)
Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures
- Add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with 1 cup sour cream
- Mix just until combined after each addition
- Don't overmix once flour is added
- Batter should be thick but pourable
Bake, Cool, and Frost
- Pour into pan(s); bake 25-30 minutes (layers) or 35-40 minutes (9x13)
- Cool in pan 10 minutes, then on wire rack
- Frost with cream cheese frosting (8 oz cream cheese, ½ cup butter, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla)
Troubleshooting: Why Is My Spice Cake Dry?
If your spice cake turns out dry, here are some common issues and fixes:
- Overbaking: Check for doneness 5 minutes before the recipe suggests
- Too much flour: Use the spoon and level method for measuring flour, or ideally, a kitchen scale
- Not enough fat: Don't reduce butter or oil from the recipe
- Overmixing: Mix just until ingredients are combined after adding flour
- Oven temperature too high: Consider using an oven thermometer to verify
Variations of Spice Cake
Old-Fashioned Spice Cake
For a truly nostalgic version, add ½ cup chopped raisins or dates to the batter and top with a simple boiled milk frosting instead of cream cheese frosting.
Christmas Spice Cake
Enhance the holiday feeling by adding ½ cup each of chopped dried cranberries and crystallized ginger to the batter. Consider a splash of rum or brandy in the frosting.
Spice Cake Recipe Without Applesauce
If you prefer not to use applesauce (which is sometimes used for moisture), increase the butter to 1 ¼ cups and the sour cream to 1 ¼ cups to maintain moisture.
Easy Spice Cake Recipe with Cake Mix
Start with a boxed yellow or white cake mix, add 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice (or your own spice blend), substitute milk with buttermilk, and add an extra egg and 2 tablespoons of molasses for a quick shortcut version.
Gluten-Free Spice Cake
Substitute all-purpose flour with a quality gluten-free blend that contains xanthan gum. The rest of the recipe remains the same, though you may need to adjust the liquid slightly.
Equipment
- Two 9-inch round cake pans or one 9x13-inch baking pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer (stand or hand)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Cooling rack
- Whisk for dry ingredients
Storage Tips
Room Temperature Storage
Spice cake stays fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days. The spices naturally help preserve moisture and flavor.
Refrigerator Storage
If using cream cheese frosting, refrigerate after 2 hours. The cake will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.
Freezer Storage
Unfrosted cake layers freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting. Frosted cake can also be frozen in sections, well-wrapped, for up to 1 month.
Make-Ahead Options
This cake actually improves with time as the spices meld and deepen. Make it 1-2 days before serving for the best flavor. You can also prepare the components (cake and frosting) separately and assemble just before serving.
Tips for Perfect Spice Cake
- Room temperature ingredients: Ensure butter, eggs, and dairy are at room temperature for the best incorporation and texture.
- Don't overmix: Once you add the flour, mix just until combined to avoid developing gluten which can make the cake tough.
- Measure spices carefully: Too much can overwhelm, too little results in bland cake. Measuring spoons are crucial here.
- Fresh spices matter: Ground spices lose potency over time. If yours are more than 6 months old, consider replacing them for optimal flavor.
- Even baking: For layer cakes, try to divide the batter equally between pans. Using a kitchen scale helps ensure even layers.
Final Thoughts on Spice Cake
Spice cake represents the perfect intersection of comfort, tradition, and baking artistry. While mastering this aromatic classic, you'll develop techniques that translate beautifully to other sophisticated desserts. The method of balancing spices carries over wonderfully to Earl Grey cake, where bergamot's citrusy notes create an equally nuanced but more delicate flavor profile. The careful mixing approach you learn with spice cake serves as excellent preparation for creating a perfect chiffon cake, where gentle folding and proper aeration create that signature cloud-like texture. And the moisture-retention techniques are invaluable when attempting a vibrant moist ube cake, where preserving the distinctive purple yam flavor depends on proper hydration. Whether you stick with traditional spice cake or explore these other flavor directions, the fundamental skills of balancing flavors, controlling moisture, and honoring quality ingredients remain the same; making you a more confident and versatile baker with each creation.
FAQs
What is spice cake made of?
Spice cake consists of a butter-based cake batter enriched with a blend of warming spices. The key ingredients include all purpose flour, butter, sugar (often brown sugar for moisture), eggs, leavening agents (baking powder/soda), and the signature spice blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Most recipes include vanilla extract and buttermilk or sour cream for tenderness, with some variations adding molasses or applesauce.
What does a spice cake taste like?
Spice cake offers a warm, aromatic flavor profile that's comfortingly sweet with complex notes from multiple spices. The predominant taste is warmly cinnamon-forward, complemented by the subtle sharpness of ginger, earthiness of cloves, and nutty warmth of nutmeg. The cake's base provides a buttery, vanilla-tinged foundation that balances the spices. It tastes cozy and nostalgic; like fall and winter celebrations in dessert form.
Is carrot cake and spice cake the same thing?
No, carrot cake and spice cake are distinct desserts, though they share similar spice profiles. The primary difference is that carrot cake contains shredded carrots as a main ingredient, which adds moisture, texture, and natural sweetness. Spice cake focuses purely on the spices themselves for flavor. Additionally, carrot cake often includes add-ins like nuts and raisins, while traditional spice cake typically has a more uniform texture.
Why is it called depression cake?
Depression cake earned its name during the Great Depression of the 1930s when ingredients like eggs, butter, and milk were scarce or prohibitively expensive. Also called "wacky cake" or "poor man's cake," these recipes cleverly substituted ingredients—using water instead of milk, vegetable oil instead of butter, and vinegar with baking soda for leavening instead of eggs. This resourceful approach allowed families to enjoy cake despite economic hardship.
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this spice cake:
Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 2 9-inch cake pans Or 1 large 9×13-inch pan
- 1 Mixing bowl (large) For batter preparation
- 1 Mixing bowl (medium) For dry ingredients
- 1 Electric mixer Hand or stand mixer
- 1 Rubber spatula For scraping and folding
- 1 Wire cooling rack To cool cake before frosting
- 1 Offset spatula Optional, for spreading frosting
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon Allspice Optional
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom Optional, for complexity
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted butter Softened
- 1 cup Brown sugar Light or dark
- ½ cup Granulated sugar
- 4 Eggs Room temperature
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon Molasses Optional, for deeper flavor
- 1 cup Sour cream Or buttermilk
Frosting
- 8 oz Cream cheese Softened
- ½ cup Unsalted butter Softened
- 4 cups Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 pinch Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease pans.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- Cream butter and both sugars until fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla and molasses.
- Add dry mix in thirds, alternating with sour cream. Mix until combined.
- Pour batter into pans and bake 30–35 minutes.
- Cool cake completely before frosting.
- Beat frosting ingredients until fluffy and frost cooled cake.
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