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The Ultimate Super Moist Spice Cake with Silky Cream Cheese Frosting

A thick slice of layered spice cake with white cream cheese frosting next to the remaining round cake.
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Bake this incredibly moist spice cake from scratch, packed with warm cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. This recipe guarantees a tender crumb every time and pairs perfectly with a silky, tangy cream cheese frosting. It is the ideal comfort food for fall gatherings or holiday baking.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • For the Frosting:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream (optional, for thinning)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or one 9×13 inch pan. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract until combined.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer or whisk by hand until just combined. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
  6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes for layer cakes, or 35 to 40 minutes for a sheet cake, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. While the cakes cool, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
  9. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating well after each addition.
  10. Beat in the vanilla extract and salt. If the frosting is too thick, add milk or cream one teaspoon at a time until you reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.
  11. Once the cakes are completely cool, frost and stack the layers, or frost the sheet cake.

Notes

  • Using room temperature buttermilk and eggs helps create a more tender crumb structure in your cake.
  • For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding 1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter before baking.
  • If you want a brown butter cream cheese frosting, brown the butter first, chill it until solid, and then beat it with the cream cheese.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://magazinemeal.com/super-moist-spice-cake-recipe/