This Spice Cake is a moist luscious treat filled with fabulous fall spices and topped with a super simple five-ingredient cream cheese frosting. If you love pumpkin pie spices and fall baking, this is a must-try. Pair it up with a hot pot of fresh coffee, and you have a slice of heaven.
Fall is in the air, and what better way to celebrate than with a delectable spice cake with loads of flavor? It is the perfect dessert for all your fall events like bonfires, Halloween, neighborhood shindigs, and even Thanksgiving. Applesauce helps keep this perfectly balanced spice cake moist, and the super easy cream cheese frosting is simply amazing!! The spices in this cake are tasteful and pleasant in that one spice does not take over the cake or overpower another spice. If you like this cake, you must try my other flavorful cakes like carrot cake, chocolate zucchini cake, and chocolate cherry cake.
How do you make Spice Cake?
First, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
Pour into a well-greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for several hours on a wire rack.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or hand mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until it is smooth and creamy with no lumps. Turn the mixer to medium and add the vanilla extract and salt. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and beater as needed. Spread the frosting over the fully-cooled cake.
Helpful tips Recipe Tips
- For accurate measuring, always scoop the flour into the measuring cup with a spoon. Then, level it off with a table knife, pushing the excess back off into the flour canister.
- Preheat your oven and load the cake on the center rack in the middle of the oven.
- Bring your eggs to room temperature before starting the cake.
- Stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture just until incorporated. Over-mixing the batter can result in a tough, dense, and chewy texture.
- Grease your baking dish well.
- Do not over-bake, as this can lead to a dry cake. Cook just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check after 30 minutes and every 3 minutes after that.
- Soften your butter and cream cheese before preparing the frosting.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting. This can take several hours. so plan accordingly.
- Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. Refrigerate leftovers covered well or in an airtight container, as this cake has a cream cheese frosting.
- To freeze, cover with two layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Fall will be gone before you know it, so don’t let the season slip by without trying this fabulous cake!
More Cakes to Love
Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Spice Cake
- 2 ½ cups cake flour or all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup milk 2% or whole
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish or pan.
- First, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for several hours on a wire rack.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or hand mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until it is smooth and creamy with no lumps. Turn the mixer to medium and add the vanilla extract and salt. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and beater several times as needed.
- Spread the frosting over the fully-cooled cake.
Notes
- Preheat your oven and load the cake on the center rack in the middle of the oven.
- Bring your eggs to room temperature before starting the cake.
- Stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture just until incorporated. Over-mixing the batter can result in a tough, dense, and chewy texture.
- Grease your baking dish well.
- Do not over-bake, as this can lead to a dry cake. Cook just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check after 30 minutes and every 3 minutes after that.
- Soften your butter and cream cheese before preparing the frosting.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting. This can take several hours. so plan accordingly.
- Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. Refrigerate leftovers covered well or in an airtight container, as this cake has a cream cheese frosting.
- To freeze, cover with two layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Tiffany
Can this be made as a two layer cake instead of a 9×13? If so would I need to adjust the ingredient amounts any? Thanks!
Beth Pierce
Yes it can but you will need to increase the frosting to 1.5x. I hope that makes sense.
Jenny
I love these spices all year round! This recipe for spice cake with cream cheese was absolutely delicious. it was devoured at my house so I must make it again, soon!
Marysa
This cake sounds great, and the frosting also sounds quite amazing! I haven’t had spice cake and as summer wraps up, I love using spices in recipes.
Moncia
Your spice cake recipe is a mouthwatering delight! The aromatic blend of spices and your simple instructions make baking a breeze. Thanks for sharing this yummy treat. It added wamrth to our taste buds. 🍰🍂👌
Karen
This cake looks sooooo delicious!!! I love spice cakes but I never had it with cream cheese….yummmm…I love cream cheese.
Sue
A slice of Autumn Delight! This Spice Cake was absolutely divine. Loving the blend of fall spices and that five-ingredient cream cheese frosting was the perfect finishing touch. Thanks for the winning cake recipe.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Sue! I am so glad that you loved the cake!
Mel
I could eat this cake all dang day long. It is just that good. Consider yourself warned.
Tammy
A perfect recipe to welcome fall with! I wish I had a slice of this right now…it sounds so lovely.
Maria
What a delicious spice cake. It was moist and flavorful with a tender crumb. So perfect with the cream cheese frosting. I wish I had a piece right nwo but the family gobbled it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Maria! I am so glad that you enjoyed the spice cake.
Samantha D
Fall is in the air. Thank goodness. I loved this delicious spice cake. The balance of spices was right on. It was easy to make and I always love a good cream cheese frosting.
Eric
This is our favorite spice with the perfect balance of spices without one overpowering the other and that delicious cream cheese frosting. AMAZING!
Ginger
Pecans are grate on the edges of the icing!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Ginger!
Shelley
This sounds delicious! Could this be made in a Bundt pan? 50-60 minutes?
Beth Pierce
Yes you should be able to. That time sounds about right but because I have never tried this particular recipe in a bundt pan you might move the first check up closer to 40-45 minutes.
Katie Regan
Is the frosting supposed to be sweet? Maybe my brown sugar is too subtle, because I can’t taste any sweetness.
Thanks
Beth Pierce
It has a light sweetness to it. You can certainly add more sugar to adjust to your taste.
JP
Just made it for my wife’s birthday. Turned out perfectly and the cake is amazing. The frosting is good, but not at the same level as the cake itself. Thank you for the recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks JP! So glad that you liked it! I hope your wife had a nice birthday!
Soniya
Oh my goodness.. looks so delicious and inviting 👌
Shanna
Such a great recipe!! It reminds me of the one my mother used to make when I was a little girl.
Dannii
I am loving all the spices in this cake. It sounds deliciously festive.
Toni Dash
This has been my favorite frosting since I’ve first tried it! So good and always a hit!
Tania Pilcher
Such a perfect tray bake for the festive season. Can’t wait to bake it with my daughter at the weekend!
Katie
This recipe- oh my goodness! So tasty! I am a huge fan of cream cheese frosting so this is perfect together!
Krystle
This is old fashioned comfort food. Tastes jsust like Grandma made! Will make again!
Lindsay Cotter
Oh my goodness!! So good! Love those fall flavors!
Toni
Everyone at my house was impressed! This is so good!!
wilhelmina
I love this cake, especially the frosting! A perfect sweet treat for any occasion. My husband loves to find a big slice in his lunchbox!
Lauren Kelly
I can’t even tell you how much I love this cake. I make it so often. I would take this over chocolate cake any day of the week!
Nora Singletary
Can the applesauce be replaced with anything else ?
Beth Pierce
Sorry about the delay. Do you have a small apple in the house that you could grate?
Catalina
Love this cake! I will make it this weekend!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
This Spice Cake is looks incredibly delicious!