This Spice Cake is a moist, luscious treat filled with fabulous fall spices and a simple five-ingredient cream cheese frosting. It is a must-try if you love pumpkin pie spices and fall baking. Pair it with a hot pot of fresh coffee, and you’ll 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, such as bonfires, Halloween, neighborhood shindigs, and Thanksgiving.
Applesauce keeps this perfectly balanced spice cake moist, and the super easy cream cheese frosting is fantastic! The spices in this cake are tasteful and pleasant, and one spice does not take over the cake or overpower another. If you like this cake, try my other flavorful cakes, like carrot cake, chocolate zucchini cake, and chocolate cherry cake.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Cake flour: Has less gluten than all-purpose for a lighter, more tender texture.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves make a delicious combination, but if you don’t like one, omit it.
- Vegetable oil: or substitute canola oil
- Unsweetened applesauce: Cut the brown sugar back to 1 1/4 cups if using sweetened applesauce.
- Milk: Preferably whole or 2%
- Butter: Unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, omit the added salt in the frosting.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat block cream cheese. Do not use the whipped or spreadable cream cheese.
- Powdered sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar
How to Make Spice Cake
First, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves in a medium bowl. Whisk the oil, applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. 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 clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for several hours.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until 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.
Preparation 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 into the flour canister.
- 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.
- 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.
Store and Freeze
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.
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 13×9-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
- 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 into the flour canister.
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
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!