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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Krystle S
As someone who adores fall baking, this was right up my alley. The cake turned out incredibly moist and the blend of warm spices filled my whole kitchen with the coziest aroma.
Stephanie P
This spice cake couldn’t be easier to make! The cake pairs nicely with the cream cheese frosting – but it’s also amazing without any frosting.
Jen S
Such a lovely cake!!! I can’t wait to make this one. Fall is my favorite season, and this just brings in the comfort of the season.
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.