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Perfect Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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A moist, warmly spiced cake with tangy cream cheese frosting and crunchy toasted pecans. This recipe, passed down from a farm wife in Iowa during the 1940s, uses a technique of blooming spices in buttermilk for deeper flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (100g) chopped pecans, plus extra for garnish
  • 8 ounces (226g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper, and lightly flour sides.
  2. Spread chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 5-7 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
  3. In a small saucepan, warm buttermilk over low heat until lukewarm (about 110°F). Remove from heat and whisk in cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  6. Pour the warm spiced buttermilk into the wet ingredients and whisk until fully incorporated.
  7. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, folding gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
  8. Gently fold in toasted pecans until evenly distributed. Reserve a small handful for garnish.
  9. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  10. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Remove parchment paper and cool completely.
  11. For frosting: Beat softened cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on low speed. Add vanilla and salt, then beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  12. Assemble cake: Place one layer on serving plate, spread about ¾ cup frosting on top. Place second layer on top, spread remaining frosting over top and sides. Garnish with reserved pecans.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients are crucial for best texture. Do not overmix batter. Let cakes cool completely before frosting. For dairy-free, use almond milk with lemon juice for buttermilk, vegan cream cheese, and plant-based butter. Cake can be stored in refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: spice cake, cream cheese frosting, fall dessert, Thanksgiving, pecan cake, homemade cake

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