Easy Spice Cake
Prep
30 mins
Cook
30 mins
Servings
12
Difficulty
Medium
My grandma's spice cake has been my comfort food forever, and I'm thrilled to finally share it with you. This recipe is wonderfully simple, coming together in just an hour from start to finish, which makes it perfect for weeknight desserts without any fussy techniques. The warm blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves creates that cozy, aromatic magic that fills your kitchen and draws everyone to the table. Plus, the sour cream keeps the cake incredibly moist while adding beneficial probiotics. What I love most is how this cake feels like a special occasion treat but costs just pennies per slice. Once you taste this, you'll understand why it's been requested at every family gathering for decades.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 1 stick1 stick (113g) unsalted butter(113g) unsalted butter)
- 237 ml1 1/3 cups (300g) packed light brown sugar(300g) packed light brown sugar)
- 237 ml1/2 cup (112g) neutral oil(112g) neutral oil)
- 4 largeeggs
- 237 ml1/2 cup (130g) sour cream(130g) sour cream)
- 237 ml1/4 cup (55g) water(55g) water)
- 473 ml2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour(250g) all-purpose flour)
- 1 tablespoonground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoonground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoonground ginger
- 2 teaspoonsbaking powder
- 1 teaspoonkosher salt
- 1 teaspoonbaking soda
- 1 teaspoonground cloves
- 2 sticks2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature(226g) unsalted butter, room temperature)
- 237 ml1 1/4 cups (145g) powdered sugar(145g) powdered sugar)
- 2 tablespoons2 tablespoons (35g) heavy cream(35g) heavy cream)
- 2 teaspoonsvanilla extract
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper so that the ends of the paper extend beyond the long sides of the pan. You’ll use the paper as a sling to remove the cake from the pan before frosting.
- 2
Add the butter to a large saucepan (a 3-quart saucepan or larger is best). Melt over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the brown sugar, oil, eggs, sour cream, and water. Whisk until combined and no bits of sour cream are visible. Add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cloves. Whisk to thoroughly blend the ingredients until the batter is completely smooth. Be sure to incorporate any floury bits in the corners of the pan.
- 3
Using a silicone spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the center of the cake springs back when lightly poked with a finger, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack, at least 1 hour.
- 4
Add the butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt to a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients on low speed until combined. Gradually increase the speed to high and mix until the frosting has lightened in color and is very smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula halfway through mixing.
- 5
Use the parchment paper sling to transfer the cooled cake to a tray or cutting board. Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake with a spatula or spoon. I like to make swoops and swirls with my spatula for an appealing and simple design. Cut into 12 slices, or more smaller slices if your guests are kidding themselves about how much cake they’ll end up devouring. Cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!
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