I made an Autumn Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting and I’m honestly hiding the pan because the slices vanish the second anyone gets a fork.

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I adore this Autumn Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting because I want a slice every single afternoon. I’m obsessed with the tang of cream cheese and the deep warmth of ground cinnamon folded into the batter.

But what really hooks me is the way the frosting clings to a fork, creamy and just silly with sweetness, like a Cream Cheese Frosting Cake that refuses to be ladylike. I eat it straight from the plate when no one’s watching.

It’s messy, loud, and honest. I don’t apologize.

It tastes like the season in your mouth, and that’s enough. Damn good.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: Gives body and a tender crumb you’ll slice easily.
Granulated sugar: Sweetness and lightness, helps browning and texture.
Light brown sugar: Adds moistness and warm, caramel-like notes.
Baking powder: Leavens the cake, makes it lift and feel fluffy.
Baking soda: Reacts with acids, helps rise and softens crumb.
Salt: Balances sweetness and sharpens the spices’ character.
Ground cinnamon: Cozy spice that smells like fall in your kitchen.
Ground ginger: Adds a bright, zippy warmth to each bite.
Ground cloves: Deep, aromatic punch—use sparingly, it’s potent.
Ground nutmeg: Nutty, slightly sweet warmth, great in tiny amounts.
Ground allspice: Basically like a mix of spices, optional but nice.
Eggs: Bind everything together and give structure and richness.
Vegetable oil: Keeps cake moist, stays tender for days.
Buttermilk: Tangy moisture that reacts with soda for lift.
Molasses: Deep, robust sweetness and that classic spice-cake color.
Vanilla extract: Rounds out flavors, makes the spices sing softly.
Cream cheese: Tangy, creamy base for the frosting you’ll love.
Unsalted butter: Adds richness and smoothness to the frosting.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens frosting into that spreadable goodness.
Vanilla for frosting: Small boost of flavor, it ties things together.
Pinch of salt for frosting: Cuts the sweetness, keeps frosting balanced.
Milk or cream: Thins frosting if needed, makes it silky smooth.
Chopped walnuts or pecans: Toasty crunch on top, optional but addictive.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (optional)

3 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup unsulphured molasses

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy

1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the frosting

Pinch of salt for frosting

1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream, if needed to thin frosting

Optional: 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans for topping

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or line a 9×13 pan with parchment, your call, I usually do two rounds for stacking.

2. Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl: 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice if using.

3. In another bowl whisk 3 large eggs until slightly frothy, then add 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix until combined, nothing fancy.

4. Pour the wet into the dry and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Do not overmix, you want a tender cake not rubber. Scrape the bottom so no pockets of flour remain.

5. Divide batter between prepared pans or spread into the 9×1
3. Smooth the top and tap pans on the counter once to remove big air bubbles.

6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs: about 25 to 30 minutes for two 9 inch pans, or 40 to 50 minutes for a 9×1
3. Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely before frosting.

7. Make the cream cheese frosting: beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter until smooth and fluffy. Add 3 cups powdered sugar a cup at a time, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Beat until smooth; if too thick add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream to reach spreadable consistency.

8. If frosting a layer cake, level tops if needed, put a big dollop of frosting between layers then crumb coat and chill 15 minutes to set, then finish frosting. If using 9×13 just spread evenly.

9. Sprinkle optional 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans over the top, press lightly into frosting so they stick.

10. Chill slightly to set the frosting or serve at room temperature. Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, let come to room temp before serving for best flavor.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9×13 pan (and parchment or grease and flour)
3. Large mixing bowl and medium mixing bowl
4. Whisk and spatula or wooden spoon
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Electric mixer or stand mixer (for the frosting) or a sturdy whisk if you wanna do it by hand
7. Cooling rack
8. Serrated knife or cake leveler and an offset spatula for frosting

FAQ

Q: How do I know when the cake is done? A: Stick a toothpick in center, it should come out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. If it looks shiny in the middle bake 3 to 5 more minutes and check again.

Q: Can I make this with oil substitutes like melted butter or applesauce? A: You can swap with melted butter 1 for 1 for richer flavor, but applesauce will make it denser and a bit less tender. If using applesauce, use 3/4 cup instead of 1 cup oil.

Q: How do I prevent the frosting from being too soft on a warm day? A: Chill the cream cheese and butter before whipping, then chill the finished frosted cake for 20 to 30 minutes. If frosting still soft, add a little more powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until it firms up.

Q: Can I make the cake ahead of time? A: Yep. Bake the layers up to 2 days ahead, wrap tightly and refrigerate. Frost on the day you serve. You can also freeze unfrosted layers up to 2 months, thaw in fridge overnight then bring to room temp before frosting.

Q: My cake sank in the middle, what went wrong? A: Common reasons are underbaking, too much leavening, or opening the oven door too early. Make sure oven temp is accurate and measure baking powder and soda carefully. Also avoid overmixing the batter after you add the flour.

Q: Want to add nuts or texture, when should I add them? A: Fold 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter at the end for inside crunch, or toast and sprinkle them on top after frosting. Toasting brings out way more flavor, so toss them in a dry skillet for 3 to 5 minutes first.

Spice Cake (BEST EVER! With Cream Cheese Frosting) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Buttermilk: use 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar, let sit 5 minutes. Works almost the same, maybe a touch less tang.
Vegetable oil: swap for 1 cup melted unsalted butter for richer flavor, or use 1 cup unsweetened applesauce to cut fat and keep cake moist (texture will be a bit different).
Molasses: substitute with 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar + 2 tablespoons hot water (stir to dissolve), or use an equal amount of pure maple syrup or dark corn syrup in a pinch.
Cream cheese (for frosting): use equal parts mascarpone or full-fat Greek yogurt (strain it a bit first) for a similar tang; Neufchâtel cheese is also a lower fat 1:1 swap but slightly softer.

Pro Tips

– Let everything come to room temp first — eggs, buttermilk and especially the cream cheese and butter for the frosting. Cold ingredients make the batter seize up and the frosting go lumpy, and you’ll get a denser cake.

– Don’t overmix once the wet hits the dry. Stir until you can’t see streaks of flour, then stop. Overworking the gluten is the easiest way to get a tough, rubbery crumb.

– Use an oven thermometer and watch the cake near the end of baking. Molasses cakes can look done on top while the center is still slightly under; a toothpick with a few moist crumbs is perfect. If the edges are browning too fast, tent loosely with foil and finish baking.

– If you like nuts, toast them first in a dry skillet for a few minutes until fragrant, then cool and chop. They’ll have way more flavor and a better crunch, and press them gently into the frosting so they don’t slide off.

Spice Cake (BEST EVER! With Cream Cheese Frosting) Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I made an Autumn Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting and I'm honestly hiding the pan because the slices vanish the second anyone gets a fork.

Servings

servings

Calories

714

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (set to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9×13 pan (and parchment or grease and flour)
3. Large mixing bowl and medium mixing bowl
4. Whisk and spatula or wooden spoon
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Electric mixer or stand mixer (for the frosting) or a sturdy whisk if you wanna do it by hand
7. Cooling rack
8. Serrated knife or cake leveler and an offset spatula for frosting

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (optional)
3 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the frosting
Pinch of salt for frosting
1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream, if needed to thin frosting
Optional: 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans for topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or line a 9×13 pan with parchment, your call, I usually do two rounds for stacking.
Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl: 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice if using.
In another bowl whisk 3 large eggs until slightly frothy, then add 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix until combined, nothing fancy.
Pour the wet into the dry and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Do not overmix, you want a tender cake not rubber. Scrape the bottom so no pockets of flour remain.
Divide batter between prepared pans or spread into the 9×1
Smooth the top and tap pans on the counter once to remove big air bubbles.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs: about 25 to 30 minutes for two 9 inch pans, or 40 to 50 minutes for a 9×1
Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely before frosting.
Make the cream cheese frosting: beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter until smooth and fluffy. Add 3 cups powdered sugar a cup at a time, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Beat until smooth; if too thick add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream to reach spreadable consistency.
If frosting a layer cake, level tops if needed, put a big dollop of frosting between layers then crumb coat and chill 15 minutes to set, then finish frosting. If using 9×13 just spread evenly.
Sprinkle optional 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans over the top, press lightly into frosting so they stick.
Chill slightly to set the frosting or serve at room temperature. Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, let come to room temp before serving for best flavor.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.