Moist, flavorful, and tender yet dense homemade spice cake is topped with a generous layer of the silkiest brown butter cream cheese frosting. Make it as a sheet cake, layer cake, cupcakes, or a Bundt cake! Filled with comforting warm spices, this dessert is perfect for cool fall days.
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since added new photos and more success tips. I now show you exactly how to turn this cake into a layer cake (see below!).
Chocolate? You’ll forget all about it after one bite of this spice cake. It’s dense, moist, and flavorful enough that frosting isn’t even a requirement. I can’t believe I’m saying this but, when done right, super moist spice cake doesn’t need frosting.
But that obviously won’t stop us from adding it anyway! The most luscious brown butter cream cheese frosting takes this already-amazing spice cake to a whole new level.
One reader, Veronica, commented: “What a hit! I was looking for a fabulous spice cake recipe and this is it!!! I took it to a football party and people could not stop raving about it or eating it! Super moist, super flavorful! ★★★★★“
One reader, Nicqui, commented: “OMG this is the most delicious cake. Super moist and the spice mix is fabulous. I’ve made many spice cakes and they usually turn out dry and dense but this was perfect. ★★★★★“
This Spice Cake Is:
- Soft and moist like banana cake
- Cozy and comforting, perfectly spiced
- Easy to make—no mixer required for the batter
- Delicious without frosting, and even better when it’s topped with smooth + silky brown butter cream cheese frosting
- Versatile—make it as a sheet cake, layer cake, cupcakes, or Bundt cake
- A great make-ahead recipe (it’s even tastier on day 2!)
This spice cake is dense, yet tender and so-very-rich. It has tight crumbs and a moist texture. And more flavor in 1 bite than in an entire cupcake—we’re talking gingerbread-level flavor. It’s certainly one of my favorite fall cake recipes.
Plus, you can see that I used this very batter as the starting point for my favorite apple cake. Such a great base recipe!
Choosing the Right Ingredients
Some key ingredients you need:
- Flour: All-purpose flour serves as the base. You need sturdy all-purpose flour instead of cake flour in this recipe because of the heavy, wet batter.
- Fall Spices + Molasses: For mega spice flavor we use lots of cozy spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. I always add 1 Tablespoon of molasses, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can just leave it out. I loved its extra robust flavor inside the cake, but I did test the cake without it. Still wonderful.
- Oil: Oil guarantees a moist crumb.
- Brown Sugar: We use only brown sugar in this spice cake recipe because you know that’s where the best flavor lies. I prefer dark brown sugar for even deeper flavor.
- Applesauce: Applesauce adds even more moisture.
- Apple: 1 cup of shredded apple adds so much flavor and moisture—it’s what makes this spice cake truly the best I’ve ever tasted. You can also use shredded zucchini or carrot instead, or feel free to skip it.
Plus, baking powder, baking soda, eggs, vanilla, and salt.
Overview: How to Make Spice Cake
This is a very simply cake to prepare—it actually reminds me of pumpkin cake in terms of preparation, ease, taste, and texture. You don’t even need your mixer!
Select the pan you’re using. Today I have both the quarter sheet pan (9×13-inch) and 3-layer cake option pictured. Make sure the pan you’re using is greased. If making a layer cake, line your round pans with parchment paper rounds.
You can make either of these size cakes, or a 2-layer cake, Bundt cake, or cupcakes:
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
We all know that cream cheese frosting is spice cake’s good friend, but did you know that spice cake’s BEST friend happens to be brown butter cream cheese frosting?
I’m not sure why I waited so long to turn regular cream cheese frosting into brown butter cream cheese frosting? This is the same frosting we use on this zucchini cake, and it’s quite possibly the best frosting I’ve ever had—tangy and sweet, but not as tooth-decayingly sweet as American-style buttercream. Creamy, thick, silky, smooth.
Here’s how to make it:
- Brown butter on the stove. I wrote an entire tutorial on how to brown butter so you can learn exactly how it’s done!
- Refrigerate it until solid, then cream it.
- Beat in cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt.
Those specks of nutty toasty buttery goodness bring cream cheese frosting up about 700 notches on the delicious scale.
Time-saving tip: Browning the butter and refrigerating it until solid is a whole extra step, but you can do this before you even start making the cake. By the time the baked cake has cooled, the brown butter will be re-solidified and ready to be whipped into frosting.
That said, if you simply don’t have the time to brown the butter and let it re-solidify, this cake is just as tasty with regular cream cheese frosting, or with the cinnamon cream cheese frosting we use on banana cupcakes. You could even use white chocolate buttercream frosting or garnish each slice with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.
Other Size Spice Cakes
This spice cake is incredibly versatile, which is one of the many things I love about it! There’s enough batter for a layer cake, Bundt cake, or cupcakes.
- 2-Layer 9-inch Cake: Divide the batter equally between two 9-inch cake pans and bake the layers for about 26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- 3-Layer 8-inch Cake: Divide the batter equally among three 8-inch cake pans and bake the layers for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Pictured below.) See recipe Note about how to increase the volume of frosting.
- Bundt Cake: This batter fits wonderfully into a 10–12-cup Bundt pan and takes around 55–65 minutes. Start checking around the 50-minute mark, and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
- Cupcakes: This recipe makes about 24 standard-size cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 18–21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. See recipe Note about how to increase the volume of frosting.
More Recipes Spice Cake Fans Will Love
- Banana Cake
- Carrot Cake
- Zucchini Cake
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Harvest Spice Bread
- Apple Cider Donuts
- Hummingbird Cake and Hummingbird Bundt Cake
- Chai Spiced Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake
- Apple Zucchini Bread
Super Moist Spice Cake
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Moist, flavorful, and tender yet dense homemade spice cake is topped with a generous layer of the silkiest brown butter cream cheese frosting. Make it as a sheet cake, layer cake, cupcakes, or a Bundt cake! Filled with comforting warm spices, this dessert is perfect for cool fall days.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
- 1 and 3/4 cup (350g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 cup (240g) unsweetened applesauce
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (150g) shredded apple (or shredded carrot/zucchini)
- optional: 1 Tablespoon (21g) unsulphured or dark molasses (not blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 slices
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 and 1/2 cups (300g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- optional, for garnish: sprinkle of ground cinnamon or nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13-inch pan. I always use this glass pan. See recipe Notes for other pan size options.
- Make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, and molasses (if using). Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Some small lumps are OK. Fold in the shredded apple until combined.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 38–40 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. If you find the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil (I usually do this around the 25-minute mark).
- Remove the cake from the oven and set on a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
- Brown the butter for the frosting: Set out a medium heatproof bowl because you’ll need it at the end of this step. Place the sliced butter in a light-colored skillet or saucepan. A light-colored interior is crucial for determining when the butter begins to brown. Melt the butter over medium heat and stir or whisk constantly. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. Continue stirring/whisking, keeping a close eye on it. After about 5–7 minutes, the butter will begin browning and you’ll notice lightly browned specks forming at the bottom of the pan. The butter will have a nutty aroma. The color will gradually deepen, from yellow to golden to golden-brown; once it’s a light caramel-brown color, immediately remove from heat and pour into the bowl, including any brown solids that have formed on the bottom of the pan. Cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely and solidify.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the solidified brown butter on high speed until creamy and smooth. Add the cream cheese and beat again until smooth and combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then gradually increase to high speed and beat for 2 minutes.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. If desired, top with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. This helps sets the frosting and makes slicing easier.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare cake through step 5. Cover the cake tightly and set at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature before serving. Continue with step 6.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Box Grater | 9×13-inch Baking Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Light-Colored Skillet | Whisk | Icing Spatula
- Quarter Sheet Pan: I really like to bake quarter sheet cakes in a glass 9×13-inch pan or this metal pan that comes with a lid.
- Can I replace or reduce the oil? Vegetable oil is a great option for this cake. You can replace with a neutral-flavored oil such as avocado oil or canola oil. Feel free to use melted refined coconut oil (refined doesn’t have much of a coconut flavor) and make sure every other ingredient in the cake batter is room temperature, so the oil doesn’t solidify. Do not replace with melted butter because the cake will taste dry. You can replace a small amount of the oil with applesauce if needed, but keep in mind that the cake will begin to taste dry/rubbery the more oil you replace.
- Applesauce: It’s best to use unsweetened applesauce in this recipe—you need a wet ingredient that won’t overpower the other flavors in the cake. Feel free to use mashed banana, pumpkin puree, or canned crushed pineapple instead, but keep in mind that the flavor of the cake will change.
- Shredded Apple: You can skip the shredded apple (or carrot/zucchini) if needed. The cake is plenty moist without it. Or feel free to replace with chopped apple.
- Brown Butter in Frosting: For more information and troubleshooting, see this post on how to brown butter.
- Layer Cake: Grease three 8-inch or two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for about 25–26 minutes. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The frosting recipe above is enough for a thin layer on a 2-layer cake, but is not enough for a 3 layer cake. Instead, use the brown butter cream cheese frosting recipe/ratios from this banana layer cake so you have enough. Before using, refrigerate the prepared frosting for at least 30 minutes so it’s sturdier and can hold up the layers. Here’s how to assemble a layer cake.
- Bundt Cake: This cake batter will fit into a greased 10-cup or larger Bundt pan. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 55–65 minutes. The baking time varies depending on your oven; keep your eye on the cake after 50 minutes. Feel free to cover the cake loosely with aluminum foil about halfway through to prevent heavy browning on top. Allow the cake to cool in the pan set on a cooling rack for 1 hour, then invert onto a serving plate.
- Cupcakes: Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 19–21 minutes. Yields about 2 dozen. This frosting recipe here is not enough for 2 dozen cupcakes. Instead, use the brown butter cream cheese frosting recipe/ratios from this banana layer cake.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This looks pretty dark to be a spice cake, but I guess it’s whatever you like. I like “white cake spice cake” with buttercream frosting with a hint of cinnamon or nutmeg. I’m swedish so we use a LOT of nutmeg in our cooking. I have a recipe for a roast beef (rump roast) baked in the oven and sprinkled with nutmeg and it’s absolutely devine!
Can this be made in a 9×9 pan. It’s just my husband and I and don’t want too much!
Hi Kathy! You could halve this recipe for a 9×9 pan. Enjoy!
Hey there I would really live to make this for Thanksgiving, was wondering if finely dicing the apples would work instead of shredding.
Hi Mya, it’s best to stick with grated/shredded apple here. That acts more like a wet ingredient, whereas diced apples act more like an add-in, so the cake would be lacking the necessary moisture.
When I find a new recipe I do two things before I decide weither or not I’ll make it. The first thing I do is read the ingredients list. My husband doesn’t like some things so I look at that. The second thing I look at is the amount of sugar. When I read that you had put one and three quarters of brown sugar I went wow , that is a lot of sugar. I wonder if I can cut out three quarters of that out? I am a diabetic and all of that sugar is not good for me or anyone else. So I am going to try and make this tomorrow for my Women’s Bible study on Thursday. Try making this wit less sugar and see how it comes out. I will get back to you as to how they liked it.
Hi JoAnne! Sugar is used for moisture and texture in baked goods as well as taste. You can certainly try reducing the sugar, but the resulting texture will be different than intended. Let us know if you try!
Can vegetable be substituted for another oil
Hi Judith! We prefer to bake with neutral tasting oils like vegetable or canola. Avocado oil should be a suitable replacement, but we haven’t tested it.
This recipe was super good. Took it to family gathering and nice and moist, delicious spices. Will make again
We loved this cake! My daughter asked for a spice cake for her birthday and this cake was the perfect choice. It hit all the right fall notes that she loves. Her son loved it as well. I will be making it again for sure. It’s just delicious with that wonderful frosting too.
I love your recipes, but this one was disappointing. I thought with applesauce, apple, oil, molasses, 4 eggs…it would have to be moist. It was okay, but it wasn’t great.
Hi Maureen, this is a very moist cake – if you found yours was dry, we’d love to help you troubleshoot. Is it possible that it was a bit over baked? Over baking (even by just a minute or two!) is often the culprit for dry cakes. And did you use the spoon and level method to measure your flour? We also share more tips on how to prevent dry and dense cakes in this blog post — hopefully some of these tips will be helpful if you give it another try.
This is the most soft cake i have ever made
I want to make this recipe for my music group, but we are all older and I don’t need a full-size cake. Can I make half this recipe in an 8×8 pan? I could actually make the whole recipe and divide it into two pans and freeze one. Would I need to change the temp and time of baking? Also, my name is Sally, too! ( :
Hi Sally, a 9×9 square pan would be best. It will rise quite tall in the 8×8 inch pan. Same temperature, but we’re unsure of the exact bake time so keep a close eye on it and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Tried this for the first time and it came out like a winner. Absolute triumph. Thanks Sally.
My mother made this exact recipe when I was young but she used a 7-Minute Frosting to top hers. Delicious!
Dying to try this recipe today but only have whole cloves?? Any suggestions please?
Hi Betty! The cloves would need to be ground, do you have a mortar and pestle?
Love the recipes!! Rating 1-5 is true . Thank you for saving me hours of work! Just click and cook
This is delicious!!!! I had leftover cream cheese frosting from cupcakes I made for a party and my hubbies has been craving spice cake. I made a couple changes because I didn’t have a couple items. I grated twice the amount needed of apples and cooked half with a little apple juice and made my own applesauce, I was out of molasses so I used dark Karo and only had a cup and a 1/4 brown sugar so i used white for the remainder with another tbl dark karo. I had 2 pineapple rings that needed to be used so I chopped them and put in there. It is wonderful! Your recipe is perfect, I just had to sub this time.
This cake turned out great. I added the shredded apple and used a greased and floured Bundt pan. After cooling on a wire rack for 15 minutes, it released out of the pan perfectly. Cook time was 35 minutes in a gas oven. I also covered with foil after about 18 minutes as it was getting brown. Make husband refers to it as holiday cake. 🙂
What can I do about leaving the shredded apple out ? Can I just leave it out or do I need to replace it with something else. We are not fond of apples or carrots etc shredded into cakes, we don’t like the texture. The rest of the recipe sounds good, especially the addition of molasses
Hi Diana, you’ll lose a lot of moisture without the apple/carrot/zucchini, so we don’t recommend leaving it out. What you could do is shred and then chop the add-in you choose, which should help it to bake in more evenly without as much texture. Let us know if you give it a try! Otherwise, if you’re looking for a molasses-spiced cake, you might enjoy this gingerbread cake.
Should I just double the recipe for a half sheet pan size?
Hi Linda, here’s everything you need to know about cake pan sizes and conversions.
Several of the weight and volume measurements do not match. A cup of apple sauce weighs more than toy specify. 2.5 c flour weighs less. Vegetable oil and brown sugar also meaningfully off. I’m an experienced baker using a digital scale. Hoping I didn’t just waste a lot of ingredients.
Absolutely delicious!!
Oooh another successful sally recipe!! I added walnuts and raisins to it!
I made this cake, so very moist,flavorful and delicious! Glass pan 45 min,perfect.Frosting creamy and hmm so good…thanks for the recipe.
Do you think I could replace the applesauce in this recipe with highly spiced (cinnamon) apple butter. I bought it at a fair and no one in the family will eat it, hate to wasteHate to waste. Thanks for your help.
Love your recipes.
Hi PHO, apple butter is typically much sweeter than applesauce, so we don’t recommend that substitution. Best to stick with applesauce here!
This recipe is awesome! I did not have fresh apple so I omitted that, also didn’t have molasses so I added a tablespoon of salted caramel syrup.
Everyone ate it up fast and mom has requested it again for her upcoming birthday this month.
I used two 9” round pans and doubled the frosting recipe. I sifted my powder sugar for an extra smooth and creamy texture. It’s so wonderfully easy and delicious.
I followed the recipe to a T and the resulting cake is phenomenal! I used 9×13 pan and it took 45 minutes in electric oven, but I probably could have taken it out at the 40 minute mark. I used blackstrap molasses, avocado oil in lieu of vegetable oil and an Envy apple. I noticed that the cake tasted better after it sat in the fridge overnight. The spices seemed a little intense yesterday, but it tasted very well balanced today.
I am definitely making this again. I plan on replacing the apple sauce and grated apple with very ripe bananas. Delish!
Amazing flavour!! Super moist.
I know you can use zucchini in place of the grated apple, but is there something I could substitute for the applesauce? Due to allergies, I can’t use apple.
Hi Jean, pumpkin puree or mashed bananas would work well in place of the applesauce.
Thank you for asking this question. I have a gallon of blackstrap that I bought during the lock down when I couldn’t find Grandma’s anywhere. I actually prefer the blackstrap over the lighter molasses.
Hi Sally,
Your recipes are amazing! I am not great at following directions, but when I make your recipes, they always turn out wonderful. I increased by half, used half whole wheat flour and added a bunch of dried fruit soaked in rum and walnuts instead of the apple. Baked in a 10×15 glass pan for around 40 minutes. Skipped the frosting and served with frozen yogurt. So easy – this will be one of my go to recipes for holiday dessert!
Thank you!
I have made this several times now and we all love it. It is so so good. My next is in the oven and I think after it cools it’s going to the neighbors house. No I will cut it in half and send half of it to the neighbors 🙂 Can’t wait until it is ready, yummy
Sally!
Made this for my son in laws birthday. High altitude aside, shorter bake time, cool with low humidity, this worked like a dream. A stunning cake in flavor and appearance. I added sliced almods pushed into the frosting around the outside. I can always count on your kitchen to provide anothwr trusted recipe to share the love of baking.