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
When I got married in 2009, our cake was apple with a french vanilla buttercream. So good and perfect for an October wedding.
When I saw the Sally’s team post this spice cake recipe, I knew I had to make it!
It’s SO GOOD! Definitely reminds me of our fabulous wedding cake!
I used honey crisp apples and they were perfect for it. I’d love to make it again some day as a layer cake, but this 9×13 is perfect too!
This is a fantastic recipe, made it for a layered wedding cake and made an eggnog buttercream for the filling and outside.
I’ve never browned butter before, but I seriously could have eaten all the frosting and not frosted the cake. W O W. My mom used to make spice cake with cream cheese frosting for us as kids, so this is super nostalgic for me. The cake is so moist and so flavorful, and that frosting is a keeper!! Your recipes are always perfect and so easy to follow. Thank you
Just made this amazing cake!! Super moist and the frosting was perfect! I did add molasses!! Thank you for this recipe!!
Have you ever done this gluten free ?
Hi Michele, while we haven’t tested it, this cake most likely will hold up well if using a 1:1 gluten free flour blend. Let me know if you try it.
Best spice cake I have ever made! So moist, and even better the next day. And easy to make.
Wow! Best spice cake I’ve ever had. I’ve never made anything with browned butter, but WOW!! It gave the icing a sort of caramely taste that was incredible. And the cake was simpler to make than I expected. I’ll note that my cake dipped in a bit toward the middle, and I’m not sure why. But it didn’t taste too dense or anything
Mine dipped as well. I searched as to why and some say it’s because it’s not done in the middle (even with a clean toothpick). I then realized this is just like banana bread and you have to watch the middle to make sure it’s good to the touch test. I put it back in for a bit. Also found out my oven temp was off by 15 degrees. Grrr! In any event, just tasted a corner piece and wow! It’s so delicious.
I made this for a birthday cake and used grated zucchini in place of the apples. I made sure to squeeze the veg dry (there’s a ton of moisture in zucchini) before adding it to the batter. It was wonderfully moist and perfectly spiced. Thank you!
I would like to make this for a friend who doesn’t eat refined sugar, what would you suggest as a replacement for sugar?
Hi Faby, we’d love to help but we are not trained in baking with sugar substitutes. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated for sugar substitutes. Thank you!
I made the spice cake tonight for our card playing friends. It received five star reviews. I have been studying your new cookbook and learning so much!! I will say this…/all your recipes are explained so well. Goofs will not happen if one reads through everything and then go step by step. Even the “advanced” recipes are doable. Breathe and read. Easy peasy. Thank you!!!!!
Hi, we want to make this but hubs wants it without the shredded carrots or apples or anything else shredded lol. What can we use in place of a shredded veggie/fruit?
Hi Megan, 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.
It says in the recipe notes that the shredded apple/carrot/zucchini is optional, and that the cake is plenty moist without it.
Any suggestions for making this into MINI bundt cakes? Thank you!
Hi Ang, you can certainly use this batter to make mini Bundt cakes. Exact yield and bake time will depend on the size of your mini Bundt pans, so keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Enjoy!
Sounds delicious, can I half the recipe and bake in an 8×8 square dish? Will anything need to change aside from cook time if I half it?
Hi Sarah! You could halve this recipe for a 9×9 pan. The bake time will be a little shorter, but not half. Keep an eye on it in the oven and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Enjoy!
This was bomb! I definetly should have covered it with foil at 25 minuets in because it was a little dry, but I also only had a corner piece. One thing I struggled with was creaming the brown butter after cooling because there’s so little of it, it barely touched my stand mixer’s paddle. Definetly will be taking more time with that in the future because I had some brown butter crumblies in my frosting. A hit nonetheless!
I used a bowl and hand mixer due to the scant amount. Worked perfectly
Can this recipe be made using King Arthur measure for measure gluten free flour?
Hi Mary, we haven’t tested it so we’re unsure of the exact results, but let us know if you do!
I am looking forward to making this for Columbus Day. I was planning on using orange extract for the cream cheese frosting and zest. But I would love to try the burnt butter frosting. Could I combine the two flavors? Or would it be too much? Sad debate! One for Monday and the other for November! Thanks for your recipes!
Hi Rebecca, we haven’t tested those flavors together, but the brown butter frosting may overpower the orange flavoring a bit. Let us know if you try it!
I don’t typically cook with nutmeg, ginger or cloves so I think entire jars would go bad before I got to use them. Do you think I could use pumpkin pie spice as a decent replacement?
Hi Amber, yes, that should be fine. Pumpkin pie spice is a similar blend of spices.
I haven’t tried this recipe yet. However, how much pumpkin spice should I use as a substitute for the ginger, clove and nutmeg? Thank you!
Hi Lillian! Pumpkin pie spice is a similar blend of spices – you could use it to replace all the spices (including the cinnamon).
1 cup of sweetened applesauce has about 18 grams of sugar, so one can reduce the brown sugar by 18 grams.
Question; if I only have sweetened applesauce, should I reduce the brown sugar?
Becky
Hi Becky, you can use your sweetened applesauce and reduce the sugar a bit, but we’re unsure exactly the amount that would be needed.
This is just what I was looking for! Perfect spice cake and the frosting was a dream. Easy recipe. You are my goto baking gal! Thank you
This popped up in my inbox recently, and soon after I had an excuse to bake it. 🙂 I took it into my staff room and placed it on a snack shelf. Very popular with many positive comments, and people unabashedly going for seconds and thirds, standing around the glass bakeware, refusing to leave. When I packed it up to take home, I was pleased that they had left me one corner slice so I could try my own handiwork. Whenever people compliment what I bake, I say: I just follow the recipe. And then I talk about Sally’s Baking Addiction. Lovely recipe, Sally. Thank you for making our baking lives brighter.
Hi Sally
My family loves your recipes! It would be helpful if you could list the total calories for your recipes.
Thank you!
Hi Barbara, thank you for your feedback! We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Made this today. Followed the recipe exactly. Made 12 muffins and one loaf. Also made the browned butter cream cheese frosting. Excellent combo. The cake batter was so easy to put together. First fall recipe for me. And the house smells oh so delish!!
Hello, can I ice the cake then freeze?
Hi MS! It is best to frost after freezing and thawing.
What would you think about making this as a two layer 9″ cake with frosting only between layers and then on the top? Would frosting recipe be too much? I suspect you would want slightly more on the top.
Hi Jeff! You may have a little extra frosting if not frosting all around the cake. See the post above for two layer cake instructions!
I would like to add raisins ro this cake…any tips?
Hi Patricia, you can add 1 cup of raisins to the cake batter. Enjoy!
So good! Happy accident: when I got home from shopping, realized I had no applesauce so substituted 1 cup pumpkin puree. Turned out wonderful! That frosting? No words in the English language to describe it. I’ll never make cream cheese frosting again without using brown butter. This recipe will be on repeat!
Thank you for the comment, i was wanting to do exactly this but was nervous about the shredded apple with pumpkin puree! I can’t wait to try it.
Agree 100000%.
Hi Friend! Is this recipe suitable for a loaf pan? Thank you.
Hi Jackie! You could try baking this batter in two 9×5 inch loaf pans, but we haven’t tested this ourselves!
Sounds like a great fall recipe. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
I made this spice cake to share with my fellow volunteers at my local food bank. It was incredibly moist and the warm flavours from the spices were just what the day needed! I used shredded carrot and they added that bit of extra moisture (and bonus — my friends got some veggies in their dessert!). I had extra regular cream cheese frosting so I topped with that, but I’m excited to try (for the first time) the brown butter cream cheese frosting. This cake will be my Thanksgiving feast dessert (in October — Canadian, here) and I will definitely try the recommended frosting! Definitely a repeat recipe!
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Do you think there is a way to use 3 six inch cake pans?
Hi Caroline, Our spice cupcakes recipe would make the perfect amount of batter for a three layer 6 inch cake. You can use our 6 inch cakes post for a reference on baking time. Enjoy!