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
What adjustments should be made for baking this spice cake at high altitude?
Hi Pat, we wish we could help, but we have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Can this recipe be made in a 12 count mini Bundt pan?
Hi Jackie, that shouldn’t be a problem! We’re unsure of the exact yield and bake time, as it will depend on the exact size of the cavities. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Your sugar cookies are the bomb I’ve made them several times and I add butter cream frosting and glazed colored sugars to them and they are gone in days I’ve made eight dozen in the last two weeks
Excellent recipe and the frosting is gorgeous! I will make this for our Thanksgiving this year, in the form of muffins and mini-muffins. Thank you!!
I really want to use this recipe but don’t want shredded apples, carrots or zucchini in it. Is there a way I can do it without that as part of the recipe, or is that where some of the moisture comes from?
Hi Tyler, You can skip the shredded apple (or carrot/zucchini) if needed. The cake is plenty moist without it.
Is there a substitute for the grated apple? I want them to be moist but I was going to put a caramel apple center in the cupcakes when finished baking. I cook my apples down and let them cool then I put a tunnel in the center of the cupcake and put the caramel apple inside. I use this step with my chocolate cupcakes. I use a chocolate ganache filling in those.
Hi Deet, shredded carrot or shredded zucchini are both great options in place of the shredded apple.
The sice cake got rave reviews at a large family gathering! I was thrilled and it was a fun cake to make, great instructions.
i love everything from Sally! the gold standard! can i use olive oil in this? and is the link to the 15 bundt cake pan the right one? or should it be smaller 10-12? can you use frosting on the bundt cake? thanks!!
Hi Jana, you can use olive oil in place of the vegetable oil. You can use any Bundt pan that is at least 10-cup capacity. And absolutely, you can use frosting on the Bundt cake, too!
This recipe turned out amazing. I made cupcakes and iced them with your regular cream cheese frosting. Is it possible to freeze them with the icing?
Hi Sharon! It is best to frost after freezing and thawing.
Can you make this recipe gluten free? We have a family member that can’t eat gluten. If so, what type of flour would you recommend?
Hi Liza, while we haven’t tested it, this cake most likely will hold up well if using a 1:1 gluten free flour blend. Let us know if you try it.
The spices in this cake are spot on! I added about 1/2 c golden raisins as well and it enhanced the mouth feel. But we thought the cake was a bit dry. Has anyone added sour cream for moisture and if so, what happened? Or any other suggestions to moisten the crumb?
Hi Linda, sour cream or plain yogurt would be good substitutes for the applesauce. You could also try baking a minute or two less next time!
I made your Super Moist Spice Cake for my friend’s birthday celebration. I chose to make the cupcakes with the shredded apple! Everyone liked them and commented how moist they were. I had a few left and my husband loved them too! I chose not to ice them but, I am going to make the bundt cake version for the holidays and I will use your recipe for the Brown Butter Icing then.
Hello Sally
I have used several of your recipes and they always come just perfect. So glade to have found your website.
Many Thanks,
Sheila Henderson
I’m looking forward to making this for my mother-in-laws birthday because spice cake is her favorite. I like to make both cake and frosting ahead and transport them separately and then frost the cake once we get there. I’ve never made brown butter frosting…do you think it would hold up overnight if kept chilled and then I frost the cake the next day? Thank you for all of the amazing, well-tested recipes!
Hi Sonja! That will work just fine, although you may need to rewhip the frosting for a minute or so before spreading on the cake (it will solidify a bit in the refrigerator overnight). Hope the cake is a hit!
I wanted to clarify the weight/measurement of the oil. One cup of oil weighed 200 grams on my scale but recipe calls for 240 grams. I chose to use 200 grams. There was so much liquid from the grated apple. I was not sure if my apple was too juicy so I did squeezed some out. The cake came out of the oven just now and it smells really good! I will find out if what I did was detrimental to the cake.
Can I halve this recipe?
Hi Suzanne! 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!
Hi! Just wanted to say I made this for my mom’s bday yesterday and I did halve the recipe and it came out perfect at 27 minutes! It was moist and delicious and a huge hit. Thank you!
This is so moist and delicious! Making it again for my birthday!
Tastes super good! I only baked mine for 35 minutes, and it came out slightly overbaked. I have an internal thermometer that I use to monitor the temperature, so I’m not sure exactly what happened. Also, I added a little bit of milk to my frosting because it was way too thick to spread. Other than that, really easy recipe and is great for fall!
What a stellar cake! I’ve made it twice in the past three days – once for a work potluck (I didn’t even get a piece because it went so fast!) and then once for my husband and myself.
The first one was all the original measurements in two 9-inch round pans and baked for 26 minutes. I kept the original measurements for the icing too, and added dulce de leche caramel in between layers. I used the brown butter cream cheese in between and on top, leaving the sides of the cake bare.
For the second I halved both the cake and icing measurements, baked in a metal loaf pan for about 32 minutes, then cut the loaf and layered the icing and caramel like above.
Suffice to say, this recipe is going to become a staple in my household. Thank you Sally!
I’m really looking forward to making this! Sounds delicious. I’m wondering if I could use Greek yogurt as a substitution for the apple sauce?
Hi Hannah, that should be fine!
Sally every recepie that I make turns out amazingly.
I have started making ice cream as we are in spring time here in Australia.
The ice cream recepies are sooooo good.
The flavour and constincencies are true.
Thank you very much.
Question about pan size …
Does a spring form work for this recipe?
Hi Karen, see “Other Size Spice Cakes” for the best cake pan sizes for this recipe.
Every time I make this recipe someone wants the recipe!
So good for the Fall weather
I don’t normally write reviews, but need to do it for this recipe.
I made 1/2 recipe and was able to get 24 mini muffins and 2 regular sized muffins. Instead of making the icing, I put cinnamon crumbles and chopped pecans on top.
Delicious! I made this yesterday for a birthday celebration and it was a big hit! I made it into a 3 layer cake with 8” pans. Great flavor and really moist and I love the flavor of the frosting – not overly sweet. Thank you for a great recipe!
I’m interested in making this cake, but the recipe doesn’t mention what kind of apple (for shredding) was used. Do you have any recommendations?
Hi Jen, we love using Granny Smith apples here, but you can use your favorite. Here is more on the best apples to use for baking!
Thank you! Granny Smith are my favorite, but I thought they might be too tart. Thanks for the response!
Oh my…. I usually use grams, and the brown sugar, 350grams seemed like a lot. So I used measuring cups.
I’d say the recipe is off 1 whole cup when translating to grams.
96 grams ~
Hi Angela! The weight measurement is correct. You can read more about measuring baking ingredients in this post!
This cake is so good! I made it last weekend and my family went crazy for it. The frosting is just amazing!
Can you make this in a 1/2 sheet pan (11×17) to make them into spice cake bars? If so, does baking time need to be adjusted at all and will this recipe yield enough frosting?
Hi Dawn! Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes. We haven’t tested baking this batter in an 11×17 pan but let us know if you do!
This recipe is beyond good. I’ve never had spice cake and wanted my first to be amazing. I made 2/3 the recipe in 2 8″ pans. I was baking for last minute company, so I didn’t have time to let the brown butter cool to a solid consistency. It was on the liquidy side, and therefore my frosting was too. it was a little hard to ice, but I called it good and stuck it in the fridge.
This cake knocked it out of the ball park. I want to slather this frosting on everything, and make this cake a yearly (twice yearly?) tradition. I threw a Hail Mary, left out the grated apple, and it is still wonderfully moist. I’m having the last slice now, that was in the fridge since yesterday. Texture is the same as before. Not dry in the slightest. No apple taste, just amazing spices and cream cheese and brown butter.
This cake is so good there were almost fights over it!
PS. orange and black sprinkles or candy pumpkins give it a cute fall theme, no delicate piping or finesse needed. 🙂