Spice Cake With Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

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This is the best spice cake recipe. A smooth brown butter cream cheese icing covers this delicious, nicely spiced cake. It never disappoints and is a show-stopper. Enhance with candied nuts for decorating and munching.  

Spice Cake – 2 3/4 cups (350g) all purpose flour – 1 1/2 tsp baking powder – 1 tsp baking soda – 1/2 tsp salt – 1 tbsp cinnamon – 1 tsp cardamom – 1 tsp ginger – 1/2 tsp nutmeg – 1/4 tsp clove – 2 cups (380g) light brown sugar, packed – 1 cup (200ml) vegetable or canola oil – 1 cup (235g) unsweetened apple sauce – 4 large eggs, room temperature – 3 tsp vanilla extract – 3/4 cup (200g) sour cream, room temperature Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting – 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter – 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature – 5 cups (600g) powdered sugar – 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredient

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Spiced Cake  Set the oven to 350F and prepare two 8" round cake pans. Apply a small layer of nonstick spray and line the bottoms with circular parchment paper.  

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Step 1

Instructions

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Wrap in damp cake strips if available. Set aside. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium basin. Set aside. 

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Step 2

Mix the sugar, oil, and apple sauce in a large basin with a whisk or electric mixer until the sugar is evenly moistened. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. 

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Step 3

Stir in half the dry ingredients after smoothing. Stir in the sour cream, then the remaining dry ingredients. Batter should be thin. Fill the two cake pans 2/3 full. 

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Step 4

Bake 35–40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Prepare brown butter while the cake bakes. 

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Step 5

Brown Butter  Pour butter into a saucepan over medium heat. Melt and whisk butter until it bubbles, foams, and acquires a rich amber color (see here for brown butter instructions). 

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Step 6

Chill the brown butter in a shallow glass dish while the cakes bake. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 20 minutes. Flip onto a cooling rack. Chill the cakes uncovered in the fridge before frosting if you wish to decorate them that day. 

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Step 7

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Chill cakes and frost. Butter must be tested. It should be opaque and solid but not hard. Soft enough to cut with a butter knife. Keep calm if it's absent. 

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Step 8

Blend butter and cream cheese in a large bowl when ready. Mix with a hand or stand mixer whisk until smooth. Add 1 cup powered sugar at a time, then vanilla. 

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Step 9

If too thin, add 1/2 cup powdered sugar at a time. If your home is warm, refrigerate the frosting for 30 minutes to thicken. 

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Step 10

Floral Separator

Also see

Moist Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Recipe