Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This spice cake with cream cheese frosting brings together brown sugar, molasses, and five warm spices in a soft cake with a tangy vanilla frosting. Cinnamon and ginger lead the way, while nutmeg, cloves, and allspice add depth without needing a long list of extras.
Greek yogurt adds moisture to the batter, and you can use sour cream in its place. Plus, you have two ways to bake it: round pans for a layered cake or a 9×13-inch pan for easy slicing and serving. Either way, finish with a generous layer of homemade cream cheese frosting.
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Give Me the Slice with Extra Frosting
My favorite part of spice cake is getting the cake and cream cheese frosting together in one bite. The molasses and brown sugar bring a deeper sweetness, while the frosting adds that little bit of tang that works so well with cinnamon and ginger.
I also like having the choice of a layer cake or a simple sheet cake. Stacked layers make a pretty centerpiece, but spreading frosting over a cake right in the pan has its own appeal. If you love this kind of cake, try my Pineapple Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting too.
Why You’ll Love This Spice Cake
- Five warm spices: Cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg give the cake flavor throughout.
- Brown sugar and molasses: Together, they add richness that pairs well with the spices.
- Greek yogurt in the batter: It adds moisture, with sour cream offered as an easy alternative.
- Classic cream cheese frosting: Just cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar.
- Two pan options: Make a round layer cake or bake it in a 9×13-inch pan.
Ingredients Needed
For the Spice Cake
- All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the cake. A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour is also an option.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Help the batter rise.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the other flavors.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds the familiar warmth of spice cake.
- Ground ginger: Gives the spice blend a little bite.
- Ground allspice: Adds another layer of warm spice.
- Ground cloves: A small amount provides plenty of flavor.
- Ground nutmeg: Rounds out the spice mixture.
- Light brown sugar: Adds sweetness and a light molasses flavor.
- Oil: Adds moisture to the cake.
- Molasses: Deepens both the flavor and color.
- Plain Greek yogurt: Adds moisture and tang. Substitute sour cream if you prefer.
- Vanilla extract: Complements the brown sugar and spices.
- Eggs: Bind the batter and give the cake structure.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese: Bring it to room temperature so it mixes smoothly.
- Unsalted butter: Soften it before combining it with the cream cheese.
- Vanilla extract: Adds flavor to the frosting.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
How To Make Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Prepare the pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter two 8-inch round cake pans or one 9×13-inch cake pan.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Beat the oil and brown sugar for 3 minutes. Next, mix in the eggs, followed by the vanilla, molasses, and Greek yogurt.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
- Finish the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until smooth.
- Bake and cool. Transfer the batter to the prepared pans and bake for 30–35 minutes, checking for doneness before removing the cake. Then let it cool completely.
- Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter together. With the mixer on low, add the vanilla and powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
- Assemble. If making a layer cake, trim any domed tops before stacking. Finally, fill and frost the cooled cake, or spread the frosting over the sheet cake.
Tips for Baking and Frosting
- Measure flour gently. Spoon it into the measuring cup, then level the top. Packing the flour into the cup can make the cake dry.
- Mix the spices with the flour first. This helps distribute them evenly throughout the batter.
- Scrape down the mixing bowl. Molasses can cling to the sides, so check that it blends into the wet ingredients.
- Stop mixing once the batter is smooth. After adding the flour, avoid beating the batter longer than necessary.
- Divide the batter evenly. For round cakes, similar amounts in each pan help the layers bake at the same rate.
- Check the cake, not just the timer. Start checking at 30 minutes. The pan material and shape can affect how quickly the center finishes baking.
- Cool completely before frosting. Even a slightly warm cake can soften the frosting and make the layers slide.
- Level the round cakes. Trimming the domed, slightly crusty tops gives you flatter surfaces for filling and stacking.
Storage and Freezing
- Refrigerator: Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the cake covered in the refrigerator. Enjoy it within 3–4 days, and keep cut surfaces covered to help prevent them from drying out. Before serving, let individual slices sit briefly at room temperature to soften.
- Freezing: For the best results, freeze the cooled, unfrosted cake. Wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer bag or wrap it in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before unwrapping and frosting.
- For leftover frosted slices, freeze them on a lined tray until the frosting is firm. Then wrap and place them in an airtight freezer container. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- Two 8-inch round cake pans or one 9×13-inch cake pan
- offset spatula or butter knife
- Serrated knife, for leveling round cakes
Video
Ingredients
Spice Cake
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup vegtable oil (or canola oil)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 1/4 cups plain Greek yogurt (or substitute sour cream)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten-free flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the Spice Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans or one 9×13-inch cake pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil and packed light brown sugar. Mix on high speed for 3 minutes.
- Mix in the eggs. Next, add the vanilla extract, molasses, and Greek yogurt, mixing until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the batter is smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, or divide it evenly between the two round pans.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Begin checking at 30 minutes and continue baking as needed.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely before frosting. Allow round cakes to cool enough to handle before carefully turning them out onto a cooling rack.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese and butter until smooth and well combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, mix in the vanilla extract.
- Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing until the frosting is smooth.
Assemble the Cake
- For a layer cake, use a serrated knife to trim any domed tops from the cooled round cakes.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread frosting over the top. Add the second layer, then frost the top and sides.
- For a sheet cake, spread the frosting evenly over the completely cooled cake in the pan.
- Store the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Substitute sour cream for the Greek yogurt in the same amount.
- Both pan options use the same batter. Check for doneness rather than relying only on the baking time.
- Cool the cake completely before trimming, stacking, or frosting.
- Refrigerate the frosted cake for up to 3–4 days.
- Freeze tightly wrapped, unfrosted cake for up to 3 months, then thaw in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Replace the 1¼ cups of plain Greek yogurt with the same amount of sour cream. Use plain, unflavored yogurt if you stick with the original ingredient.
Yes. Use a buttered 9×13-inch cake pan instead of two 8-inch round pans. Start checking at 30 minutes, and let the cake cool completely before spreading the frosting over the top.
Too much flour or baking the cake too long can cause dryness. Spoon and level the flour rather than packing it into the cup, then begin checking the cake at the start of the baking window. Once the flour goes into the batter, mix only until combined.
The butter or cream cheese may have become too warm. They should be softened, but the butter shouldn’t be melted. If the finished frosting feels too soft to spread, refrigerate it briefly, then stir and check the consistency again. Also, make sure the cake is completely cool before frosting.
If the round cakes have domed tops, trim them after they cool. Removing that raised, slightly crusty section helps the layers sit flat. You can skip this step when serving the cake directly from a 9×13-inch pan.
