September 7, 2010

SPICE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

My boyfriends' favorite cake is spice cake.  Since it was his birthday I decided to try and make a spice cake from scratch for the first time.  It turned out really yummy!

Ingredients for cake:
  • 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature 
Directions for cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and cloves onto a sheet of wax paper. Combine the buttermilk and vanilla in a small pitcher.

In a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy. Add the light brown and granulated sugars and beat until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the flour mixture at low speed in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, just until the batter is smooth; stop the mixer occasionally to scrape down the bowl.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Transfer the pans to the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes begin to shrink from the sides. Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes, then turn each out onto a rack, invert onto another rack and let cool completely.

Ingredients for frosting:
  • 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick), room temperature
  • 8 oz of cream cheese (1 package), room temperature
  • 2 - 3 cups of powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
Directions for frosting:

With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

Add the vanilla and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until you get to desired sweetness and thickness.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe from Culinary Collage.

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