Christmas

Spice Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

by:
October 31, 2013
4
5 Ratings
Spice Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Makes 1 layer cake
Author Notes

This spice cake is light and fluffy and flavorful and the frosting is simply perfection. Sick perfection. Sugar, butter, cream cheese perfect 10, first love, perfection. —Laurie

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Spice Cake
  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
  • Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 2 cups white or light brown sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 16 ounces cream cheese
Directions
  1. Spice Cake
  2. Preheat oven to 350º
  3. Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
  4. Beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl until fluffy (5 minutes).
  5. Alternate dry mix with buttermilk and beat on low just until blended.
  6. Pour evenly into two 8-inch round cake pans that have been buttered and floured. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick come out clean. Let cool 5 minutes in pan then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
  1. Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
  2. Put sugar and water into a heavy pot (heavy prevents scorching) over medium high heat stirring until it starts to boil. Once it boils, do not stir anymore. Let bubble for about 7-10 minutes or until it turns golden brown and smells like caramel. Remove from heat and stir in butter until it melts. Then beat on low speed with your mixer until it emulsifies. Add vanilla, cream cheese and salt and beat until creamy. Scrape into a heatproof bowl and put in refridgerator to cool (it will thicken as it cools).
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3 Reviews

Charleen
Charleen January 19, 2020
Followed the directions exactly when I made this cake. Although the taste was very nice with a good and not overpowering spice blend, it was very dry. I may have overbaked it but since my oven runs slow I can't see that as the problem. I would like to moisten it up a bit but I don't know what to add that would help. Any suggestions?
 
Phil A.
Phil A. September 25, 2014
This cake is amazing, and the frosting takes it over the edge, without overpowering the cake. I did have issues with air bubbles in the finished cake, though. Is it possible that there is too much leavening? Maybe the soda combined with the buttermilk would be enough, and you wouldn't really need the baking powder. I would be interested to see if anyone has an opinion on that. Otherwise, a fantastic, delicious finished product!
 
Laurie
Laurie September 26, 2014
Were the bubbles on top of the cake or inside? Sometimes when I've overmixed the batter (happened a lot when I first got my stand mixer) my cakes would get too puffy. Also, I think it helps to tap the cake pan on the counter before baking to release bubbles. Interesting question re. the leaveners. Any problems I've had with those have been taste-related. Thanks for trying this—so glad you liked it!