Spice Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

This moist spice cake is topped with a dreamy cream cheese frosting swirled with ribbons of salted caramel. Spiced to perfection with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves, this spice cake is perfect for all your cozy occasions.

Spice Sheet Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

This is fall in a cake. Made with a tender and moist spice cake (featuring cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom–perfection) and a luscious cream cheese frosting that is swirled with ribbons of salted caramel. You can make your own caramel if you want to tackle a baking project, or you can buy store bought, so don’t be deterred if you don’t want to take on the caramel! The combination of the spiced cake, tangy cream cheese frosting and salty-sweet caramel is truly heaven in every bite.

Okay, so now I talked about all the stuff that actually makes this cake delicious, but can we also just be shallow for a second and bask in how stunning and mesmerizing the caramel swirl is in the cream cheese frosting?! Like, look at her!!

What ingredients will you need to make this spice cake

Let me warn you–spice cake contains a lot of spices. If you have a well stocked baking pantry you’ve probably acquired all of these overtime, but if not be prepared to spend a little extra at the store today to get your spice cabinet stocked up.

• Unsalted butter
• Vegetable oil
• Dark brown sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Nutmeg
• Cardamom
• Cloves
• Salt
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Milk
• Unsweetened apple sauce
• Cream cheese
• Caramel

Woof–I know that looks like a lot, but it’s really just all the spices. And…well, it is a spice cake after all.

Tips for making the perfect spice cake

We want this spice cake to be as perfect as possible for you, so we’re getting into the most important pro-tips we can impart on you!

• Underbake the cake slightly: When baking, always remember that your baked good will continue to cook as it cools, so you want it to be slightly underdone when you take it out of the oven. To test for doneness stick a knife into the center of your cake. It’s perfectly cooked when a few moist crumbs stay attached when you pull the knife out!
• Let the cake cool completely before frosting: This is a baking rule I learned the hard way and I don’t want you to have suffer too. If your cake is even a little warm the frosting will melt right off. So let it cool completely before frosting!
• Don’t over swirl the caramel into the frosting: The beauty in the caramel is thick, undisturbed ribbons throughout your frosting. Drop big spoonfuls into the frosting and only swirl a few times for best results!

What size cake does this recipe make?

Can we talk about how sheet cakes are such a wonderful thing, but also sheet cakes are so big if you’re just making a sweet treat for you and your friends and family? Which is why I love this recipe–it makes a single layer 8 x 8-inch square cake, but you can also double it and make a classic 9 x 13-inch sheet cake if you’re looking to serve a crowd!

As written:

• 8 x 8-inch square cake – Baking in a 8 x 8 will make a nice thick, square cake
• 9 x 9- inch square cake- If you don’t have an 8 x 8-inch pan, you can also use a 9 x 9-inch square pan. The cake will bake up 8 to 10 minutes faster because it will be thinner so keep an eye on it!
• 2 layer 6-inch round cake – If you want to jazz things up a little you can also make this in 2 6-inch round cake pans, double the frosting and make a layer cake!

Enjoy baking and eating this spice cake!

XXX

• Author: Sofi | Broma Bakery
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 12 servings
• Category: desset
• Method: oven
• Cuisine: american

Spice Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

This moist spice cake is topped with a dreamy cream cheese frosting swirled with ribbons of salted caramel. Spiced to perfection with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves, this spice cake is perfect for all your cozy occasions.

• Author: Sofi | Broma Bakery
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 12 servings
• Category: desset
• Method: oven
• Cuisine: american

Units: USM

Equipment

8 x 8″ baking pan

Buy Now →

sauce pan

Buy Now →

rubber spatula

Buy Now →

stand mixer

Buy Now →

Ingredients

for the cake

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

 

for the cream cheese frosting

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup caramel (you can use store bought or homemade!)

Instructions

1. First, make the cake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 8 x 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper on all sides. Set aside.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter, oil and brown sugar on low speed until combined so the oil doesn’t fly everywhere. Gradually increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy about 2 minutes.
3. Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
4. Add the apple sauce and buttermilk and mix to combine.
5. Add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are incorporated. It’s okay if the batter still has a few lumps in it–you don’t want to overmix.
6. Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan and bake until the cake has risen, the top springs back to the touch, and a butter knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Place the cake pan on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.
7. Once the cakes have cooled, make the frosting. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese on low speed for 30 seconds. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Beat on medium speed, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, until the frosting is fluffy, about 1 minute.
8. Frost the top of the cooled cake with the frosting, spreading it all the way to the edges. Drizzle spoonfuls of caramel over the cake and use a butterknife to swirl the caramel and frosting together a few times to make big ribbons of caramel. Slice and serve!