Spice Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Is it wrong to start decorating the house with pumpkins in September? Well that's what I did anyway. But only after the first official day of Fall. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I was baking Halloween/Fall treats already in September. I have so many things I want to bake this month for Fall/Halloween. Too bad I only have 31 days to do it.

So I started with a spice layer cake, as it is one of my favorite cakes. I usually don't steer away from my beloved apple spice layer cake recipe very much, but this recipe had so many great reviews that I had to give it a go. I also like omitting the apples, as apples get soggy in a cake after a day.

What a great recipe! So many spices are added into the cake batter and that is just what I love. The perfect cake for a perfect Fall afternoon. 

Recipe

Spice Layer Cake: Cooking Classy

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups (318g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 3/4 cups (370g) packed light-brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (175ml) vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup (185g) unsweetened applesauce
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk

For cream cheese frosting:

• 12 oz cream cheese, nearly at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, nearly at room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups (440g) (440g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

• - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round baking pans well with non-stick baking spray then lightly dust with flour and shake out excess. Wrap cake strips around pan if you have them (for a more level cake). Set pans aside.
• - In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves for 20 seconds, set aside. Pour brown sugar into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Break up brown sugar with fingertips until no clumps remain. Pour in vegetable oil and applesauce, set mixer with paddle attachment and blend until well combined (occasionally stop and scrape bowl throughout mixing process). Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add in 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined, then blend in buttermilk, then add remaining 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix until well combined. 
• - Divide mixture evenly among two prepared baking pans. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 28 - 32 minutes. Allow to cool in pans about 5 - 10 minutes then run a knife around edges to ensure cake is loose and invert upside down onto a wire rack to cool. 
• - Cool completely then level tops of cakes as needed. Frost with cream cheese frosting, sprinkle pecans around edges if desired.
• - For the frosting: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until well blended.

Baking and eating this cakes makes me want to watch 'Hocus Pocus', turn on the fire place and drink rum-spiked apple cider.

Have a lovely Autumn, dear readers!