Spiced Layer Cake
 
Makes 1 (8-Inch) Cake
Ingredients
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
  • Garnish: ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
  • ⅔ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 10 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 2 (8×8-inch) metal cake pans with baking spray with flour.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
  3. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Divide batter among prepared pans, smoothing top.
  4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 28 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
  5. Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread half of Cream Cheese Frosting on top of a cake layer; top with remaining cake layer and remaining frosting. Garnish with ground cinnamon. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add vanilla and salt, beating until combined. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until combined. Increase speed to medium, and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. Use immediately
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/spiced-layer-cake/