Spice Cake Best Ever With Cream Cheese Frosting Cooking Classy Recipes

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. 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 (I recommend a paddle attachment that constantly scrapes bowl, otherwise stop mixer throughout entire mixing process and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl). 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 to 32 minutes. Allow to cool several minutes then run a knife around edges to ensure cake is loose and invert upside down onto a wire rack to cool (this will also help deflate those domes a little if you didn't use cake strips). Cool completely then level tops of cakes as needed. Frost with cream cheese frosting, sprinkle pecans around edges if desired. 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 (at this point I like to freeze the frosting in 5 minute increments, then mix again with stand mixer, then freeze another 5 and more as needed until it's a stiffer yet creamy consistency).

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the cakes: Coat two 9-inch round pans with baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, spices and salt; set aside.
• Working in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using an electric mixer), beat together the butter and brown sugar on medium until smooth. Add eggs and orange zest, and beat on medium-high speed, about 1 minute.
• In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, add the molasses and baking soda. In a small saucepan, bring the apple cider to a boil over high; pour it over the molasses and baking soda and whisk until combined. (The mixture will froth.)
• Beat in a third of the flour to the butter mixture on low until combined, then half the cider mixture. When it's blended, add half the remaining flour, all the remaining cider, then the rest of the flour, beating to blend after each addition. Batter will be runny.
• Divide the batter between the pans, swiveling the pans to level the batter, which will be scant. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, rotating halfway through. Let cakes cool in pans for 15 minutes, then unmold and transfer the cakes to wire racks to cool fully.
• Prepare the frosting: Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla and salt, and mix briefly. On low speed, add the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. After all the sugar is incorporated, scrape the bowl, then beat the frosting on medium-high for 15 seconds.
• Place one layer of cake on a serving platter. Top with 1 cup frosting, and spread it to the edge of the cake. Place the second cake layer on top, and frost the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Top with a smattering of crystallized ginger bits, chocolate pearls or sprinkles, if desired. Refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 3 days) before serving.