Spice Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

The first thing you notice when this cake comes out of the oven is the smell: cinnamon and ginger, with a little warmth from the cloves. The center should spring back gently, and a toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs—not streaks of wet batter. This spice cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting has a soft, tender crumb, and the frosting brings a nutty edge to the tang of cream cheese.

I like that the batter comes together with two bowls and a whisk, without waiting for butter to soften or trying to cream it with sugar. Applesauce and neutral oil keep the cake moist, while packed light brown sugar gives it a mellow caramel note. The one pause worth planning for is cooling: the cake needs to be completely cool before the frosting goes on, and the browned butter needs time to turn opaque and spreadable. Once both are ready, the finish is smooth, fluffy frosting over a warmly spiced cake.

Why This Spice Cake Doesn’t Need Butter Creamed Into the Batter

A lot of layer cakes start by beating softened butter and sugar until pale and airy. This one doesn’t rely on that step. Neutral oil stays liquid at room temperature, and applesauce adds moisture, so the cake bakes up tender without the creaming stage. That makes the mixing simpler, but it also means the batter deserves a light hand once the wet and dry mixtures meet.

The brown sugar does more than sweeten the cake: its molasses notes sit comfortably alongside cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Keeping the spices measured as a blend gives the cake warmth without making one spice dominate. Stir only until the batter is smooth, then get it into the oven; prolonged mixing can make a tender cake tougher. You’ll get a soft slice with a clear spice aroma rather than a dense, overworked crumb.

What the Applesauce, Oil, and Brown Sugar Each Bring

• All-purpose flour — It gives the cake enough structure to hold its shape beneath the frosting. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it rather than packing it down; too much flour can leave the crumb heavy. For a gluten-free adaptation, use a cup-for-cup baking blend designed to replace all-purpose flour measure for measure.
• Light brown sugar — Its gentle molasses flavor suits the spice mixture and gives the cake a deeper sweetness than granulated sugar. Pack it firmly when measuring so the amount stays consistent.
• Unsweetened applesauce and neutral oil — They work together to keep the crumb moist without adding a strong competing flavor. Unsweetened applesauce keeps the cake’s sweetness balanced; canola is one suitable neutral oil, and another neutral oil works if its flavor is mild.
• The ground spices — Cinnamon leads, while ginger, nutmeg, and a small amount of cloves add warmth and depth. Fresh, fragrant spices make a noticeable difference here; if the jars smell faint when you open them, the cake will taste less lively.
• Unsalted butter and block cream cheese — Browning the butter adds toasted, nutty notes that plain melted butter won’t bring. Use softened block cream cheese for a thick frosting; spreadable cream cheese from a tub has a softer consistency and can make the topping loose.
• Powdered sugar — It sweetens and thickens the frosting while helping it spread smoothly. Add it gradually rather than all at once, which keeps a cloud of sugar off the counter and gives you control as the frosting comes together.

From Smooth Batter to Nutty, Spreadable Frosting

Whisk the dry ingredients evenly

Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and kosher salt. Break up any brown sugar lumps as you whisk so they don’t carry through as sweet pockets in the finished cake. Evenly mixed leaveners and spices help every slice rise and taste consistent.

Combine the wet mixture with a light hand

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, applesauce, oil, and vanilla until combined. Pour that mixture into the flour bowl and stir just until the batter looks smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides once so no dry flour is hiding there, but stop as soon as it’s incorporated. Overmixing at this point works the flour more than this tender cake needs.

Bake until the center gives a moist-crumb cue

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared dish and bake for 30–35 minutes. Start checking near the shorter end of that range; ovens and baking dishes can vary. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter and not completely clean. Cool the cake completely in the dish, about 2 hours, before bringing the frosting near it.

Brown the butter, then let it become spreadable

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling often for 5–7 minutes. Watch for golden-brown flecks and a nutty smell, then pour it immediately into a heatproof bowl so the hot pan doesn’t keep browning it. Let it cool at room temperature for about 45 minutes, until opaque and spreadable. If it’s still liquid, it hasn’t cooled enough to give the frosting body.

Beat the frosting until fluffy

Beat the softened cream cheese with the cooled browned butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the powdered sugar gradually, beating on low until incorporated; then beat on medium until the frosting looks smooth and fluffy. Spread it over the completely cooled cake. If the cake is even a little warm, the frosting will soften and slide instead of sitting in an even layer.

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Questions That Come Up When Baking This Spice Cake

Spice Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Spice cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting is baked in a 9x13-inch dish and topped with a smooth, fluffy frosting. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and browned butter bring warm spice and nutty flavor to every slice.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Cooling 2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 630

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the cake

• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1.5 cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
• 0.25 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3 eggs large
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup neutral oil such as canola
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting

• 0.5 cup unsalted butter
• 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese softened
• 3 cup powdered sugar

Equipment

• 1 9x13-inch baking dish

Method

 

Bake the cake

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
3. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a large bowl.
4. Whisk the eggs, applesauce, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl.
5. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture.
6. Stir just until the batter is smooth.
7. Spread the batter in the prepared dish.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
9. Cool the cake completely in the dish, about 2 hours.

Make the frosting

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cook, swirling often, for 5-7 minutes, until golden-brown flecks form and it smells nutty.
3. Immediately pour it into a heatproof bowl.
4. Cool the browned butter at room temperature for about 45 minutes, until opaque and spreadable.
5. Beat the cream cheese and browned butter in a medium bowl until smooth.
6. Add the powdered sugar gradually while beating on low until incorporated.
7. Beat on medium until smooth and fluffy.
8. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.

Notes

For the smoothest frosting, let the browned butter cool until opaque and spreadable before beating it with the cream cheese. Refrigerate the covered cake for up to 5 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free swap, use plant-based butter and cream cheese in the frosting.