Go Back
Spice Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Spice Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

This Spice Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting is a warm, aromatic dessert with a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. It's an indulgent treat ideal for celebrations or as a comforting dessert any time of year.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

For the Cake:

  • 2 ⅔ cups 333 grams all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons 10 grams baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon 2 grams ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon 2 grams ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon 2 grams ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon 2 grams ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon 3 grams fine sea salt
  • 12 Tablespoons 168 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup 220 grams dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup 200 grams granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup 55 grams vegetable oil
  • 5 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup 244 grams whole milk

For the Frosting:

  • 1 ½ cups 341 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon 13 grams vanilla extract
  • 6 cups 720 grams confectioners' sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons 45 grams whole milk
  • ½ cup 148 grams salted caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set them aside.
  • Make the cake batter.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with an electric hand mixer), cream together the butter and sugar by first beating the butter on medium-high speed until smooth (about 30 seconds). Add the sugar and continue to beat on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  • Add the oil to the butter and sugar mixture and beat until well blended.
  • In a separate small bowl, whisk the eggs until fluffy. Add the milk to the eggs and whisk until combined.
  • Gradually add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until incorporated. Then, add half of the egg mixture, stirring until blended. Continue to alternate adding the flour and egg mixtures to the batter, ending with the final third of the flour mixture. Mix gently and just until combined to avoid overmixing.
  • Bake the cake.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
  • Bake the cakes for about 25 minutes, or until the top springs back when pressed and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then carefully remove them from the pans to cool completely.
  • Make the frosting.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with an electric hand mixer), beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and beat on medium-high until well blended.
  • Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on medium speed and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. The frosting will be slightly dry at this stage.
  • Add the milk and beat on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy.
  • Add the caramel sauce and continue to beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is well blended and fluffy.
  • Frost the cake.
  • To assemble the cake, place one cake layer onto a cake plate or serving platter. Use an offset spatula to spread some frosting on top of the first layer. Place the second cake layer on top, then spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

Notes

Notes
Storage: The frosted cake can be stored at room temperature on a cake stand or in a cake carrier for 2 to 3 days. The sugar in the buttercream frosting acts as a preservative, so it’s safe to store the cake out of the fridge for a few days. If you want to store the cake for longer, refrigerate it in a cake carrier or a sealed container (or on a plate covered with plastic wrap).
Freezing: Unfrosted cake layers can be made ahead of time, cooled, wrapped, and frozen for up to 2 months. Make sure each layer is completely cooled before wrapping with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. For extra protection, place the wrapped layers in a sealed container or resealable plastic bag.
Flour choice: This recipe uses all-purpose flour. For the most tender cake, it’s best to use an all-purpose flour with a moderate protein content (like Gold Medal, 10.5%) rather than a high-protein flour (like King Arthur, 11.7%). If you only have high-protein flour, substitute 1 cup of it with cake flour to minimize gluten formation.
Salted caramel frosting variation: If you use regular (unsalted) caramel sauce, add ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt to the frosting when mixing in the vanilla.
This cake recipe was adapted from "How to Bake" by Nick Malgieri.