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This warm and moist spice cake recipe is put over the top with figs, pistachios and a brown butter mascarpone buttercream.
Who doesn't love cake - from cookie dough ice cream cake from to Guinness chocolate cake to a Dutch apple cake.
It was recently my mom's birthday and she was visiting. Wanting to make it extra special, I decided to vary from our family's usual vanilla cake with chocolate fudge frosting.
I asked what her top flavors were and she responded with warm spices, figs, any dried fruit, caramel and mascarpone. I also knew she loved pistachios so I figured why not try to combine all of those into one cake, which is how this spice cake recipe was created.
This cake has just the right amount of spices and is complemented by the fig flavor and crunch of the pistachios.
What puts it over the top though is the brown butter buttercream, which I adapted from Half Baked Harvest. It really is the perfect cake from September though February.
Although if I'm being honest, it is great year round. What made this spice cake recipe even better though, was my mom absolutely loved it!
Spice Cake Recipe Ingredients
- All-purpose flour - can use whole wheat flour as well.
- Baking powder and baking soda - creates the rise in the cake.
- Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt - where you get the spice in this spice cake recipe.
- Dark brown sugar - light brown sugar works as well.
- Applesauce - replaces a little bit of oil while being healthier.
- Vegetable oil - can also use canola oil.
- Eggs - binds everything together.
- Vanilla extract - enhances the flavor.
- Dried figs - goes in the middle of the cake.
- Pistachios - gives some crunch and flavor.
- Fresh figs - for the top of the spice cake.
- Unsalted butter - browning it deepens the flavor.
- Mascarpone cheese - replace with cream cheese if you prefer.
- Powdered sugar - sweetens the buttercream.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper, then butter and flour them. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In large mixing bowl with paddle attachment, blend the brown sugar, applesauce, oil, eggs and vanilla extract until combined.
- With mixer on low speed, add ½ of the flour mixture and blend until combined. Blend in buttermilk and then add remaining flour mixture and blend until just combined.
- Pour the batter of the spice cake recipe evenly in the two cake pans and bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes in pan. Run knife round edges of the pan and invert on cooling racks. Let cool completely before using.
- To make the buttercream frosting, add 2 sticks butter to a skillet and set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown lightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the butter to the mixing bowl, letting it cool until it is at room temperature.
- Add the remaining stick of butter, mascarpone, powdered sugar and salt and beat the butter and powdered sugar together until the butter is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
- To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread ¼ of the buttercream over the cake. Add dried figs and chopped pistachios.
- Top with 2nd cake layer and frost the top and outside of the cake. Place sliced figs on top. Chill for 30 minutes. Serve, or store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
How Do You Know When Butter is Browned?
Add the butter to the skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, it will foam up and then subside. This is when you watch carefully as lightly browned specks will start to form at the bottom of the pan.
You will know the butter is ready when there is a nutty aroma. It makes this spice cake recipe, so don't skip it.
Mascarpone vs. Cream Cheese
The biggest difference between the two is the amount of fat. Mascarpone has twice the amount of fat as cream cheese, which gives it a richer flavor.
Cream cheese is firmer and tangier, but you can use them interchangeably.
How Long Does Cake Last?
To maximize the shelf life of the cake, place it in a covered airtight container or cover with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
- Cake at room temperature will last 1-2 days
- Cake in the fridge will last 1 week
- Cake in the freezer will last 4 months
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Do not skip the buttermilk as it helps create the moistness you expect from cake. If you don’t have buttermilk you can make your own. Use whole milk mixed with ¼ teaspoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice instead of buttermilk. Fill a measuring cup with the lemon juice/vinegar then the rest with whole milk to reach ¼ cup + 2 tbsp.
- If you don’t have applesauce, you can either replace with Greek yogurt or vegetable oil.
- All refrigerated items should be at room temperature, which helps the batter mix easily and evenly.
- You may not realize this but baking powder and baking soda actually expires pretty quickly. Use baking powder that is less than a year old since it has been opened. If you use older baking powder, it won’t be powerful enough to help leaven the cake. You can test it by stirring half a teaspoon of baking powder into a cup of hot water. It will immediately start to fizz and release carbon dioxide gas if it’s still fresh enough to use. Baking soda should be less than six months old and you can use the same test.
- You know cake is done when you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to completely cool before adding the frosting, otherwise it will melt.
Other Dessert Recipes
- Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Chocolate Orange Cake
- Carrot Cake
- Pumpkin Lava Cake
- Southern Red Velvet Cake
- Boston Cream Pie
- Peppermint Yule Log
If you’ve tried this spice cake recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Spice Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (318 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 cup dried figs, chopped
- ½ cup roasted pistachios, chopped
- 5-6 fresh figs, sliced
Brown Butter Buttercream
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 oz mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper, then butter and flour them.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In large mixing bowl with paddle attachment, blend the brown sugar, applesauce, oil, eggs and vanilla extract until combined.
- With mixer on low speed, add ½ of the flour mixture and blend until combined. Blend in buttermilk and then add remaining flour mixture and blend until just combined.
- Pour the batter evenly in the two cake pans and bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes in pan. Run knife round edges of the pan and invert on cooling racks. Let cool completely before using.
- To make the buttercream frosting, add 2 sticks butter to a skillet and set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown lightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the butter to the mixing bowl, letting it cool until it is at room temperature.
- Add the remaining stick of butter, mascarpone, powdered sugar and salt and beat the butter and powdered sugar together until the butter is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
- To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread ¼ of the buttercream over the cake. Add dried figs and chopped pistachios. Top with 2nd cake layer and frost the top and outside of the cake. Place sliced figs on top. Chill for 30 minutes. Serve, or store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Notes
- Do not skip the buttermilk as it helps create the moistness you expect from cake. If you don’t have buttermilk you can make your own. Use whole milk mixed with ¼ teaspoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice instead of buttermilk. Fill a measuring cup with the lemon juice/vinegar then the rest with whole milk to reach ¼ cup + 2 tbsp.
- If you don’t have applesauce, you can either replace with Greek yogurt or vegetable oil.
- All refrigerated items should be at room temperature, which helps the batter mix easily and evenly.
- You may not realize this but baking powder and baking soda actually expires pretty quickly. Use baking powder that is less than a year old since it has been opened. If you use older baking powder, it won’t be powerful enough to help leaven the cake. You can test it by stirring half a teaspoon of baking powder into a cup of hot water. It will immediately start to fizz and release carbon dioxide gas if it’s still fresh enough to use. Baking soda should be less than six months old and you can use the same test.
- You know cake is done when you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to completely cool before adding the frosting, otherwise it will melt.
Chris says
I’ll take a slice!