Believe it or not, I’ve never shared a recipe for a spice cake before! Sharing a standard spice cake recipe wasn’t quite up my alley though. Instead, I wanted to share a recipe for a layered spice cake.

This cake is made with ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg so it’s full of those delicious Fall flavors we know and love.

To top it all off this cake is frosted with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting. What more could you want in a spice cake??

A Little Bit of Everything

This layered spice cake recipe is based on my go-to vanilla layer cake recipe, but I’ve made a few adjustments to get this spice cake recipe just right.

Besides the obvious addition of ground spices, I also swapped out half of the butter for oil. I find that using both oil and butter gives the cake a lighter texture without taking away all the wonderful butter flavor.

Most spice cakes use oil and have a lighter texture, and that’s what I was after with this recipe.

Two other notable swaps are the use of sour cream instead of buttermilk, and the addition of apple sauce.

I prefer using sour cream in this recipe instead of buttermilk because sour cream has a more neutral flavor that lets the spices in this recipe shine.

The apple sauce adds moisture and flavor and helps lighten up the texture.

All of these tweaks mean this recipe uses quite a few ingredients, but don’t let that intimidate you! Below is a list of swaps and substitutions that can be made if needed!

Substitutions and Swaps – Spice Cake Layers

Below are some swaps and substitutions that you can make in this recipe.

• All-Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour but you can use cake flour or gluten free flour if needed.
• Brown Sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar in this recipe, but I prefer using light brown sugar. If needed, you can use all brown sugar and omit the granulated sugar.
• Granulated Sugar – If needed you can use all granulated sugar and skip the brown sugar, but I recommend using both types of sugar if possible.
• Ground Spices – The ground spices are the star of the show. You can adjust the amounts a bit based on your preferences, but I don’t recommend leaving any of them out.
• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Whole Eggs – If you have an egg allergy you can use 4 flaxseed eggs or 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce + 1 extra Tbsp baking powder.
• Sour cream – You can also use full fat yogurt, buttermilk, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
• Unsweetened Apple Sauce – I prefer using unsweetened applesauce, but you can use sweetened applesauce if that’s what you have on hand. You can also use additional sour cream in place of the apple sauce if needed.
• Vegetable Oil – Any flavorless oil will work in this recipe! You can use vegetable, canola, or even sunflower oil. I don’t recommend using olive oil though, as it has a strong flavor that can clash with the spices in this cake.

Substitutions and Swaps – Cream Cheese Frosting

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Cream Cheese – If you don’t like cream cheese frosting, use additional butter in place of the cream cheese.
• Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
• Gel Food Coloring – I colored a bit of the leftover frosting different shades of orange and red to decorate the cake, but this is totally optional. You can also use natural food coloring if you prefer.

Tips for Making the Best Layered Spice Cake

• Properly measure your flour. Either spoon it into the cup measure, then level with a knife or use a kitchen scale.
• Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature to help them mix together better.
• Don’t level your cake layers until they are completely cooled.
• Make this spice cake vegan or dairy free! Use your favorite type of dairy free milk to replace the sour cream and heavy cream, vegan butter sticks in place of the butter, and additional applesauce in place of the eggs (see the note above in the substitutions section).
• Make sure your buttercream is the right consistency before frosting your cake! It will help give your cake proper structure and make it easier to decorate.
• If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, I recommend reading my cake troubleshooting guide to see where things might’ve gone awry.

Making This Spice Cake in Different Sizes

This recipe can also be used to make different sized cakes. You can also half or double the ingredients to make a half or double batch!

You can make four 6″ cake layers with one batch of batter. Bake the cake layers at 350F for 34-36 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

One batch of batter can also be used to make one 9×13-inch spice sheet cake. Bake it at 325F for 40-50 minutes and use flower nails or heating cores to help the cake bake evenly.

You can also use this recipe to make a Bundt cake! Bake time can vary based on the size and type of pan you use and can take anywhere from 45-75 minutes.

I recommend using a toothpick to test for doneness and checking on it every 5-10 minutes once it’s been in the oven for 45 minutes.

The final variation of this recipe is cupcakes!! This recipe makes about 24 regular sized cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Making This Layered Spice Cake in Advance and Storage Tips

• Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
• Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to a month. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
• A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. The frosting locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!
• If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this layered spice cake recipe, please tag me @chelsweets and use the #chelsweets so I can see your beautiful creations!!

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