3 Spice Cake Recipes: #1 Lemon & Spice Scented

It’s a real honor when your friend asks you to make their wedding cake. But when the friend is Ms. D, former Friends Assistant Set Designer, I had to think twice.

And, so, it was settled. No to the Wedding Cake. Yes to the Groomsman Cake.

What’s Your Favorite Spice Cake?

I know she didn’t take it badly. She must have known that when she asked, my mind was jolted back to our High School years – a time when I would go over to her house every Friday, run toward her bedroom door, and fling it open in order see what was the movement of the week.  It was either the location of her bed, the placement of the posters, or the shelves – but always, without fail, it was something.

Diane’s eyes have the unique ability to visualize each piece as it would fit as a whole – with the result being that I had no desire to feel the pressure of perfection on one of my dearest friends’ wedding day.

With the pressure off, I made my way to Diane and Paul’s house. The only thing I was told: Please make it a Spice Cake with a Cream Cheese Frosting. Because, unlike Diane, Paul loves a good Spice Cake.

Oh, Paul. Me too.

Armed with three potential Recipes, and one Cream Cheese Frosting Prize Recipe, my cant-live-without King Arthur Flour, fresh ginger, and organic eggs, we got to work. First order of business: Brewing a batch of potent Jamaica Tea. Because on a hot summer day, with three cakes in the oven, what’s better than taking a break with a cool beverage in hand?

Jamaica Tea Refresher

Following, the three-cake Bake Off commenced. Diane would parcel out the wet goods. I, the dry. With a snap, the cakes and Cream Cheese Frosting were in various stages of ‘Done.’ A few hours later, we gathered hungrily around the table, lathered them with the decadent cream, and dug in.

Parcel Out The Dry Goods

The cakes were all quite excellent and purposefully different from one another. For one I chose a moist, spice-decadent recipe perfect as part of a dessert we used at Bacchanalia.  Another, which would make a perfect tea cake, tasted brightly of lemons with only the slightest essence of spice.  Lastly, there was the Ginger Spice Cake: one that had the cake-like ingredient ratios of the Lemon Cake, but with the flavor found in the Moist Ginger Cake.  Perhaps not surprisingly, out of the three of us, we each had a different favorite.

And this one …is Diane’s.

Hurry Up! We’re Hungry!

~~~RECIPE~~~

Lemon and Spice Scented Cake
Adapted From Epicurious

1C Sugar
6T Room Temperature Unsalted Butter
2 Eggs
1 Zest of 1 lemon
1 Juice of 1 Lemon
1/2t Vanilla
1.5C Flour (Sifted)
1.5t Ground Ginger
1t Fresh Ginger
1/2t cinnamon
1/2t Baking Powder
1/2t Baking Salt
1/4t Salt
1/2C + 1/8C Buttermilk

The Go-To-Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Adapted From … A Secret Source!

3 Lbs Room Temperature Cream Cheese
1 Lb   Confectioners Sugar
1 lb    Room Temperature Butter

Directions For The Cake:

• Preheat Oven to 350 °F
• Butter one 9-inch diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides.
• Feel free to line the bottom of the pan with buttered, wax paper.   I just used spray and a touch of flour.  Don’t feel like you can’t make the cake if you don’t have wax/parchment paper in your midst!
• Using a Mixer with the Paddle Attachment, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended.  The color should be a pale light yellow (around 5 minutes)
• Add eggs 1 at a time.  Beat well beating well after each addition.
• Add in the juice and zest of one lemon. Also add the Fresh grated Ginger.

The mixture will look curdled…don’t let that detour you!

• Add in Vanilla
• Sift dry goods together:  Flour, Ginger, Cinnamon, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
• Add to Butter-Egg Mixture by alternatively mixing in the dry goods and the buttermilk a 1/3 at a time.

Magic Batter Transformation

• Pour batter into the pan and bake until the kitchen smells like sweet spice…or until a “golden brown”  Bake until golden brown.
• Bake for 45 Minutes.  *Note* 22 minutes into baking, turn the cake 180 degrees.  Ovens always have temperature fluctuation so for even cakes, I always turn them 1/2 way through the baking process.
• After 45 Minutes, insert a tester/toothpick into the center of the cake.  If it’s clean once it’s been removed – then it’s ready to cool.
• Pull out cake and place – in pan – on a cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes – or even let it cool all the way.
• Using small paring knife, press it along the wall of the pan and the cake to loosen it.
• Then turn onto the rack if it needs to be cooled further – or turn it directly onto a plate.  Then, Lather on the Cream Cheese Frosting and Enjoy!
• **NOTE** if you intend to use this cake for an event (where it will be frosted/decorated) make it a day prior.  Wrap it tightly and store on the counter or in the fridge.
• **NOTE** These would be perfect tea cakes.  Feel free to test these in smaller molds and adjust the time accordingly.

Directions For The Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Place the pound of Confectioners Sugar at the Bottom of the Mixing Bowl. (This helps the powder from going air bound once the Mixer is turned on!)
• On Top, place symmetrically cut cubes of the Butter and Cream Cheese.  (Around 1.5 – 2 inches wide)  The symmetry will help the mixture to come together.
• Slowly start the Mixer — knowing that some Confectioners Sugar may come out of the bowl.  If you have a Kitchen Aid, I highly recommend using (or purchasing for use) a pouring shield.
• Mix for five minutes or until silky smooth.  There should be no lumps…lumps usually indicate that the Cream Cheese or Butter were still cold.
• EAT!  On Cake…please.