This is adapted from my mom’s recipe. It was one of my favorites when I was a kid, and it still is. Thanks mom!
Do you have a favorite food that you loved as a child? Something that can conjure up delicious and beautiful childhood memories just by smelling it? This spice cake is mine. I can remember stepping over the threshold of our front door and smelling that warm and flavorful cake, it made me rush to the kitchen so I could sit down and have a giant piece. Back then I might have had a big dollop of fresh whip cream on top. Oh, and that first bite, it made me feel so safe and loved. My mom’s smile while she watched me stuff my face (I was a twiggy little kid so she loved to see me eat) was probably the thing that made me feel like that, but the cake is what brings back the memory.
I have to thank our friend Enfys, one of our Veganosity Facebook friends for requesting a spice cake recipe, because I haven’t made this cake in forever. Thank you Enfys!
As I get more and more comfortable with vegan baking I’m finding that it’s not hard at all to replicate all of my old favorites, as long as the recipe doesn’t call for too many eggs. This vegan spice cake with cream cheese frosting turned out perfect on the first try. It’s just as moist and savory as I remember it. Not too sweet with just enough spice.
It’s a moist cake that isn’t too dense, and I like it as a sheet cake because it’s such a rustic sort of recipe. There’s no need to layer it, unless you really want to, then by all means go right ahead. The vegan cream cheese frosting is a new twist too. I just thought it needed something a little tangy and creamy. I could have added some coconut or soy whip, but I had the cream cheese in my fridge so I thought it would make a nice addition to the flavor of the cake.
You know, I’ve said this before, and I’ll probably say it a million more times, food blogging is the best job in the world. Can you think of any other job that allows you to stay in your jammies until you feel like getting dressed, one that demands that you play chef and baker in your kitchen every day of the week, and, taste everything at least once? It’s awesome!
Today I got to bake this memory invoking, make your house smell like the holidays, delicious spice cake. And I also got to make a kick-ass sandwich that I’ll share with you tomorrow. I did all of this while playing referee to my little Gizmo and grand fur baby Hooper. Those two really need to calm their energy, it’s like having the Tasmanian devil and the Road Runner weaving in and around your legs while you’re trying to carry food around the kitchen. I’m exhausted!
If you like cake for breakfast (who doesn’t?) then you will love this. I can’t wait to pour myself a mug of coffee tomorrow morning and dig into this delicious spice cake.
Linda and Alex at Veganosity
Yields 1
A moist, savory spice cake with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice, with a vegan cream cheese frosting. It's a great breakfast cake.
25 minPrep Time
55 minCook Time
1 hr, 20 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon of ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon of allspice
- 1 and 1/4 sticks of vegan butter –room temperature
- 1 cup of dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of coconut palm sugar
- 1/2 cup of apple sauce with 3 teaspoons of baking powder mixed well (this is the egg replacer)
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of dark molasses
- 1 and 1/2 cups of almond milk
- Frosting
- 1 – 8 ounce container of vegan cream cheese
- 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and butter and flour a 9 x 13 inch sheet pan.
- In a large bowl whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Beat the butter and apple sauce mixture in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the brown sugar and the coconut sugar and beat well. Scrape the sides with a spatula if necessary. Add the vanilla and the molasses and beat until combined. Add one third of the flour mix and blend until combined. Add one third of the milk and blend until combined. Continue alternating the flour and milk until it’s just combined.
- Pour into the prepared sheet pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until the top is golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl beat all of the ingredients until light and fluffy. Keep refrigerated until ready to spread on the cake.
- Refrigerate the cake in a sealed container.
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