Feather Spice Cake
Cinnamon and spice and everything nice. This perfectly spiced cake is moist and light as a feather. You can serve this cake anytime, but it makes a nice dessert for Christmas dinner. My grandmother made this recipe and handed it down to my mother. The recipe dates back nearly 100 years in my family.
Prep cake: 40 minutes
Bake: 20-21 minutes
Bake at: 375°
Pan: two 6-inch round cake pans
Frost cake: 20 minutes
Makes: 10-12 servings
Difficulty: intermediate
Ingredients:
Cake Batter:
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons (232g) cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground mace (optional)
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (128g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, unbeaten, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
3 tablespoons molasses
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature
Baker's Joy
Maple Buttercream Frosting:10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened2 1/2 cups (280g) powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons maple syrup1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract1/4 teaspoon maple extract
Directions:
Bring all cake batter ingredients to room temperature.
To make cake batter: In a medium bowl, sift flour once and measure. Add baking powder, salt, and spices to flour and sift together 3 times.
Pre-heat the oven to 375°.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer at medium speed to cream butter until whipped, about 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar and beat until pale yellow and fluffy, about 5-6 minutes. Add egg and yolk one at a time and beat a few seconds until the yolk just disappears. Add molasses and beat to blend. Working in thirds, fold in flour mixture by hand alternately with milk until almost incorporated (start and end with dry ingredients). Fully incorporate the final flour addition.
Prepare the pans with Baker's Joy or grease and flour pans. Evenly divide the batter between the pans. Bake 20-22 minutesat 375°. Tops will appear moist. Let cakes cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pans to loosen and turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.
To make frosting: Place softened butter in a large bowl. Sift powdered sugar into the bowl. Add salt, maple syrup, vanilla, and maple extracts. Starting with an electric mixer on low speed and gradually increasing, cream ingredients together until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
Use a long, serrated knife to cut the dome tops off both cakes. Take a pastry brush and lightly brush away crumbs. Place one cake cut side down on your cake stand. Spread 1/4 of the frosting evenly across the cake. Place the second cake cut side down on top of the first layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting across the top and on the side of the cake layers. Refrigerate cake for 15 minutes to let crumb coat set.
Remove cake from refrigerator. Place 1/4 of the remaining frosting on top and spread evenly. Spread frosting around the side of the cake. Smooth with an offset or straight spatula. Place 1/4 of the remaining frosting on top and spread evenly to edges. Smooth with an offset or straight spatula. Use any leftover frosting to pipe decorations, if desired. Cake keeps well for 3 days. Leftover slices can be wrapped and frozen for 3 weeks.
Remove cake from refrigerator. Place 1/4 of the remaining frosting on top and spread evenly. Spread frosting around the side of the cake. Smooth with an offset or straight spatula. Place 1/4 of the remaining frosting on top and spread evenly to edges. Smooth with an offset or straight spatula. Use any leftover frosting to pipe decorations, if desired. Cake keeps well for 3 days. Leftover slices can be wrapped and frozen for 3 weeks.
Tips:
- Do not skip sifting the cake flour as directed. It gives the cake its characteristic feather lightness.
- To make two 9-inch cake layers, use 2 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon (377g) cake flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, scant 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground mace, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup (203g) granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup molasses, and 3/4 cup whole milk. To make frosting, start with 4 cups (448g) confectioners' sugar.