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 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
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon mace (optional)
1/8 teaspoon cloves
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (128g) sugar
1 large egg, unbeaten
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons molasses
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons milk
Baker's Joy
Maple Buttercream Frosting:10 tablespoons butter, softened (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons)2 1/2 cups (280g) powdered sugar, sifted2 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 yellow 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 pans with Baker's Joy. Evenly divide the batter between the pans. Bake 20-22 minutesat 375°. Tops will appear moist. Let 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 maple syrup, vanilla, and maple extracts. Using an electric mixer on low speed, cream ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
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 with 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. Place 1/4 of the remaining frosting on top and spread evenly to edges. Use the remaining frosting around the side of the cake. Smooth with an offset or straight spatula.
Cake keeps well for 3 days. Leftover slices can be wrapped and frozen for 3 weeks.
Tips:
- Do not skip the sifting. 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, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon mace, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup (203g) sugar, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup molasses, and 3/4 cup milk. Make 4 cups frosting.