Buttermilk Spice Cake

Buttermilk Spice Cake

Buttermilk Spice Cake

I love the mild cream cheese frosting with this spice cake but it also works with chocolate frosting. This cake can be made with part whole wheat pastry flour, and aerate all flour before measuring. - Jenny Jones

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Makes: 8 to 10 servings

Buttermilk Spice Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon each: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, & salt

  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil (I use avocado oil)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup low fat buttermilk

  • Frosting:
  • 2 ounces reduced fat cream cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-3 teaspoons milk

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease an 8 or 9-inch round cake pan.
  2. Sift dry ingredients onto wax paper or into a bowl. Set aside.
  3. With an electric mixer on high, beat the sugar, oil & eggs for 2 minutes until thickened.
  4. On lowest speed add the buttermilk followed by the flour mixture.
  5. Spread into pan and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan.
  6. Frosting:
  7. In a bowl with an electric hand mixer beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla.
  8. Very slowly add just enough milk to get a spreading consistency.
  9. Frost just the top in the pan or remove to a plate and frost the top and sides.

No Buttermilk? See "Substitutions" in my blog.

36 Comments on "Buttermilk Spice Cake"

  1. Susan

    Made this today and it’s awesome. Delicious, moist and a beautiful blend of spices!

  2. Johnt

    I made this cake today for the first time, it came out perfect , texture nice and soft, spice combination just right! Cream cheese icing the perfect touch, thank you for this recipe.

  3. Jo

    This is A+ in flavour. Tastes like gingersnap cookies before the frosting goes on. Love the simplicity of your recipes, I’m grateful to have found your site. Baking is helping my anxiety.

  4. Kiki

    Can I reduce the sugar in the spice cake
    My husband is a diabetic 2

  5. Mitch

    Very good cake! I doubled the recipe and used a 9 by 13 cake pan. I also used applesauce in place of the oil.For buttermilk I put vinegar in the milk. It tasted good to me!

  6. Terry

    Love this cake, did use 1/2 pastry flour, would not make it any other way, cream cheese icing was so good, compliments the spices very well, I used 8” pan, because I wanted a higher cake, worked very well, thanks so much for sharing?

  7. Sherry

    Made this for my husbands bday today..?
    Came out awesome ??
    ?Thank u…????

  8. Kristen K

    Does anyone have a recipe for a palatable non-dairy frosting?

    • Franny

      I use coconut milk to replace dairy for many recipes as I don’t have dairy milk oh hand. It will be completely interchangeable for the frosting.

      But you will need to add about 2 teaspoons of vinegar to the coconut milk for the cake part.

      Some people use almond, soy or some other milks, I just prefer coconut and I live in Hawaii where it is used in many recipes so I keep it on hand.

      Good luck1

  9. Theresa

    Has anyone used this recipe to make cupcakes?

  10. Terry

    Had my sister in law and husband for lunch today, I made the coconut cake for dessert, and in conversation told she and her husband about my new best cook, Jenny can cook, her husband got on laptop, they were in hysterics, she said I remember her!!!, she said he will be up all night watching your videos, he doesn’t even cook, very entertaining afternoon, will make this buttermilk cake tomorrow, great recipes for one layer cakes, thank you so much, love your recipes, both retired, looking for simple healthy recipes, cannot find round 9” parchment papers anywhere, never even knew they made them, will cut them out from the roll and continue my search.

  11. Werner

    The recipe worked out great, used a gluten-free flour and increased the spices since mine had been hanging around for a bit longer than one should. Thanks for a great working recipe and all your work – cheers

  12. Lisa

    This cake is fabulous! I used 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of allspice because I didn’t have the other spices on hand. Turned out great! Thank you Jenny for sharing your recipes! I’ve made several of them and they always turn out delicious. Thanks to you I’m becoming a better cook! Homemade donuts are next….?

  13. Ann

    Can we sub buttermilk with Almond milk

  14. Suzanne

    I made this cake exactly to the recipe using half whole wheat pastry flour. It’s very good and not too sweet.

  15. MARIETTE P

    LOVE ALL YOUR RECIPES,AND YOUR VIDEOS ARE SO FUNNY,KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.I AM A SENIOR AND WATCHED YOUR TV SHOW ALOT YEARS AGO, AM A BIG FAN.I MAKE ALOT OF YOUR RECIPES AND THEIR SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, HAPPY 2017 TO YOU N YOUR FAMILY.

  16. Barbo

    DELICIOUS CAKE!

    WE HAVE LOVED ALL OF THE RECIPES!

    THANK YOU JENNIE AND A HEALTHY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017
    TO YOU AND TO YOURS.
    BARBO

  17. Sharon

    Jenny We love your videos your so cute and funny. Please ,please, make more !!

  18. Diana

    Thanks for all you do! Love the oh so healthier and so simple recipes.

  19. samantha

    I liked the video’s as well…
    they made me smile and also, it made me think I could cook anything!
    even if I can’t cook fancy dishes!

  20. Dave Chitty

    Jenny. I have made all of your recipes. This one was awesome. You make cooking and baking more fun and enjoyable.

    Dave BAKER

  21. Diana

    So love your recipes. Also I love the videos, wish you had thementioned for All your recipes!
    Thanks!

  22. RHONDA DAVIS

    Reading the recipe makes my mouth Water. I can smell the spices already! Your recipes are the best – simple, easy to follow, (somewhat ?) healthy, inexpensive, and always delicious! ?

  23. Beth

    I just found what to have for our Christmas “spice” flavor for guests, this year. It sounds so good! Thank you Jenny.

  24. Corry

    Wow this looks delicious can’t wait to make it thank you so much for all of you delicious recipes you are a wonderful person God bless you for taking the time to share them.

  25. Lisa

    Yum! I will make this over next weekend. Is it on YouTube? Love your channel.

  26. Rebecca

    I have to make this! Looks delicious and usually anything with buttermilk in it is. This Polish girl first made your pierogi recipe two Easters ago and now it’s a tradition at our house. Having the video to watch made it very doable. Yum! Thank you!

  27. JimC

    Love your recipes! I have made many of them and they have been a hit.
    I am curious why you are not making videos anymore? Your videos are very good and you are funny. Many years ago I watched you on your TV show and it were great.

    PLEASE CONSIDER RETURNING TO MAKING VIDEOS!!

    • Belva Dalidowich

      Yes, I agree. I love the “jenny can cook videos” I miss them so much. Get on line just to look for them all the time. I made her baby back ribs and now I am hooked. Hubby and I love love love them. Best I ever had and I didn’t even like ribs before.

      • Pollye

        Am wondering if you used to be “penpals” with some Texas gals… If so, please email me. Would like to renew our friendship! 🙂

  28. Jimmy

    Thank you Jenny for your recipes. I love them. I make pizza at home that tastes as good as pizza hut or any other good pizzeria. And the wonderful bread recipes, as Tony the Tiger would say their great. And also all the other good recipes, now I can say (Jimmy can cook). Thanks again.

  29. Connie

    yum, Yum and YUM! This sounds exactly like what I’m craving!!!! Thank you for the recipe.

  30. patricia ryan

    Fab Jen thank you?

  31. Roger

    How much buttermilk?

    • Jenny

      Oh My! Thank you for telling me. I just fixed it. (1/2 cup) How embarrassing that I missed that – and it’s a Buttermilk Cake! 😛

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