As the apple butter meets the sugar and oil, the batter turns thick and dark, with the cinnamon and ginger already easy to smell. This cake gets its apple flavor from apple butter stirred straight into the wet ingredients, so there’s no peeling or chopping to slow you down. Once it’s baked and cooled, a smooth cream cheese frosting adds a tangy finish to the warm spices.
I keep the mixing gentle after the flour goes in. Stirring only until the dry streaks disappear protects the cake’s soft crumb, while the apple butter and oil keep it moist without making it heavy. The batter spreads easily into a 9×13-inch dish, and the toothpick test gives you a clear cue for when the center is ready. Cut the frosted cake into squares for a tender, warmly spiced dessert with a creamy top.
Kitchen Note
At 30 minutes, check the center with a toothpick rather than waiting for the top to look completely dry. A few moist crumbs are the cue to pull the cake; a clean toothpick can mean the edges are already getting overbaked.
Save this apple butter spice cake for its soft, warmly spiced crumb and tangy cream cheese frosting.
Why the Batter Needs a Light Hand After the Flour Goes In
Apple butter makes the wet mixture thick and cohesive, but once the flour mixture joins it, extra stirring can work the flour’s gluten and make the cake tougher. I stir just until I can’t see dry streaks. The batter doesn’t need to look perfectly glossy or completely lump-free; a few small lumps are less trouble than overmixing.
The combination of apple butter and vegetable oil also shapes the crumb. Apple butter brings concentrated apple flavor and moisture, while oil stays fluid in the finished cake and helps it remain tender. That means you don’t need to beat the batter until it’s airy. Whisk the wet ingredients until smooth, then fold in the dry mixture with a steady hand. The batter should be thick enough to spread evenly in the prepared dish, not beat into a light foam.
This is a simple mixing order, but it matters: whisk the dry ingredients together first so the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices are distributed before they meet the wet mixture. Then stir only as long as needed to bring everything together.
Apple Butter and Buttermilk Set the Cake’s Texture
- Apple butter — This is the cake’s concentrated apple base, not just a sweetener. Use a smooth, thick apple butter; applesauce is thinner and won’t give the same concentrated flavor or batter texture.
- Buttermilk — Its tang balances the sugar and contributes acidity alongside the baking soda. Plain milk won’t replicate that acidity; for a dairy-free adaptation, see the variation below.
- Vegetable oil — A neutral oil keeps the crumb moist without competing with the spices. A strongly flavored oil would be noticeable, so stick with a neutral one.
- Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves — Together they give the cake its warm spice character. Ground spices from a regular grocery store work well; fresher spices tend to smell more vivid when you open the jars.
- Block cream cheese and unsalted butter — The block-style cream cheese gives the frosting body, and butter helps it beat up smooth and spreadable. Use softened, not melted, ingredients; tub-style spreadable cream cheese is softer and can leave the frosting loose.
From Thick Batter to a Smooth Frosting
Whisk the dry ingredients evenly
Heat the oven to 350°F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Take a moment to break up any spice or leavener clumps. An even dry mixture helps the cake rise consistently and keeps one bite from carrying a concentrated pocket of spice.
Bring the apple butter mixture together
In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, apple butter, oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until the mixture looks smooth. Scrape the bowl as you whisk so the thicker apple butter doesn’t stay gathered at the bottom. Add the flour mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain. If you keep stirring to chase every tiny lump, the baked crumb can turn dense.
Bake until the center gives the right cue
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared dish, reaching into the corners so the cake bakes at a consistent thickness. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, then check the center with a toothpick. You’re looking for a few moist crumbs, not wet batter and not a completely dry pick. Let the cake cool completely in the dish on a wire rack, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours; frosting a warm cake can make the topping soft and slidey.
Beat and spread the cream cheese frosting
Beat the softened cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; start on low so the sugar stays in the bowl, then beat on medium until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. If you start at high speed, powdered sugar can puff over the sides. Spread the frosting over the cake only after it has cooled completely.
Two Ways to Adapt the Cake Without Losing Its Character
Serve it as an unfrosted spice cake
Leave off the cream cheese frosting for a less-sweet, snack-cake version. The cake still has its apple butter and spice flavor, but you lose the cool tang and creamy contrast from the topping.
Make a dairy-free adaptation
For the cake, stir 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice into 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk and let it stand for 5 minutes before using it in place of the buttermilk. For the frosting, use dairy-free block-style cream cheese and dairy-free butter. The cake will keep its spice and apple character, though dairy-free frosting brands can vary in firmness and tang.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Cover the frosted cake and refrigerate it for up to 4 days. The cake will feel firmer when cold; let a slice soften briefly before serving.
- Freezer: Freeze individual slices until firm, then wrap them tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator; the frosting may be a little less smooth after thawing.
- Reheating: Don’t microwave a frosted slice, because the cream cheese frosting will soften and melt. Let a portion sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes instead.
Questions That Come Up While Baking This Cake
Apple Butter Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl.
- Whisk the sugar, apple butter, oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture to the apple butter mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake completely in the dish on a wire rack, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, then beat on low until combined and on medium until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.