Go Back

Apple Butter Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Apple butter spice cake is baked in a 9x13-inch dish until tender, with warm cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in every bite. A smooth cream cheese frosting goes on after the cake cools completely.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
cooling 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 550
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • 1 nonstick cooking spray for coating
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ground cloves
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup apple butter
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs large
  • 0.5 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the frosting
  • 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.125 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish
  • 1 electric mixer

Method
 

Make the cake
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl.
  4. Whisk the sugar, apple butter, oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the apple butter mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain.
  6. 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.
  7. Cool the cake completely in the dish on a wire rack, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Make the frosting
  1. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, then beat on low until combined and on medium until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.

Notes

For the smoothest frosting, let the cake cool completely before spreading it on. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days; freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free variation, use dairy-free cream cheese and butter and a plant-based buttermilk.