Name: I Crave My Grandma’s Easy Spice Cake (And Now You Will, Too)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 stick (113g) unsalted butter; 1 1/3 cups (300g) packed light brown sugar; 1/2 cup (112g) neutral oil; 4 large eggs; 1/2 cup (130g) sour cream; 1/4 cup (55g) water; 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon; 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg; 1 tablespoon ground ginger; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves; 2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 1/4 cups (145g) powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons (35g) heavy cream; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper so that the ends of the paper extend beyond the long sides of the pan. You’ll use the paper as a sling to remove the cake from the pan before frosting.

2 Add the butter to a large saucepan (a 3-quart saucepan or larger is best). Melt over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the brown sugar, oil, eggs, sour cream, and water. Whisk until combined and no bits of sour cream are visible. Add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cloves. Whisk to thoroughly blend the ingredients until the batter is completely smooth. Be sure to incorporate any floury bits in the corners of the pan.

3 Using a silicone spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the center of the cake springs back when lightly poked with a finger, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack, at least 1 hour.

4 Add the butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt to a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients on low speed until combined. Gradually increase the speed to high and mix until the frosting has lightened in color and is very smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula halfway through mixing.

5 Use the parchment paper sling to transfer the cooled cake to a tray or cutting board. Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake with a spatula or spoon. I like to make swoops and swirls with my spatula for an appealing and simple design. Cut into 12 slices, or more smaller slices if your guests are kidding themselves about how much cake they’ll end up devouring. Cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!