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This moist and fluffy Spice Cake recipe is made with almond flour and lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup and applesauce for a treat with benefits! Decadent enough for special occasions and easy enough to whip up for everyday enjoyment!
This one goes out to my fellow lover of warm spices. My comrades who can’t get enough of warming fall treats. My people who maybe aren’t into pumpkin things, but are into cinnamon things.
This ultra cozy Spice Cake is loaded with fresh ginger and a combination of cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and allspice for a comforting dessert that feels like autumn is blossoming in your mouth.
My favorite part about this easy dessert recipe, aside from it’s lovely flavor, is the fact that it is made with better-for-you ingredients. Almond flour takes the place of regular flour, applesauce replaces oil and adds some natural sweetness, and pure maple syrup sweetens it to just the right level.
All in all you’re looking at a feel-good slice that can easily be enjoyed for breakfast, snack, or dessert!
Let’s chat about the simple ingredients, as they each serve an important role.
Ingredient Notes:
Almond Flour: Responsible for the light a fluffy texture, I love using almond flour instead of all-purpose flour. This makes the cake naturally gluten-free and also adds some plant-based protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: Pumpkin spice is a blend of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Together, these warming spices make up that amazing flavor that is customary in fall and holiday dessert recipe. You can swap it out for apple pie spice or make your own blend.
Fresh Ginger: A subtle kick of spice and classic ginger flavor comes from fresh ginger root. Increase or decrease the amount according to your preference. I like making my cake ginger-forward for extra spice flavor.
Large Eggs: A couple of eggs help the batter rise to its fluffiest potential. I don’t recommend trying this recipe using an egg replacement, as I don’t have much success with grain-free recipes that are also egg-free.
Pure Maple Syrup: The sweetener here! Maple syrup adds a subtle maple flavor, which complements the spices nicely. I love that this liquid sweetener brings moisture to the cake as well for moist crumbs.
Unsweetened Applesauce: Providing moisture without additional fat, apple sauce replaces oil and also adds a little natural sweetness. The moist texture and tender crumb really set this easy cake recipe apart! Replace it with melted unsalted butter or sour cream if you prefer.
Baking Powder: The leavening agent to help the batter rise.
Sea Salt: A major flavor enhancer! Salt brings out the warm flavors and makes the cake taste sweeter without the need for excess sugar.
For Frosting:
Plain Greek Yogurt: Taking the place of cream cheese, I like using plain Greek yogurt to frost the cake for a tangy, light frosting. This also adds a little protein to the cake for some balance.
Pure Maple Syrup: The sweetener. The frosting turns out very lightly sweet and mostly tangy to complement the already sweet cake.
Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla gives the frosting a vanilla frosting essence.
If you prefer a different frosting option, here are some more ideas on how you can frost your spice cake! All of them are great choices!
Frosting Options:
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- Sweet Potato Frosting
- Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache
- Vanilla Buttercream
How to Make Spice Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper, or liberally spray it with cooking spray.
Mix the eggs, applesauce, pure maple syrup, pure vanilla extract, and fresh grated ginger until the wet ingredients are well combined.
Add the almond flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and sea salt to the mixing bowl and mix until the dry ingredients and the wet mixture are combined into a smooth batter.
Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and spread it into an even layer.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cake is baked through.
Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the cake. It is ready if the internal temperature is 190 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
Let cake cool for least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. For the cleanest slices, wait until the cake is room temperature before slicing.
If you’re frosting the cake, make sure it is room temperature before frosting.
Storage Options:
- Room Temperature: Cover the cake pan with plastic wrap and keep on the counter for up to two days. Note: If you’re using my Greek yogurt frosting, refrigerate the cake rather than leaving it on the counter.
- Refrigerator: Transfer the cake to an airtight container or a zip lock bag and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Cut the remaining cake into individual slices and freeze in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Recipe Tip
For a layer cake, double or triple the recipe and use two cake pans.
And that’s it! A modern version of your family’s old fashioned spice cake recipe that you can put on repeat.
If you love baking homemade cakes, also try these recipes!
More Cake Recipes:
- Almond Flour Carrot Cake
- Zucchini Chocolate Cake
- Applesauce Cake
- Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake
- Almond Flour Pumpkin Cake
Spice Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2-3 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely minced
- 2 ½ cups finely ground almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp sea salt
Greek Yogurt Frosting:
- ⅔ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper, or liberally spray it with cooking spray.
- Mix the eggs, applesauce, pure maple syrup, pure vanilla extract, and fresh grated ginger until the wet ingredients are well combined.
- Add the almond flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and sea salt to the mixing bowl and mix until the dry ingredients and the wet mixture are combined into a smooth batter.
- Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cake is baked through.
- Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the cake. It is ready if the internal temperature is 190 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
- Allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. For the cleanest slices, wait until the cake is room temperature before slicing.
- If you’re frosting the cake, make sure it is room temperature before frosting.
Prepare the Frosting:
- Stir together the frosting ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake evenly. If need be, refrigerate the cake until the frosting has set up slightly for cleaner slices.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Traditional spice cake includes cinnamon, ginger (either ground or fresh), nutmeg, allspice, and/or cloves. This is what makes a spice cake a spice cake! It sometimes includes cardamom too.
Rather than making your own blend of spices, you can use a store-bought pumpkin pie spice blend or an apple pie spice blend.
What kind of frosting to use on spice cake?
Classic spice cakes are frosted with a simple cream cheese frosting or drizzled with a powdered sugar glaze. I like using homemade Greek yogurt frosting because it is lighter in calories, adds less sugar, and makes the whole experience taste refreshing.
While I haven’t tested this recipe myself using regular all-purpose flour, I do believe it can be done! I would start with 1 ½ cups and add more flour if the batter seemed too thin. In this sense, you can also use 1 ½ cups of a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
Yes! Replace the pure maple syrup with ⅔ cup of packed brown sugar and add ⅓ cup of avocado oil to the cake batter.
Yes! Simply follow all of the same steps listed in the instructions, mixing on low speed with your paddle attachment. You can use a handheld electric mixer and a large bowl too.
