Baking a cake, especially a spice cake, is something that happens rarely in our home.
I love to bake but generally it is cookies or brownies or other sweets that appear on my plate.
It is not that I don't like cake. I love cake but usually two people have a hard time finishing off an entire cake.
Cookies can be frozen and well, it's just easier to pick up a cookie and eat it on the run.
Can't do that with cake. And maybe that's why cake is so special.
Cake is meant to be enjoyed while sitting at table.
Cake is meant to be served on a plate with a fork and a napkin.
Cake is special. Cake means conversation and a break in the day.
It is good with tea or coffee or milk. It is good for beginning friendships and for renewing them.
It is good to begin your day or to end it. Cake is pure pleasure.
There are many different kinds of cakes. Special cakes are for special occasions.
They are pretty and covered with sinful frosting and sometimes delicate flowers.
There are ultra rich cakes where "only a sliver" truly applies.
There are bundt cakes that are fun for bridge club or for picnics or for the school bake sale.
There are loaf cakes and pound cakes where only the freshest berries should be served along side.
Without a doubt there are cupcakes, but today is not that kind of day.
Today is about old fashioned cakes. Cakes that are good just for the cake and not what's on top.
Cakes that are easy to make and always turn out. Old fashioned cakes like our grandmas used to make. (Well, I'm not sure about my grandmas.)
But I did get this recipe from an old Wisconsin cookbook.
It was a leap of faith cake. One that I wasn't sure was written right.
It called for putting the cake in an ungreased baking pan. I don't think I've ever done that. But I did.
And just like new friendships waiting to be discovered this cake rose with splendor and gave the signal to dive right in.
The smell of this cake was enough to drive the rabbit catcher up from the basement.
It is enticing and filled the air with the scent of spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and allspice.
The caramel glaze is simple to make and tempting enough to burn your tongue on.
I think it would be superlative on ice cream and though it just sinks into the cake, its flavor is not lost.
The moisture and stickiness that it gives makes this cake sinful. And this is a cake that lasts. Its flavor gets better with age as the spices permeate the interior.
I don't think I've ever made a moister cake and that is another reason this cake will keep. If there is such a thing as keeping cakes...
Yesterday I made a new friend.
The day before I made a new cake. Both are good things...
Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Sugar Cake
Martha Mervis's Coffee Cake
Kadaif or Middle Eastern Cheese Cake
Hot Fudge Cake
Triple Layer Chocolate Fudge Cake
Recipe
Brown Sugar Spice Cake with Caramel Glaze
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 60 Minutes
- Total Time: 80 Minutes
- Yield: 1 Cake 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This brown sugar cake with caramel glaze is comfort food at its finest. So good, you will make lots of friends!
Ingredients
2 c all purpose unbleached flour
1 t baking soda
¼ t salt
1 T cinnamon
1 T nutmeg freshly grated (I used ¾ t or leave out)
1 T allspice
1 c vegetable oil
1 c packed dark brown sugar
½ c sugar
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 c buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk-1 t vinegar mixed into 1 c of milk also works. Let it sit a few minutes to thicken.)
1 ½ c coarsely chopped prunes that have been soaked. (I think other dried fruits such as raisins or currants, cranberries or cherries would taste good also. I soaked in hot water and Patron coffee liquor) Let soak while making cake and then drain well.)
1 c toasted walnuts or pecans or leave out
Caramel Glaze
1 c sugar
½ c buttermilk
¼ c butter
¼ c light corn syrup
½ t baking soda
½ t vanilla
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Chop prunes and cover with soaking mixture. Set aside.
Combine dry ingredients together.
In large bowl of mixer combine sugars and oil. Beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk. Blend well. Add prunes and nuts and mix well.
Now take a leap of faith. Pour batter into an ungreased 9 inch tube pan with a removable bottom. Bake for about 1 hour or until tester comes out clean.
15 minutes before cake is done, prepare glaze.
Caramel Glaze
In a 3 quart saucepan cook all ingredients over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil 1 minute.
When cake is taken out of oven after tester comes out clean, poke holes all over cake. Pour glaze over warm cake.
Let cake sit until cool, about two hours. Run knife around inside and outside edges of cake. Turn over onto plate and remove bottom.
Anu says
Love the spice cake with caramelized glaze. Looks so delicious.
Abbe Odenwalder says
Thanks everyone. Just a note-this cake really lasts and gets better with age. We left it on the counter when we went on our 5 day trip and it was still yummy as of yesterday. And moist. And even more spicy. This really turned out to be a great cake! And Laura, it would be great warm, too!
Ashley Bee says
The little flowers on top are just darling 🙂 Love it!
Amy says
This sounds like a wonderful cake to share. It's always nice to make new friends, isn't it? 🙂 I love the flavor of your spice cake. And your cake stand is just as beautiful.
Laura Dembowski says
I love baking cakes and agree they are very special. I actually bake cakes a lot and my freezer is full of cake right now. This looks amazing! I love cakes that are soaked with a glaze while hot. I have at admit, I would probably invert this after about ten minutes and eat it warm. I think it would be even better hot out of the oven.
Liz Berg says
Mmmmm....what a moist, wonderful cake! I love the way you've garnished the top...so pretty!
Natalie G says
This looks like such a great cake, you used some great spices in it and the glaze sounds like the perfect topper!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says
I LOVE spice cakes. Even better with a caramel glaze on top -- YUM!
Abbe Odenwalder says
It is a delicious cake Amy and thanks for writing. Biz, this is insulin worthy but if I have to be honest and I was on insulin which thank goodness I am not, I would have to save for chocolate. That is my vice, for sure! But it was a fantastic recipe, it held up well while we were gone and I think it aged even better!
Biz says
Abbe - that looks insulin worthy for sure!! I love when you take a leap of faith and the recipe turns out!
Amy (Savory Moments) says
Looks like a delicious cake and I love the caramel topping!
Abbe Odenwalder says
Sorry everyone, I'be been out of town. Glad you like the cake. I left it on my counter when we left. We'll will see how it holds up! I forgot to freeze it! Thanks for writing me!
Monica Cheng says
Looks so delicious! I love the addition of caramel too.
ChgoJohn says
This sounds like a great little cake, Abbe, and that caramel glaze the perfect topper. I like the previous comment about freezing it. I don't make many baked goods because the last thing I need to do is eat them all. Freezing portions for later is the only way to go.
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen says
This cake reminds me of the plum pudding that´s been in my family for years. I love it but it´s so time consuming to make, I never do. This recipe solves the problem Abbe!
Angie Schneider says
A rich and delectable cake...wonderful to share with friends!
Abbe Odenwalder says
Thanks so much Medeja. They always love extra cake at work. Thanks for stopping by and I promise you will enjoy this cake.
Medeja says
I know what you mean..two of us also don't finish the cake, so I give my husband to take it to work 🙂 I love this spiced cake you made!
Abbe Odenwalder says
You are so right! It was a great old fashioned recipe!
Kitchen Riffs says
I'd say this cake is a friend, so it looks like you made two new friends! Really nice cake. This looks like one you could wrap and freeze, too, which can be handy when there are just two of good. Really nice recipe - thanks.