ALLSPICE SPICE CAKE by Sarah Phillips adapted from McCormick Spice Co © 2007 Sarah Phillips baking911.com
Makes 16 servings 
Cake and photos by sugarpie © Sarah Phillips, baking911.com
Cake and photos by sugarpie © Sarah Phillips, baking911.com
This makes a great all around spice cake chocked full of raisins and nuts. It is wonderfully fragrant with allspice, cinnamon and ginger, and is made even more delicious with a Caramel Glaze. This is the cake I worked on with McCormick Spice Company as a consultant, as they needed a good basic (moist) spice cake recipe in their repetoire. I worked with them on the texture of the cake. I developed a lower calorie moister version of this cake, the Allspice Applesauce Bundt Cake.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour; spoon into measuring cup and level to rim
1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups whole or 2% milk
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Caramel Glaze (recipe follows)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position an oven shelf in the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan.
SARAH SAYS: The batter is soupy and as a result, tends to stick to the pan, so make such you adequately grease and flour the cake pan. Reduce the oven heat by 25 degrees F if using a dark, nonstick pan.
For best results, grease pan with shortening and dust with flour such as Wondra enabling you to see the intricate details of the pan. Nonstick vegetable oil is fine to use. Avoid sprays with lecithin because it promotes a gummy layer build up on the pan. Bakers' Joy, a nonstick spray with flour is recommended.
2. In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add flour, sugars, allspice, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt. Turn on low to combine ingredients. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat with electric mixer on low speed just until ingredients are moistened. Beat on high speed 2 minutes.
3. Remove bowl from the mixer and with a large rubber spatula, stir in raisins and walnuts. Do not overmix. The batter is soupy.
4. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Gently smooth the top. Bake 55 minutes or until sides of cake pull away from pan. Cool in pan 20 minutes. Invert cake onto wire cake rack to cool completely.
5. Place wire cake rack, with cake, over a rimmed cookie sheet lined with foil. Spoon Caramel Glaze evenly over cooled cake. Let stand until glaze is set. Serve immediately.
STORAGE
Cake can be stored at room temperature for a few days. Cake freezes nicely for a month or more.
CARAMEL GLAZE
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
4 to 5 teaspoons heavy cream or whole or 2% milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar, sifted; measure and then sift
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine sugar, butter, cream and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until well blended and smooth. Simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat. Cool slightly before spooning over cake.
VARIATIONS
Allspice Applesauce Layer Cake with White Chocolate Italian Meringue Buttercream, Step-by-Step
Allspice Applesauce Bundt Cake by Sarah Phillips
Pumpkin Applesauce Bundt Cake by Sarah Phillips
