What makes a spice cake suitable for breakfast
A breakfast spice cake is a simple, moist cake that leans on cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for flavour, uses applesauce and oil to stay tender, and skips heavy frosting. It is baked in one pan, mixed in one bowl, and slices neatly to go with coffee or tea. Think of it as a close cousin of coffee cake and quick breads, a little sweet but not dessert-rich.
Popular spice cake recipes are often topped with cream cheese frosting, which is delicious but better saved for dessert. For breakfast, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar or a thin glaze keeps it lighter.
Ingredients
Makes one 8 or 9-inch (20 to 23 cm) square cake, about 9 servings.
Dry ingredients
- 190 g (1 1/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Wet ingredients
- 100 g (1/2 cup, packed) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) neutral oil, such as vegetable or sunflower
- 245 g (1 cup) unsweetened applesauce
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk or buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional
- 60 g (1/2 cup) chopped walnuts or pecans
- 60 g (1/3 cup) raisins
Simple toppings (choose one)
- 1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, sprinkled over the batter before baking
- A glaze made from 100 g (3/4 cup) icing sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, drizzled over the cooled cake
Method
- Heat the oven to 175 C (350 F), or 155 C fan. Grease an 8 or 9-inch square pan and line it with parchment, leaving an overhang to lift the cake out.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
- In a second bowl or jug, whisk the brown sugar, eggs, oil, applesauce, milk and vanilla until well combined. Break up any lumps of sugar.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold gently until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix. Stir in nuts or raisins, if using.
- Scrape the batter into the pan, level it, and add the cinnamon sugar topping if you are using it.
- Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the top springs back and a skewer comes out clean. A 9-inch pan may bake a little faster, so check early.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out and cool further. Drizzle with glaze once it is cool, if you like.
This batter is mixed by hand and needs no creaming, so it is quicker than most layer cakes. If you enjoy easy methods, see our all-in-one method guide.
What does brown sugar do to cake?
Brown sugar contains molasses, which does two things. It adds a deeper, caramel-like flavour, and it helps the cake stay moist and soft because molasses holds on to moisture. In a spice cake, the rich flavour pairs well with the warm spices. Light brown sugar is the usual choice, and dark brown sugar will give a stronger molasses flavour. In a pinch, white sugar will work, though the cake will taste less rich and may be slightly less moist.
Spices explained
What is allspice for cakes?
Allspice is a single spice made from the dried berries of a tropical tree. It is often described as tasting like a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, which is where its name comes from. It is not the same thing as a spice blend. A pinch of ground allspice is a convenient addition to spice cakes, and you can use it in place of some of the cloves and nutmeg here. Do not confuse it with “mixed spice” (UK) or “pumpkin pie spice” (US), which are blends that typically contain cinnamon plus other spices. Their exact mix varies by brand.
Using a ready-made blend
If you do not want to measure four spices, replace the individual spices with about 2 1/2 teaspoons of mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice. Taste and adjust to your preference next time.
What cake is eaten for breakfast?
Different countries have different traditions. Coffee cake (often with a cinnamon streusel, as in our easy cinnamon coffee cake with cake mix), banana bread, loaf cakes, muffins, Danish-style pastries and simple spice or fruit cakes are all commonly enjoyed with a morning coffee or tea. A spice cake with fruit in the batter and little frosting fits naturally into that group.
Ingredients for an applesauce spice cake
The core list is flour, a raising agent (baking powder and baking soda), salt, spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves), brown sugar, eggs, oil or butter, unsweetened applesauce, a little milk or buttermilk and vanilla. That is exactly what the recipe above uses. Applesauce adds moisture and a gentle fruitiness, and can replace some of the fat in recipes, though replacing all of the fat changes the texture.
Variations
- Oat flour version: Some bakers swap in oat flour and coconut sugar for a gluten-free and refined-sugar-free cake. This changes how the batter behaves, so follow a recipe written for those ingredients rather than swapping blindly. Our gluten and dairy free dessert recipes cover common flour swaps. Oats can also be cross-contaminated with gluten, so look for certified gluten-free oats if that matters to you.
- Chopped apple: Fold in about 1 cup of finely diced apple and bake a little longer.
- Carrot: Add grated carrot and walnuts for a lighter cousin of carrot cake, or see our Italian orange carrot cake for the full version.
- Cream cheese frosting: For a dessert version, top the cooled cake with a classic cream cheese frosting. The small red velvet cake uses a recipe that works well here too.
Storage and make ahead
Store the cake covered at room temperature for a couple of days, or in the refrigerator for longer, especially if it has a cream cheese topping. Cut into squares, wrapped well, it freezes for a few weeks and thaws overnight or at room temperature. You can also bake it the night before and glaze it in the morning.
Frequently asked questions
Is spice cake the same as carrot cake?
No. They share warm spices, but carrot cake contains grated carrots (and often nuts or pineapple), while spice cake relies on spices and usually has no vegetables.
Can I make it without applesauce?
You can try mashed ripe banana or plain yoghurt in place of the applesauce in the same quantity. The flavour and texture will change slightly.
Can I double it?
Yes. Bake it in a 9 by 13 inch pan and check for doneness a few minutes earlier or later than the stated time.