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4.7 from 23 votes
The Traditional Irish Spice Cake is cut into generous squares and served on a silver platter. They have delectably moist, fine crumb and are dusted with powdered sugar. One slice is served on a floral dessert plate, paired with a cup of tea on the side.
Print Recipe
Traditional Irish Spice Cake
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 

My Irish Spice Cake is an easy, no-mixer bake inspired by Irish tradition, with minimal cleanup and even better flavor and texture made ahead.

Servings: 9 squares
Author: Gemma Stafford
Ingredients
  • ½ cup (4 fl oz/120 ml) buttermilk
  • ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) unsweetened applesauce
  • ¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs , at room temperature
  • ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup (2 oz/57 g) dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups (6¼ oz/177 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • Powdered sugar , for serving (optional)
Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) . Butter and line an 8-inch (20-cm) square pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, applesauce, oil, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract.

  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.

  4. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until smooth. Pour the batter into your prepared pan.

  5. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

  6. Enjoy with a dusting of powdered sugar. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. It also freezes beautifully, well wrapped for up to 2 months.

Recipe Notes
  • Use room-temperature ingredients. When making this spice cake, ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before you begin.
  • Mix until just combined. Overmixing could make the cake tougher.
  • Don't overbake. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. 
  • Make an extra-soft top. Here's a great chef's tip—cover the cake with foil as soon as it comes out of the oven. As the cake cools, the foil traps moisture, giving the top a lovely soft, almost sticky texture.
  • Cool completely before slicing. This will ensure neat slices.
  • Dress it up: This spice cake doesn’t need much more than a cup of tea, but you can make it fancy by icing it with a half-recipe of my Cream Cheese Frosting or a drizzle of Apple Cider Caramel Sauce or Spiced Rum Caramel Sauce.
  • Double the Recipe: Feeding a crowd? This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9×13-inch (23×33-cm) pan. Increase the baking time to 45–50 minutes.
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