Spice Cake

A family friend has their birthday today and according to my sources they *LUV LUV LUV* spice cake.  After perusing the web for a while I found a few themes, or key ingredients, that I think are required,  For a good spice cake it must contain buttermilk for richness.  It should also have a combination of butter and oil for moistness and mouthfeel.  The spices should not only have more cinnamon than other spices but also contain clove, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger.  Last but not least it should be made with brown or raw sugar instead of granulated.  I supposed you could always add molasses to get the same feel, but why add another ingredient when it is not necessary?

SPICE CAKE

1 stick butter (1/2 c)
2 c raw sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 c olive oil
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t clove
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t allspice
1/2 t ginger
1/2 t salt
1/8 t chipotle
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t vanilla
3 c cake flour

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Preheat oven to 350

2)  Cream butter in stand mixer

3)  Cream raw sugar into butter

4)  Slowly add eggs into mixture one at a time

5)  Add oil in slowly

6)  Add in cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice, ginger, chipotle, baking soda, baking powder and vanilla

7)  Slowly mix in buttermilk

8)  Mix flour in 1 cup at a time

9)  Grease and flour your pan

10)  Bake for about 1 hour until a toothpick comes out clean

SUGGESTED FROSTING

There are several different flavors for the frosting, but the only acceptable frosting is a cream cheese buttercream.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb creamcheese
2 sticks butter
1 lb powdered sugar
1 T desired flavor (vanilla, maple, orange, orange zest, rum, etc...)