Holiday Spice Cake

Make Ahead: Use these cake layers for Cherry-Spice Cake Trifle. Wrap each cake layer twice with plastic wrap, and then once with aluminum foil. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet, and freeze. Once they are frozen, remove from baking sheet, and stack in freezer.

Cherry Spice Cake Trifle
Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Hands On Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 45 mins
Yield:
2 layers

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1 cup buttermilk

  • Shortening

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar and light brown sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add sweet potatoes and vanilla, beating just until blended.

  2. Stir together flour and next 6 ingredients. Add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Spoon batter into 2 greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch round, 2-inch-deep cake pans.

  3. Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

Related Articles