sugar + spice layer cake
It’s turned into a dessert week here, guys and gals! And if you’ve guessed that my holiday diet so far has consisted of 50 percent dessert, you’d be right.
But there is a more important reason that this cake exists (besides my insatiable cravings for sweets lately), and that reason is Audra, a.k.a. The Baker Chick, and her soon-to-arrive baby boy.
I first met sweet Audra when she and I were roomies (along with our pal Joanne) at the Big Summer Potluck this past summer. Her bump was but wee back then, and I remember we had a conversation about babies and how I was ready for one. She assured me that I would have one when the time was right and to just be patient… and a month later, I found out I was to have a little bump of my own. That Audra, she knows what’s up — in both baked goods and babies.
That’s why I felt it fitting to make a cake for her virtual shower. Any time I visit her site, I’m guaranteed to drool over something sweet and delicious (though she posts equally tasty savory posts from time to time!). This festive sugar and spice cake, with mascarpone-like frosting and a blackberry jam filling in the center, is just perfect for a celebration. I just wish I could share it with everyone because LAWDY, eating cake for breakfast, lunch dessert, snack and after-dinner dessert is just exhausting.
Also yes, lunch dessert is a thing right now.
Happy baby shower, Audra! You’re going to be a fantastic mama, I just know it. Can’t wait to see the little man!
P.S. Check out the other yumminess my blogging friends made for the party:
Lauren at Keep It Sweet Desserts: Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream Brownie Bites
Tracey at Tracey’s Culinary Adventures: Coconut-Cream Meringue Cupcakes
Erin at The Spiffy Cookie: Sausage and Cheese Wonton Cups
Joanne at Eats Well With Others: Chocolate-Caramel Tart with Sea Salt
Jennifer at Bake or Break: Chocolate Mousse Mini Cupcakes
Jacqueline at The Dusty Baker: Gluten-Free Cranberry Bread
Kelli at The Corner Kitchen: Mini Eggnog Bundt Cakes with Salted Caramel Icing
Liz at The Lemon Bowl: Honey and Tangerine Whipped Goat Cheese Crostini
Katrina at Warm Vanilla Sugar: Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Brown Butter
Rachel at Baked By Rachel: Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream
Brandy at Nutmeg Nanny: Grapefruit Rosemary and Sage Spritzer
Gina at Running to the Kitchen: Cinnamon Nut Stuffed Persimmons
Julie at Table for Two: Mini Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
Meriem at Culinary Couture: Bananas Foster Cupcakes
Sugar and Spice Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 2 hours 20 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1/2 cup seedless blackberry jam
- Cinnamon-sugar, for topping (optional)
For the frosting:
- 3 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom and sides of two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper; spray paper with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, sift or whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar 3 minutes at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
- Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat 1 more minute to fully incorporate ingredients.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer pans to cooling racks for 20 minutes; then, carefully invert cakes, remove parchment paper, and flip right side up. Place on cooling racks to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat together 1 block cream cheese with sour cream and heavy cream until combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together remaining 2 blocks cream cheese with butter 3 minutes at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar, vanilla and orange zest. Stir in 8 oz (about 1 cup) of the cream cheese-sour cream mixture.
- Trim the tops of the cakes so they are flat. Place one cake on a serving plate. Spread blackberry jam evenly on top. Spread 1 cup frosting on top of jam. Place second cake upside-down on top of frosted cake. Top second cake with another 1 1/2 cups frosting.
- Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar (equal parts ground cinnamon and granulated sugar mixed together), if desired, on top of cake.
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This cake looks so perfect, mascarpone is my favourite. Congratulations to Audra!
This is simply gorgeous! I really love simple cakes like this wear the filling tastes as good as the cake it self.
i do not mind the dessert over load, it is time of indulgence right?
What a pretty layer cake, so perfect for celebrating! I’m all for a week of desserts:-)
Aw Steph thank you so so much. You are right- this cake is right up my alley- I absolutely adore it. I am so glad we were able to have that convo many months ago- I can’t wait to return the favor! xoxo
what a beautiful cake!! i love the layers and the filling in between each. btw – i’ve been completely out of the blog world for a bit and I just noticed your redesign and can i say how much I LOVE LOVE IT?!
Aww how sweet!! This cake is so lovely!
A huge congrats to Audra! What a lovely shower to have for this special time. This cake is drop-dead-gorgeous, Steph. That blackberry jam is a home run – I love blackberry anything!
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Sarah — I am quickly becoming a huge fan of mascarpone, too! Especially in frosting form. 🙂 Thanks!
Belinda — I contemplated putting the extra filling/frosting on my toast this morning, it’s so good. 🙂 Thanks, friend!
Lauren — Thanks so much, dear!
Audra — You’re so very welcome, friend — I really appreciate you! And I’m looking forward to seeing the little guy soon! 🙂
Julie — Oh thanks so much, friend! I am pretty smitten with the new design myself — WSK did such a great job. Wish we could hang out and have some (or all ;)) of this cake together!
Seriously such a fun cake!! Love the extra touches – they really make it that much more special 🙂
Erika — Thank you!
Sally — Thanks so much, dear! I didn’t realize how amazing the blackberry flavor would taste in cake but I’m LOVING it. I think it’s going into all my cakes from now on. 😉
Rachel — Thanks! So happy we could celebrate Audra this way together!
I would be more than happy to take some of this cake off your hands. All those spices AND cream cheese frosting? I’m dying here.
Love how you decorated it with the stars!
This cake is STUNNING! So classy and warm – I’d eat it for lunch, for sure 🙂 So lovely to meet you through Audra! And CONGRATULATIONS on the growing bump of your own!!
I love when cakes are frosted this way. The blackberry jam filling ooozing out the centers makes me want it so much more. What a sweet celebration to be able to share!
Congratulations to Audra. This cake looks fantastic!
Congratulations to Audra! What a lovely shower! This cake is gorgeous, Stephanie! Love all the flavors!
Jennifer — If only they had a shipping box that could hold cakes… I’d send you some in a heartbeat. 🙂
Erin — Thanks! It’s about as creative as I get, lol. 🙂
Jacqueline — Thanks so much! Wish I could have you over for a cake-eating lunch. 😉
Courtney — Me too! If nothing else because it’s easier to frost 🙂 Thanks, friend!
Dishing up the Dirt — Thanks friend!
Anna — Thank you! I wish we could all celebrate together so I could share some of this cake. 🙂
There is never a wrong time to eat dessert, especially something as pretty as this!
Shikha la mode — I like the way you think. 🙂 Thanks!
What a beauty!!
Congratulations!! This cake looks gorgeous as well, such a perfect celebration cake! 🙂 I love the hearts. Pinned!
What a wonderful cake – perfect for a celebration!
Marie — Thank you!
Rachel — Thanks so much, dear! 🙂
Kathryn — Thanks, lovely 🙂
What a gorgeous cake! It looks like the perfect way to celebrate the virtual babyshower ;D
How pretty is this cake, I love the layers!
Congrats to Audra!!! And wow, Steph – this cake is gorgeous! I’d love a slice r-i-g-h-t now!
Aww I love the story of you meeting Audra!! Babies are so exciting!! Also, this cake? Just pass me a fork a solid chick flick and I’m golden.
I love that we both thought to bring cake to the the shower! Yours is so gorgeous, I am in love with the little star decorations, they’re the perfect finishing touch 🙂
Consuelo — Thanks, dear!
Laura — Thank you!
Ashley — Thank you, my dear!
Katrina — A chick flick and this cake sounds like perfection. 🙂 Thanks, friend!
Tracey — Great minds 🙂 Now if only we could share it in real life!
Ohhhh with the jam and the spice and the everything nice……….I need all the slices of this. So pretty, too!
What a gorgeous cake and so perfect for this occasion! Congratulations to Audra 🙂 I love the blackberry jam and the frosting sounds amazing, pinning and thanks for sharing Stephanie 🙂
This is quite the beauty of a cake!! And it is so funny how all of it turned out with you getting pregnant so soon after Audra said that! It’s like she has a sixth sense…
Congratulations, Audra!! I hope you enjoyed your virtual baby shower – looks like these lovely ladies put together some amazing eats and are so full of love and support! Stephanie, your cake looks amazing! Pretty soon you’ll be eating layer cake at your own baby shower! Waaaahooo!!
Stephie — Thanks, dearie! Wish I could ship you some of this cake because it’s real good.
Kelly — Thanks so much, dear! (and thanks for pinning!)
Joanne — She’s a baby whisperer or something. 😉 Thanks, love!
Julia — Thanks, doll! And I know, it’s such an exciting time! (I mean, it always is when cake is involved ;))
What a gorgeous cake, I love mascarpone fillings/frostings! I could totally have a slice of this right now as a pre lunch snack, lol!
I love this cake! It is so so gorgeous. Beautiful job. I also love the combination of flavors going on with the blackberry jam.
Pinned!
Jessica — I wish I’d discovered mascarpone frosting sooner because I can’t get enough of it. SO good. And heck yes to the pre-lunch snack! 🙂
Abbie — Thank you so much! 🙂
Love everything about this dessert. Especially the mascarpone frosting! And I’m loving the new site! So beautiful!
such a pretty cake!
Nicole — Thanks so much, dear!
Dina — Thanks!
It’s so beautiful! I want it! 🙂
DessertForTwo — Thanks, dear! Swap some for your cranberry vanilla cake? 😉
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