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Sugar and Spice Layer Cake

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  • Author: Cake and frosting recipes adapted from Martha Stewart
  • Prep Time: 2 hours 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Total Time: 3 hours
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

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

  1. 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.
  2. In a large bowl, sift or whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Meanwhile, make the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat together 1 block cream cheese with sour cream and heavy cream until combined.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar (equal parts ground cinnamon and granulated sugar mixed together), if desired, on top of cake.