Ever felt like you need a slice of cake to make your sick day better? Writer Julia May Jonas certainly did. She’d whip up a warmly spiced, tender cake inspired by the McCall’s Best Spicecake that appears in a copy of McCall’s Cook Book that was passed down to her. Then she’d wipe all evidence of it before her family came home. Fragrant with cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, and vanilla, the spices lend warm and sweet notes without overpowering the light, buttery crumb of the cake. The cinnamon-scented buttermilk glaze adds a bit of sweet tang to the top.
Ingredients
6–8 servings
¾
2½
1
1
1
½
1½
1
½
2
1
1¼
1
Preparation
-
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Grease a 13×9″ metal baking pan with unsalted butter; line with parchment paper, leaving a 2″ overhang on long sides. Whisk 2½ cups (288 g) cake flour, sifted, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ½ tsp. ground cloves, a pinch of freshly ground pepper, and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon in a medium bowl to combine.
Step 2
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (100 g; packed) light brown sugar, and ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 2 large eggs, room temperature, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Add 1 tsp. vanilla extract and beat 10 seconds.
Step 3
Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with 1¼ cups buttermilk in 2 additions, mixing until just combined after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Scrape batter into prepared baking pan; smooth surface.
Step 4
Bake cake until golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30–35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 20 minutes. Using parchment, lift cake from pan and transfer to a cutting board. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Step 5
Whisk 1 cup (110 g) powdered sugar, sifted, and remaining 3 Tbsp. buttermilk and ½ tsp. ground cinnamon in a medium bowl until smooth.
Step 6
Drizzle glaze over cake; cut cake into pieces.
Do ahead: Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
