Gorgeously fragrant and richly flavoured with warming spices, this vintage recipe for my Auntie’s Spice Cake has been in my family for four generations.
Auntie Margaret’s Spice Cake – A Recipe with a History
My maternal Great Aunt, Margaret, whose spice cake recipe this is, was known simply as ‘Auntie’ by her two nieces and five great-nieces. She figured hugely in my mother’s reminiscences about her childhood, and my cousins often mention her fondly. Sadly she died before she met her sixth great-niece who, as you may have guessed by now, is me.
One of The Women Who Founded Our Family
I know Auntie only through the wonderful stories I have been told, and a few things left to me by my late Mom. The beautiful burgundy blown glass vase with she gave my mother for her 21st birthday sits on the table beside my bed. I wear the ruby and diamond ring she left my mother, and wonder what she felt like as she wore it. Did Auntie wear it every day, or just for special occasions as I do? I feel a special connection with Auntie when I regularly sit at her writing desk in our library, pen in hand.
I wonder about the person who had such a profound effect on the women in my family, and I wish that I had had the chance to know her too.
One thing I do know about Auntie is that she was a very good cook. I have several of her handwritten recipes, and this Spice Cake is one of them.
A Real Old Fashioned Recipe
If you love a good spice cake, you will love Auntie Margaret’s Old Fashioned Spice Cake! There are a bit more details in the recipe, but it’s still really straight forward.
The mixing method is one developed before the days of electric mixers, the eggs whites whipped and then folded in at the end to help the cake rise. It sounds cumbersome, but actually it’s very easy, and it makes a spice cake that tastes better than any I have ever tasted. As I whip the egg whites in the electric mixer, I think of Auntie whisking them by hand in a kitchen back in the 1930’s and 40’s. I’m pretty sure she had strong arms!
The world may have changed, but Auntie’s delicious recipe for spice cake has stayed the same. It has been a part of our family for four generations, and I hope it will remain that way for many generations to come.
Is There A Gluten Free Version of This Recipe?
Click here for my Gluten Free Old Fashioned Spice Cake, adapted from Auntie’s recipe.
Auntie Margaret’s Spice Cake – Printable Recipe
Auntie Margaret’s Spice Cake
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
- 2½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 eggs, separated
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup soft brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and flour a deep 8 inch round pan or an 8 x 8 inch square pan. You can use a loose-bottomed pan if you prefer as it makes it easier to remove the cake after baking.
- Whisk the baking soda into the buttermilk or sour milk. Set aside.
- Sift the flour, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg into a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- Put the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and beat together thoroughly.
- Stir in the egg yolks until well blended.
- Stir the buttermilk and soda mixture, along with the vanilla, into the egg yolk mixture. Blend thoroughly.
- Stir the flour and spice mixture into this batter, beating thoroughly.
- Fold the egg whites gently but thoroughly into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, levelling the top a bit with a knife.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- If you plan to remove the cake from the baking pan, cool in the pan for ten minutes before turning out and cooling on a wire rack. Otherwise just allow the cake to cool in the pan.
- When completely cool you can frost with your favourite buttercream or spiced icing. Browned butter icing is also very nice with this cake.
did you make this recipe?
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More Delicious Old Fashioned Recipes
Old Fashioned Applesauce Pecan Brownies
Comments & Reviews
It’s what we call here a traditional cake and we love it!
Thank you, Winnie 🙂
looks delicious….just mouthwatering!
Thank you, Kalyan, it really is yummy!
I love this recipe! When I was a little girl, my Mom would make a spice cake and it was my favorite. I am not actually a big fan of chocolate cakes, but I could eat spice cake everyday of the week! Thank you so much for sharing this special recipe on #cakefriday!
Thank you, Becky. Although I love chocolate cakes, I think if I had to choose between chocolate and spice cake, spice cake would definitely win out!
How fun that it’s your Aunt’s recipe! I have a bunch of handwritten recipes from my grandmother and I love them! The cake looks so fluffy and delicious! Definitely want to try it!
Handwritten recipes are such a treasure! I’m glad you like the look of the cake, and I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I do if you try it 🙂
Oh I just love old recipes. They are simple, but always wonderfully flavored. I can’t wait to try this:)
Thank you Shannon, I love old recipes too. It’s a lovely way to remember people 🙂
Pinning this right now! Looks perfect for elevenses and coffee. 🙂 Thanks for sharing. I often find the old handwritten recipes are the best.
Thank you for pinning the recipe 🙂
This looks DIVINE! I love spice cakes, and this one reminds me of my childhood. I bet the buttermilk adds something extra special. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Thank you, Rachael 🙂 It really is delicious. I love the flavour buttermilk adds to baking. It makes things extra rich and tasty.
I just pinned your delicious recipe from Full Plate Thursday, thanks for sharing!
Miz Helen
Thank you for pinning my recipe, Miz Helen! Have a lovely week 🙂
What a lovely cake filled with love form your Aunt. 🙂
Thank you, Nancy 🙂
This sounds a very delicious recipe and I can imagine the aroma when this is baking is out of this world! I love the story behind it, always makes recipes come alive. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you, it really does smell lovely when it is baking 🙂
l love treasured family recipes that span generations…thank you for sharing!
Me too, Linda 🙂 Thank you!
I absolutely LOVE spice cake. What a great recipe!!!
Thank you so much, Cindy!
What an amazing recipe! Love the history and photos with this yummy recipe April. I have pinned and shared it! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you Cydnee, and thank you for sharing too 🙂
Hey April, I love your post about your Auntie and her beautiful, delicious cake. Thank you so much for sharing both. Auntie must have been a tremendous person.
Thank you, Susie. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I do wish Auntie had still been living when I was born. I would have loved to have met her!
What a wonderful cake and delightful story.
Thank you so much, Kecia 🙂
How wonderful!! I love the passing down of family recipes! Its amazing how a single bite of something can bring us right back a moment in time or immediately thinking of a loved one! Thanks so much for sharing this delicious recipe!
Thank you, Angela 🙂 And that is so true!
G’day Gorgeous recipe and photo! Are you sure your Auntie is not mine as have those handwritten cards and the handwritten re my reles looks the same too! lol
Pinned and shared! Cheers! Joanne
I love old recipes – especially handwritten ones, Joanne 🙂 Thank you for pinning and sharing 🙂
prepared this for my partner this evening. it turned out moist and full of flavor. wouldnt change a thing. topped it with homemade buttercream icing with allspice mixed in. i recommend actually making this cake, instead of talking about it.
thanks for this recipe. ill be making this time and again.
I am so glad you and your partner enjoyed the recipe as much as my family and I do! Thank you so much for letting me know. I like your idea of mixing allspice into buttercream – that sounds lovely!
This sounds so lovely!! I love all of these spices! 🙂
Thank you so much 🙂
what a yummy recipe I love spice cakes in general, its funny you mention about the ring jewellery especially due to the connectivity of the metals holds many past memories which is maybe what you can sense. lovely post 🙂 k x
Thank you so much, Kara. And I didn’t realise that about metals – that’s a really lovely thought 🙂 x
Wow, thanks for sharing this & about your aunt, I love reading things like this, I’m sure your great aunt Margaret was lovely. It’s amazing you have her handwritten recipes, so nice to have to pass down through generations. x
Thank you so much 🙂 x
Pinned and tweeted. Thanks for linking up at the LET’S GET REAL WEEKLY LINK PARTY. Auntie’s Spice Cake will be my feature this week on Thursday.
Thank you so much, Patty, and thank you for the feature as well! That is so kind of you 🙂
April, a perfect cake! And I love family recipes and how you sprinkled some spice on top of the frosting, something I do from time to time (when I remember!).
Thank you so much, Jean 🙂
April, I adore discovering treasured family recipes and your beloved Auntie’s cake looks scrumptious! I am thinking my in-laws would love it and hope to make it for them soon. Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful cake with us!
Thank you so much, Linda! Please let me know if you make the cake and what your in-laws think 🙂
Hi April,
Your Aunties Spice Cake looks delicious with a special blend of spices. I love family recipes and what they represent in our life. Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
Miz Helen
Thank you, Miz Helen. I’m so glad you like the recipe! I feel that way about family recipes too 🙂
Hey April! I have been looking for a spice cake recipe and this one sounds amazing! Looks so moist! Your Aunt truly must have been a great cook! I am going to make it for my parent’s anniversary ( 30 years!! ) since they had spice cake at their wedding. How many layers does this make?? Just curious.
Hey Amelia, It really is delicious! What a lovely idea to make it for your parent’s anniversary. I always make Auntie’s Spice Cake as one layer but it’s quite thick as you can see from the picture. You could make it into two smaller layers – just bake it for a bit less time. I’ve never done it before but I’d start with about 15 to 20 minutes per thinner layer. You’ll need to keep an eye on it though. Or you could double the recipe for two thicker layers, or four thinner ones. Let me know how it goes! I’d love to see a photograph 🙂
Tried the cake back in October and my goodness! So yummy and moist. I did two 6 inch pans and did it for about 22 to 25 minutes and turned out perfect! I am going to make it for my Thanksgiving dessert because everyone loved it so much! Super flavorful compared to other spice cake recipes. You can tell why it’s been passed down! Thanks for your suggestions!
I’m so glad you liked it, Amelia! It makes me so happy when people tell me they have made and enjoy my family recipes. I’ll be thinking of you at Thanksgiving!
I am going to make this! I have everything in the house, and we’re going to a potluck tonight! Thank you. Love seeing the old recipe card too.
I hope you enjoy it, Katie. It really has been a family favourite for a very long time 🙂 Let me know what you think!
I LOVE family recipes like this! My grandma has a whole box and I have worked my way through about half of them. Such a great way to really connect with family <3
It really is, Taylor! I think old family recipes are the best 🙂
I love reading through my Nana’s hand written recipes-it certainly makes me feel a lot closer to her and I love how tangible it is. Thinking about whipping egg whites by hand though makes my arm hurt. Anyway, this recipe is perfect-all that spice!
Thank you, Meg. Yes, thank goodness we have electric mixers! I tried whipping egg whites by hand once and my arm ached for days!
This is a great looking cake! Family recipes passed down are always the best
Thank you, Derek.
I love spiced cake! Gorgeous photo!
Thank you so much, Evi 🙂
I’m in a serious quandary!! Spice Cake or those Oatmeal Raisin Muffins of your mum’s!! I’m looking at a tin filled with Fat Rascals so perhaps I need to settle the “or” part later this week. 🙂 Both recipes look scrumptious and I’m looking forward trying both. My list of favourite recipes may be lengthening. 🙂
Thank you so much, Pamela! I’m so glad you like the sound of them both 🙂 Fat Rascals are very tempting, it would be a shame for them to go to waste…but I hope you will enjoy my recipes when you try them 🙂
Hello April!
What treasures to have. I love spice cake and will for sure try this. Maybe just maybe it will be good. Some people just have the touch…your Auntie seemed she did. Hugs!
Thank you, Chrissy! From the stories I’ve been told and the recipes I’ve been left, Auntie Margaret sure was a good cook. Despite the extra steps, the recipe is very straight forward and works really well, so I’m sure it will turn out beautifully for you. Hugs 🙂
This sounds so delicious April, I can just imagine how this tastes, so warming and full of flavour.
Thank you so much! It really is delicious 🙂
I love spice cake but can’t have gluten. Can this cake be made with gluten-free flour or glurten-free flour blend? If so, would other changes be needed to be made to the recipe? Thanks.
Hi Sharon, This recipe is definitely on my list to try with gluten free flour, but I have not yet tested it. In theory, I would think that if you were using a blend like Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1, there would be no reason why the recipe wouldn’t work just as it is. I’m travelling quite a lot at the moment, but as soon as I can get back in the kitchen, this will be first on my list. I will update the post and email you when I do. I’m sorry I can’t be more help just now.
I would appreciate that so much April. You are so kind.
I’m looking forward to giving it a try, Sharon. I’m really hopeful that the gluten free version will be as delicious as the original 🙂
Hello again, Sharon,
I’ve published the gluten free version of my Auntie’s Spice Cake! You can find it here
https://apriljharris.com/gluten-free-old-fashioned-spice-cake/
I’m sorry it has taken so long, but I went through a few versions before I got one I was a hundred percent happy with, and I wanted to test the final version thoroughly. I hope you and yours enjoy it!
We made this recipe today and it was delicious to eat, thank you! Topped with a brown butter icing.
However when we were making it the batter curdled when adding the buttermilk to the butter/sugar/egg mix… it happened twice (because we tried again after the first curdling)! We ended up just going with it the second time and as I said it still tasted fine, but I’m sure this isn’t meant to happen? And probably would result in an even better cake if it could be avoided?
If you know why, please let me know!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake, Jarrah. Browned butter icing is a wonderful topping.
I’m sorry you had issues when you made the recipe. The curdling is due to the buttermilk. Buttermilk is a cultured product and fermented, so it’s a ‘living’ product with bacteria in it. This often causes mixtures to appear to curdle. However, as you discover, it has no ill effects, and as the buttermilk actually benefits the flavour of the cake I wouldn’t want to use anything else. This sometimes happens in recipes where yogurt is used as well.
I feel bad that you made the recipe again though. I’m going to double check the post and mention the curdling in the text in case anyone else doesn’t realise this sort of thing can happen with buttermilk. Thank you so much for your comment, and again, I’m glad you enjoyed the cake!
OH I just LOVE spice cake; especially with a cream cheese frosting. YUM! Pinned and I can’t wait to try making it.
Thank you so much, Joanne, and thank you for pinning too!
This looks delicious! I have pinned it for later!
Thank you so much, Elizabeth, and thank you for pinning too!
This recipe had a lot of steps but turned out oh so delicious! This may sound like a dumb question but when you are doubling or tripling the recipe do you offer pan sizes and bake time….or am I missing something?
Hi Tanis,
Thank you so much. I’m really glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Your question is definitely not dumb! I’m so glad you asked. In fact, I never recommend doubling or tripling baking recipes. I find the results can definitely vary from a single batch and sometimes things do not turn out as you would hope. When it comes to baking I always make multiple batches.
In the words of Ina Garten, “Baking is an exact science, and when you double a recipe, things change.”
I know it is a bit more work and takes more time, but in my experience, making single batches of baked recipes always works better. I hope this helps!
Best wishes!
My husband requested spice cake for his birthday tomorrow, and I will try this one. He has never requested a spice cake before, and he’s turning 62!
Happy Birthday to your husband, Kristin! I hope you all enjoy my Auntie’s Spice Cake!
I am definitely going to try this one! I am also Canadian and am originally from the cold Prairies. Mom used to make this for dessert quite frequently. It reminds me of her. Thank you so much!
I am so pleased you found the recipe, Carol, and that it reminds you of your Mom! Thank you so much for getting in touch. I hope you enjoy the spice cake recipe as much as we do!