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.