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This one-bowl, no-mixer, Fall Spice Cake with Maple Glaze is sure to become a favorite. It takes minutes to throw together and the aroma, as it bakes, is unbelievable!
If you haven't noticed, one-bowl, no-mixer cakes are my specialty when it comes to baking. It's just so nice to not have to drag out equipment and lots of bowls, cups, etc. Maybe it's that I'm a little lazy, but I like to think of it as making a cake the way grandma would have done it. So without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to this delicious Fall Spice Cake with Maple Glaze! It's go lots of warm autumn flavor and you can have it whipped up in no time flat!
Last week, I received a comment from a happy baker about our French Grandmother's Lemon Yogurt Cake. Despite the funny name, this cake is one of the most beloved recipes on the blog; so moist, light and super delicious! As I thought about the cake, I remembered how easy it is and how quickly it comes together.
The comment also brought to mind our French Almond Cake which is a spin-off of the French Grandmother's Lemon Yogurt Cake. It's also one of the top ten favorite Café recipes. As usual, my foodie imagination started to dream about other ways to vary this simple, delicious cake recipe.
Next thing I knew, I was working on the first attempt of this Fall Spice Cake. I thought it would be super simple; just substitute a few ingredients and I'd be good to go. Our son, Nick stopped over with his family shortly after the cake came out of the oven. While everyone enjoyed it, we decided it needed a little more work, additional spices and a different glaze.
In the making...
5 cups of sugar, 15 eggs, 7½ cups of flour, 10 teaspoons of baking powder, lots of spices, 2½ cups of oil, 1 BIG carton of yogurt and a whole lot of stirring later it was "right". Yep, 5 cakes later, the recipe was definitely "right"... and I think you're going to love it as much as we do.
Why do round cakes tend to dome in the center when baked?
One of the problems I wanted to solve while making this spice cake was the issue of cakes doming too much in the center. This type of cake is actually turned out of the pan upside down for serving. The top comes out nice and flat (because it's actually the bottom) but if there's too much dome created in the center when it bakes, the cake won't sit nicely on a cake plate.
Have you ever had this happen? You finish preparing your cake batter, pour it in the pan, nicely even out the top and into the oven it goes. Next thing you know, you take a peek, and there's a little molehill sitting in the pan with a wonderful aroma. What happened? As the cake rises, the metal on the outside of the pan conducts the heat faster around the edges than in the center. The sides of the cake start setting, but the center continues to rise and bake. Hence, the dome.
Solutions for "the domed cake"
There are a number of solutions to this problem. First of all, you can try baking at a lower temperature. Turn your oven down 25 degrees. The lower temp will cause your cake to bake a little slower which sometimes helps it bake more evenly. I've found that sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't.
Another trick: you can purchase a "flower nail" which is placed in the center of the cake before it's baked. It's a nail with a blunt tip and a big, wide, flat base. It's placed in the center of the cake pan before the batter is added. Being metal, it will also conduct the heat, making the center cook faster so the cake is more evenly cooked. You'll find these at kitchen stores, specialty stores like Michaels or A.C. Moore and online.
Flour nails work quite well, but do create a little indent in the center of the bottom of the cake. For a layer cake, this is no problem, as the bottoms of the cakes are nicely sandwiched in between layers of icing. On a cake like this Fall Spice Cake however, flower nails are not ideal, as the bottom of the cake ends up being the top.
Using a "cake strip" is another trick to prevent doming. These strips can create a layer of insulation around the outside of the cake pan. The insulation keeps the edges from baking too quickly and promotes even baking which prevents domes, cracks and problems with the cake collapsing in the center. They can be purchased at kitchen stores, specialty stores like Michaels or A.C. Moore and online. I ended up using a cake strip with my cake and it worked out great significantly less doming.
A super simple, super delicious maple glaze
I tried several different ways to finish the cake, but in the end, I used a super simple combination of maple syrup, powdered sugar and vanilla. It's brushed on the cake right after it emerges from the oven. The syrupy mixture seeps down into the cake a bit and then creates an outer layer that's thin, crisp and oh... so delicious!
This is the really cool part! It will take you less than 10 minutes to throw this cake together - and that's giving you a little time to answer a text or solve a crisis with a toddler. Within 30 minutes, your house will be filled with the most amazing, tantalizing aroma!
Although this Easy Spice Cake is perfect on its own, I like to fancy it up just a bit with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. You can purchase little jars that are made just for sprinkling or use a small fine-mesh sieve.
Right now, you probably have all the ingredients for this Easy Spice Cake with Maple Glaze in your fridge and pantry. If not, make a shopping list and run to the grocery store. I promise you'll want this cake in your super-easy-but-dinner-party-worthy recipe arsenal!
I'm wishing we could sit down together and enjoy a sliver. Well, maybe just a bit more than a sliver - Bon Appétit!
Café Tips for making this Fall Spice Cake with Maple Glaze
- This spice cake recipe calls for regular yogurt. Greek yogurt can be substituted by using ¼ cup Greek yogurt and ½ cup milk.
- I find a metal whisk is the easiest and quickest way to mix up this Easy Spice Cake. Whisks are indispensable when making one-bowl, no-mixer cakes and so other things. A set with three different sizes is inexpensive and you find yourself using them over and over.
- Use real maple syrup for the glaze. It's a super simple glaze and you really want the ingredients to shine.
- Use a medium or large bowl, even though it's not a huge recipe. When the oil is added, you don't want it to splash out of the bowl as you mix it in.
- Don't underbake this spice cake. The center should feel fairly firm and spring back when gently touched. You can also check for doneness with a toothpick. Just insert it in the center of the cake, it should come back clean or with just a few crumbs. If it has wet batter clinging to it, give the cake a few more minutes in the oven.
P.S. We had some friends over for dinner who watch their gluten intake. I made this spice cake for them with 1 cup almond flour and ½ cup all-purpose flour. It was fantastic!
If you want to make it gluten-free, you can use 1¾ cup almond flour and ¼ cup King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour.
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- For the cake:
- ½ cup yogurt for Greek yogurt, see tips above
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup sunflower oil
- For the maple glaze:
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Spray an 8-inch (at least 2-inch high) round cake pan with baking spray, rub inside surface of pan with a paper towel to cover evenly with the spray. If your cake pan is lower than 2-inches, use a 9-inch round cake pan). Line bottom of pan with parchment paper and spray parchment paper lightly. Set aside.
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In a medium-large bowl, combine the yogurt, sugar, and eggs, and whisk together until well blended.
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Add the flour, baking powder, salt and spices and mix until all flour is combined.
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Add the oil and stir well. Don't worry, at first it will seem to separate but keep stirring till smooth.
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Pour the batter into prepared pan.
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Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the cake feels springy to the touch and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake.
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Cool cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes; then turn it out of the pan onto the rack.
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For the glaze - Combine the maple syrup, powdered sugar and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. With a pastry brush, gently brush the glaze all over the cake. Just keep going over the cake with more layers till the glaze is gone. It will seem like a lot at first, but just keep going. Some of it will drip off, but most of it will soak in. Allow cake to cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.
Jackie Wales says
oops bundt tin!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jackie, I haven't made this in a bundt pan so I can't say for sure. I think it would be fine, but you probably need to double it. If you try it let us know!
Jackie Wales says
Hi. Could this cake be made in a bundle tin?
Nausheen Qureshi says
Delicious! Made this for our newborn's meet n greet. Easy to prepare and guests were impressed!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for letting us know, Nausheen! And congratulations on your new baby!
Sandra says
This sounds delicious! I'm planning to make this in a haunted house bundt pan for halloween. I'm thinking I'm going to need to double the recipe. Is it ok to double every ingredient? I've read that you have to be careful when doubling leavening agents, and I wasn't sure if 4 teaspoons of baking powder would be too much.
Chris Scheuer says
HI Sandra, it's fine to double the recipe just as it's written. Enjoy!
Ana says
Wow this cake, yum!! The perfect blend of spices so that it’s delicious with no one spice shouting too loudly. Will definitely be in regular rotation going forward. Everyone who had a slice raved about it! And as you said, the effort with getting all the glaze on the cake is absolutely worth it!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks, Ana!
Carol Manning says
We loved the spice cake! It's moist and just the right amount of spice for our taste.
Just in case you're asked I used coconut milk yogurt instead of regular yogurt and it worked perfectly.
Happy Fall!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Carol! I'm so happy you enjoyed it! That's great to know about the coconut milk!
Nicole says
Love your recipes!! I want to make this morning for dad’s birthday ~can I sub buttermilk for the yogurt??
Love your recipes!!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Nicole! 💕 You can definitely sub buttermilke for the yogurt.
Ang says
Hi , this looks awesome! Do you think it would be good without the glaze? Making a cake for my friend who doesn’t like anything very sweet? Thks...
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Ang, this cake is not super sweet even with the glaze. The glaze gives it a really pretty shine and a crisp outer crust. That being said, you could make it without and it would still be great!!
Tonya says
I love all these spices and can't wait to try the recipe. Can I use canola oil instead of sunflower? I couldn't find it at my grocery store?
Thank you!
Linda Roehl says
My first choice would be extra virgin olive oil.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Tonya, any neutral flavored oil will work well. I like safflower, sunflower, grape seed and avocado oils. None of these will change the flavor of the cake. You could use olive oil but there will be a stronger flavor.
Katie Zack says
Made this for coffee hour at church with maple syrup made by a friend in New York. Wonderful cake enjoyed by all. Thanks. Also made the lemon yogurt cake and that was wonderful as well. So easy so I’m not making myself crazy baking for coffee hour!! My husband thanks you!!
Chris Scheuer says
I love it! I read your comment to Scott. He said, "I get it!" I say "why go through a lot of trouble when deliciousness can be so easy" 🙂
Annamarie Mangili says
When I saw this recipe last week I jumped in and made a quadruple batch for a catering job. I used four 9X13 straight edge pans. I made 4 in case they were too thin I could do some sort of layer bar. They cooked up quick and not too thin. I cut 48 pieces from a 9X13. Very moist and everyone really enjoyed it. I since have made 6 more batches. They hold over a day or two well, at room temperature. In the frig. the glaze seems to melt. It's always a bonus to have both an easy recipe and one that everyone loves! Thanks for the fall send off!
Chris Scheuer says
Haha, you sound like me. I have to try a good sounding recipe right away! So happy this turned out so good for you and it's great to know it can be made in a large batch! Thanks!
Ginger C. says
This looks scrumptious! I'll be making it Sunday for our church's board dinner. Would it be best made that day or could I make it the day ahead? Lots of moving parts in three meals for 70 people at two different times in three locations so I'm trying to do ahead where I can !
By the way, I use your dressing recipes all the time at our church dinners. I'm the catering director at our large church and we serve multiple meals every week including a Wednesday dinner for 300. It is rare that I do not have at least half a dozen people ask for the dressing recipe and it is almost always one of your fabulous dressings! You should be getting lots of traffic from Seattle from me! Haha!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Ginger, that's so awesome 🙂 I think you could definitely make this a day in advance. It's a nice moist cake and the flavors will meld!
Laura says
What a beautiful cake, Chris! I look forward to making it, and that maple glaze sounds outstanding!
Krista Evans says
I just made your gluten free version of this spice cake - it is unbelievably dense, yet tender, moist, perfect amounts of spices; my family, who are not gluten free enjoyed the cake. I subbed sour cream in place of greek yogurt as one reader asked, used coconut oil, cut the sugar in half and added currants/walnuts for sweetness/texture.
You have a fan here for your spice cake. Many thanks for making my world a better place (it's difficult to gain weight on a limited diet, much less enjoy the flavor of what I can eat). Your cake is now a staple in my year round repertoire. Merci! Au Revoir!
Chris Scheuer says
That's just awesome, Krista, I'm so happy this worked well your you and you were able to enjoy the GF version!
June C Meredith says
Do you think that I could add a few chopped pecans to the batter? I love cakes like this, with a little crunch. Maybe half a cup? I have made several of your one layer cakes, and they are always SO good! They are just the perfect amount for my husband and me.
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, I think that would be wonderful!
Liz Berg says
Such a yummy spice cake! Moist, tender and the perfect September treat!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Liz! It is perfect for fall!