Description

Two 8-inch molasses-spice cake layers filled and covered with an orange-zest cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

Scale

2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Baking powder
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Fine salt
2 teaspoons Ground ginger
2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground cloves
3/4 cup Unsalted butter, softened for cake
3/4 cup Light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup Unsulfured molasses
2 eggs Large eggs
1 cup Buttermilk
8 ounces Full-fat block cream cheese, softened for frosting
1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened for frosting
3 cups Powdered sugar, sifted
1 orange Finely grated zest of one orange
1 tablespoon Fresh orange juice

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Instructions

Heat oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease and line two 8-inch round pans. Whisk 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons each ground ginger and cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves.
Beat 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar until lighter. Beat in 3/4 cup unsulfured molasses, then 2 eggs one at a time. Add dry mix in alternation with 1 cup buttermilk, starting and ending with dry, mixing just until combined. Do not taste raw batter.
Divide evenly between prepared pans. Bake about 30–35 minutes until a tester in each center comes out without wet batter. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then unmold onto racks and cool fully, at least 60 minutes total in the working plan.
Beat 8 ounces softened block cream cheese with 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter until smooth. Beat in 3 cups sifted powdered sugar gradually, then zest of one orange and 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice. If too soft, chill briefly and record how that changes the clock.
Place one completely cool layer on a plate, spread part of frosting, top with second layer and frost top and sides with the remainder. Divide into 12 working slices. Refrigerate the cream-cheese-frosted cake promptly; do not leave it on a long room-temperature buffet.

Notes

Recipe-development draft; not kitchen-tested. Timing and yield are estimates. Nutrition has not been calculated.

Additional chilling, resting or cooling time: 60 minutes, included in the total.

Working estimate: 45 minutes mixing/frosting/assembly, up to 35-minute bake and at least 60 minutes complete layer cooling. Longer cooling may be needed.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Chilling, resting or cooling: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: One of twelve working slices from a two-layer 8-inch cake; actual baked and frosted weights pending