Sugar and Spice!!!

My Mom (a.k.a."Nana"), baked the BEST cake over the Thanksgiving Holiday. My Dad's birthday was yesterday, but we decided to have lunch today, followed by cake and ice cream. The cake from Thanksgiving was SUCH a hit, that we asked Mom to do a repeat of it today. This is a recipe that was in the December 2008 issue of Southern Living Magazine (a MUST in the magazine rack if you live on this side of the Mason Dixon Line). It's called a Sugar and Spice cake. But, it's not your regular standard issue spice cake. The use of apple pie spice in this particular cake gives it an extra little "kick" than what the ordinary spicecake has (which is usually heavy on the ginger). What also makes this cake REALLY yummy is the very rich buttercream icing! It's a VERY easy cake to put together, especially if you need something quick. I hope that you'll try it....the general consesus around here is that it's "YUM-O"!!

(The picture above is the cake from today.  When it was made on Thanksgiving, it was decorated with pecan halves on the top of the cake, which made it really pretty....we were just all out of pecans today!!  There are several other possible garnishes listed in the recipe.  This a really nice three layer cake.)

 

SUGAR AND SPICE CAKE
Ingredients
1 (18.25-oz.) package white cake mix
1 (16-oz.) container sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons apple pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Vanilla Buttercream
Garnishes: sparkling sugar, clear edible glitter, rosemary sprigs, pecan halves, cranberries

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat together first 6 ingredients and, if desired, almond extract at low speed with an electric mixer just until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to medium, and beat 2 minutes or until batter is smooth, stopping to scrape down bottom and sides of bowl as needed. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans.

2. Bake at 350° for 20 to 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks THOROUGHLY--IF CAKE IS WARM, FROSTING WILL MELT.

3. Spread Vanilla Buttercream between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish, if desired.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Classic White Cake Premium Cake Mix.


VANILLA BUTTERCREAM:
Ingredients
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
2 (16-oz.) packages powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation

1. Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and next 3 ingredients, beating at low speed just until blended. Increase speed to medium, and beat until well blended and smooth.

Enjoy!!