Ingredients:

  • 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp (8g) ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp (2g) ground ginger
  • ½ tsp (1g) ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp (1g) ground allspice
  • ½ tsp (1g) ground cloves
  • 1 tsp (5g) baking soda
  • ½ tsp (3g) salt
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • 2 large (100g) eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter
  • 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch (1g) salt
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) heavy cream

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your 9-inch pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until no brown sugar clumps remain.
  3. Add the oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla directly into the dry mix. Whisk by hand until the batter is smooth and glossy, ensuring you do not overmix.
  4. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
  5. Bake in the center rack for 45–50 minutes. The cake is done when the edges pull away from the sides and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  6. Allow the cake to cool completely for 2 hours.
  7. Prepare the frosting by browning the butter in a saucepan, then beating it with softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and heavy cream until smooth.
  8. Frost the cooled cake evenly and slice into 9 servings.