CHRISTMAS SPICE CAKE WITH EGGNOG BUTTERCREAM

Well, it’s here.  Ready or not.  The big guy in the red suit is checking his list, loading up his sleigh and getting ready for a busy ride around the world.  Meanwhile, we’re over here in Boston checking our shopping lists, twice, because facing that crowd twice is not on anyone’s nice list.

What’s on my shopping list?  Ingredients for this Christmas Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream.  The happy to my holidays.  I’ve made this spice cake, hmmm, roughly 5 times this month.  Trust me, my pants aren’t happy about it, but my mouth is doing just spectacularly.  Luckily my coworkers are very willing to test the samples.  Aren’t they just the best?

There are a few standard cakes in my repertoire.  My very favorite chocolate cake that’s been used in this Salted Caramel Pretzel Cake or this Pumpkin Buttercream Cake…or honestly anything I ever make anything chocolate cake.  And then this summer these Red Velvet Cupcakes got added to the list.  But now, you guys, we have a third cake to induct to the go-to list. Christmas Spice Cake.
We’re calling it Christmas Spice Cake because it’s got all those warming spices that make us think of cozy slippers and falling snow, but really it can be whenever-you-want spice cake.  Let’s be honest, whenever cakes are always the best cakes.

The tricky awesome part about Christmas Spice Cake is the wonderful combination of spices that perk up your tongue.  When you read the ingredients, your eyebrows are going to raise at the black pepper.  But trust me.  It provides just the subtlest kick of warm heat without even giving off that there is black pepper in the cake.  All you’re tasting is sweet cinnamon, spicy ginger, roasty clove and fluffy, moist cake.     All the wins.

But just waaaait….a present’s not a present until it’s wrapped right?  Well, here’s the most festive wrapping evah.

INGREDIENTS
CHRISTMAS SPICE CAKE

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
• 1/4 teaspoon pure ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsulphered molasses
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla

EGGNOG BUTTERCREAM

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
• 4 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 7 tablespoons eggnog
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS
CHRISTMAS SPICE CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour 3 8-inch cake pans, set aside.
2. In a medium size bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices (cinnamon through black pepper). Whisk together and set aside.
3. ........................................

for full instruction please see : hungerthirstplay.com

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