Halloween Spice Cake Recipe

This Halloween Spice Cake Recipe is a moist and aromatic recipe, which is made with unsweetened applesauce and warm spices. It’s a perfectly spiced, old-fashioned loaf cake, ready in about 1 hour.

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Halloween Spice Cake Ingredients

A classic combination for a perfectly spiced, old-fashioned loaf cake.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• Butter, for the pan

How To Make Halloween Spice Cake

A step-by-step guide to this wonderfully moist and easy-to-make cake.

1. Prep Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan and dust it with flour, tapping out the excess.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice until well combined and no lumps of cocoa remain.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, beat together both sugars, the oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract until blended and smooth.
4. Combine and Bake: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula until they are just blended. Be careful not to overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
5. Bake and Cool: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Serve: Just before serving, dust the top of the cooled cake with powdered sugar and slice.

Recipe Tips

• Why add cocoa powder? In this recipe, the tablespoon of cocoa powder isn’t enough to make it a “chocolate cake.” Instead, it adds a deep, dark color (perfect for Halloween!) and an earthy richness that enhances the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
• Why use applesauce? Unsweetened applesauce is a classic baking trick. It keeps the cake incredibly moist for days without adding extra fat, and its mild fruitiness complements the spices perfectly.
• Don’t overmix! This is a “quick bread” style cake. Once you add the flour to the wet ingredients, stop mixing as soon as you can’t see any white streaks. Overmixing will make the loaf tough.
• How to prevent the cake from sticking: Loaf pans can be tricky. Buttering the pan and then dusting it with flour creates a non-stick barrier. For extra insurance, you can line the bottom and long sides with a “sling” of parchment paper.

What To Serve With Halloween Spice Cake

This cozy, spiced loaf is perfect for a fall afternoon snack or breakfast.

• A hot cup of coffee or pumpkin spice latte
• A smear of cream cheese or salted butter
• Warm apple cider

How To Store Halloween Spice Cake

• Room Temperature: This cake stays very moist. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: You can freeze the whole loaf or individual slices. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Halloween Spice Cake Nutrition Facts

(Per slice, assuming 10 slices)

• Calories: ~310 kcal
• Total Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Cholesterol: 35mg
• Sodium: 180mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 38g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 22g
• Protein: 3g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

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