Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Technically this is a (*insert hand quotes)  dairy free  buttermilk spice cake with orange and cinnamon infused cream cheese icing. Frosting. Same difference. Regardless, I couldn't fit that all in, but this cake is magic so do not fear.

 Season's Eatings! Greetings! Same thing. When the holiday vibes hit, that is when you know it is time to whip out the ole cake pans and butter churners to impress your family, friends and random acquaintances with your homemade goodies. But let's be real. It is 2016. No one has butter churners (this is a blanket statement, I understand, but you just let me know if  you know someone with a butter churner).

Anywho, I was home for Thanksgiving and had a hankering to make a layered cake from scratch. My brother has a dairy allergy, so the struggle is finding ways to substitute ingredients like cream cheese, buttermilk and sour cream without losing the inherent flavor and texture that they bring. No fear! Nowadays, it is extremely easy to find alternative products that work perfectly. This is a buttermilk spice cake with cream cheese icing, and you may be thinking what on earth is she thinking, that  is anaphylaxis waiting to happen!  However, I took it on, and it was a nice little challenge. Regardless, I learned how to make dairy-free  buttermilk and cream cheese icing. LOVE IT ALL. And let me tell you, it was a hit. 

Next time, I think I want to try a gingerbread cake for Christmas, but I am getting ahead of myself... SO MANY RECIPES TO POST!

*I'm still working on the whole frosting/icing technique, but that's what winter break and moms are for and why there are limited photos of the final...thing....cake...frosting mound... *Shout out to mom for trying to help me be artistic with frosting by sharing her Martha Stewart skills and being patient when that didn't quite happen.  Looooove you.

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INGREDIENTS

 *Adapted from The Baker Chick 
For the cake:

• 1 cup almond/cashew milk (any dairy free option works)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup unsalted butter (Earth Balance is best for baking)
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp allspice 
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 8 oz. container of Kite Hill plain cream cheese 
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• Zest of one orange

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​INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, then oil and lightly flour three 8" cake pans. Put aside.
2. Put almond/cashew milk in a measuring cup and add the apple cider vinegar. THIS IS THE BUTTERMILK. Wait a few minutes for the mixture to thicken - it is perfectly fine and doesn't taste funky, I promise.
3. In an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, then continue with the eggs, one at a time, with the mixer at a low speed.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together all of your dry ingredients - flour, cornstarch, salt and spices.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixture slowly to avoid inhaling a potential cloud of spiced flour.
6. Once combined, pour into cake pans and place in the oven for about 30 minutes or until you can poke a wooden skewer in the middle and have it come out clean (thanks Ina).
7. Let the cake cool, and make your frosting!
8. In an electric mixer, you can just go ahead and add everything and adjust to your personal taste preferences.
9. Frost that motha!