Orange spice cake with cream cheese frosting

Orange spice cake with cream cheese frosting

Since we are all friends on this page, I have a secret to tell you guys...I am horrible at frosting cakes. I wanted to design a recipe that packed so much flavor that it would make you want to slap yourself silly. And...I wanted the cake to look pretty. Since I am also lazy, I baked it in my cast iron. I hate removing cake from the pans, leveling the surface and making a crumb coat. Not only does it look cool in a cast iron pan, it gives the cake a delicate layer of sweetness where the batter is baked against the hot iron.

Orange Spice Cake

1 ½ Cups Sugar

¾ Cup Butter

3 Eggs

2 ¼ Cups Flour  

1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Soda

½ Teaspoon Salt

1 ¼ Cups Milk

1 Tablespoon Fresh Orange Zest

½ Teaspoon Turmeric 

½ Teaspoon Cinnamon 

¼ Teaspoon Allspice 

¼ Teaspoon Cloves 

1/4 Teaspoon New Mexico Chili Powder

Place the butter and sugar together in a bowl. Using a mixer, combine until the mixture looks light yellow, smooth and fluffy.

Add the eggs and mix until the mixture just begins to combine.

Add the flour, baking soda, salt, orange zest, cinnamon, allspice, turmeric, chili powder and cloves.

Mix until coarse crumbs form.

Add the milk. Mix until smooth.

Grease an 8" cast iron pan with butter.

Pour in the batter.

Bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until the top springs back from the touch.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces Cold Cream Cheese

1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

1 teaspoons Milk*

Whip the powdered sugar and cream cheese together in a bowl until smooth.

Add 1 teaspoon milk and whip again until fluffy.

*Any liquid can be added. Milk is only an option. Any type of liquor can be used. Depending on what it is added, it will slightly tint the frosting.