Spice Cake

I won this cute snowman pan from a dirty santa game this year. It also came with a recipe for a spice cake with vanilla buttercream icing. The cake was moist and absolutely delicious, but the icing was too gritty. I think I was too impatient and didn't let the sugar dissolve. Next time I'll use a different icing recipe using powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar.
I'm sure you could cook this cake in 2 round cake pans or make cupcakes. I'm already dreaming of making spice cupcakes with some cinnamon buttercream icing. Mmmm.


Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 eggs



Directions:
Have all of the ingredients at room temperature. Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 325-degrees F. Grease and flour the pan (or spray flour PAM) and tap out excess flour.

Over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt. In a small bowl, combine the milk and vanilla. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition just until incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it evenly between the two. Bake until the center of the cake springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55-60 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool upright in the pan for 15 minutes.

Tap the pan gently on a work surface to loosen the cake. Set the rack over the top of the cake, invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Let the cakes cool completely, 3 to 4 hours, before decorating.

Source: Williams-Sonoma