Name: Spice cake
Yield: 1 sheet cake, about 12 portions
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 315 g All-purpose flour; 10 mL Baking powder; 5 mL Baking soda; 2.5 mL Fine salt; 7.5 mL Ground cinnamon; 5 mL Ground ginger; 2.5 mL Ground nutmeg; 2.5 mL Ground cloves; 240 mL Neutral oil; 350 g Brown sugar; 240 g Unsweetened applesauce; 4 Large eggs; 10 mL Alcohol-free vanilla flavouring; 150 g Apple Grated

Method

01 · Prepare
5 min
Use: Equipment
Heat the oven. Grease and line one 23 × 33 cm tin.
Ready when: Pan ready before mixing.
01 PrepareGrease and line the rectangular tin before mixing.
02 · Mix dry
1 min
Use: Dry
Whisk the dry ingredients.
Ready when: Even colour.
02 Mix dryWhisk the flour, raising agents, salt and spices evenly.
03 · Mix wet
2 min
Use: Wet
Whisk the wet ingredients until smooth.
Ready when: No egg streaks.
03 Mix wetWhisk the wet ingredients until smooth with no egg streaks.
04 · Combine
2 min
Use: Mix dry, Mix wet, Fruit
Fold mixtures together with grated apple.
Ready when: No dry flour.
04 CombineFold in the dry mixture and grated apple until no dry flour remains.
05 · Bake
38–40 min
Use: Combine
Transfer to the prepared pan and bake.
Ready when: Centre springs back; skewer has crumbs, not wet batter.
05 BakeBake until the centre is set and the cake springs back.
06 · Cool
About 2 hours
Use: Bake
Cool fully in the tin.
Ready when: Set crumb.
06 CoolCool the cake fully in its tin on a rack.

What to look for

Stage	Look / feel for	Needs attention
Combine	No dry flour.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Bake	Centre springs back; skewer has crumbs, not wet batter.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Cool	Set crumb.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.

Troubleshooting

If you see this	Likely cause	What to do now	Next time
Sunken centre	The batter was underbaked or lost too much air.	If still in the oven, continue until the centre is set.	Use the stated pan and avoid opening the oven early.
Dry crumb	Excess flour or baking time.	Serve with an appropriate cream or filling.	Weigh flour and check doneness at the low end of the range.

Optional: use cream-cheese icing. For 24 cupcakes, fill liners two-thirds full and bake 18–21 minutes at the same temperature.

Ingredient choices & substitutions

Ingredient	Specified type	Brand	Status
Apple	Grated	No required brand	Match the ingredient type

Ingredient	Alternative / ratio	Adjust handling	Likely outcome
All-purpose flour	Plain wheat flourEqual weight	Use plain flour, not self-raising; mix only until combined.	Similar result; stronger bread flour produces a firmer crumb.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

Other approaches to this recipe

Cook / recipe	Use	What differs

The working ingredients and method form one recipe. Different formulas are compared without averaging their quantities or rise schedules.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Measuring spoons and a marked jug	Use standard measuring spoons for small volumes and a kitchen measuring jug for liquids; eating spoons vary in size.
One 23 × 33 cm baking tin	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Bowls	Use a clean food-safe bowl with enough headroom for mixing or rising. For whipped whites, keep it free of grease.
Spatula	Use a flexible food-safe scraper or a flat spoon suited to the task; choose heat-resistant tools for hot pans.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Measuring spoons and a marked jug	Use standard measuring spoons for small volumes and a kitchen measuring jug for liquids; eating spoons vary in size.
One 23 × 33 cm baking tin	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Bowls	Use a clean food-safe bowl with enough headroom for mixing or rising. For whipped whites, keep it free of grease.
Spatula	Use a flexible food-safe scraper or a flat spoon suited to the task; choose heat-resistant tools for hot pans.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.

Spice cake

Spice cake

Spice cake

Method

01 · Prepare

02 · Mix dry

03 · Mix wet

04 · Combine

05 · Bake

06 · Cool

What to look for

Troubleshooting

Spice cake

How do I make it?

Prepare

Mix dry

Mix wet

Combine

Bake

Cool

What can go wrong, and how can I fix it?

Spice cake at a glance

Formula component	Grams	Flour = 100%
All-purpose flour	315 g	100%
Brown sugar	350 g	111.1%
Unsweetened applesauce	240 g	76.2%
Apple	150 g	47.6%

Group	Ingredient	Amount	Preparation
Dry	All-purpose flour	315 g
Dry	Baking powder	10 mL
Dry	Baking soda	5 mL
Dry	Fine salt	2.5 mL
Dry	Ground cinnamon	7.5 mL
Dry	Ground ginger	5 mL
Dry	Ground nutmeg	2.5 mL
Dry	Ground cloves	2.5 mL
Wet	Neutral oil	240 mL
Wet	Brown sugar	350 g
Wet	Unsweetened applesauce	240 g
Wet	Large eggs	4
Wet	Alcohol-free vanilla flavouring	10 mL
Fruit	Apple	150 g	Grated

Group	Ingredient	Amount	Preparation
Dry	All-purpose flour	315 g
Dry	Baking powder	10 mL
Dry	Baking soda	5 mL
Dry	Fine salt	2.5 mL
Dry	Ground cinnamon	7.5 mL
Dry	Ground ginger	5 mL
Dry	Ground nutmeg	2.5 mL
Dry	Ground cloves	2.5 mL
Wet	Neutral oil	240 mL
Wet	Brown sugar	350 g
Wet	Unsweetened applesauce	240 g
Wet	Large eggs	4
Wet	Alcohol-free vanilla flavouring	10 mL
Fruit	Apple	150 g	Grated