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A two-layer dairy-free spice cake with dairy-free cream cheese frosting on a cake stand.

Dairy Free Spice Cake

This dairy free spice cake is the perfect fall treat, filled with warming aromatic spices and topped with a dairy-free cream cheese frosting.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword dairy free spice cake
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 16 slices
Calories 456 kcal
Author Dairy Free for Baby

Ingredients

For the spice cake:

  • ½ cup plain almond milk
  • 1 tbsp distilled vinegar
  • 1 ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp allspice

For the frosting:

  • 1 container dairy-free cream cheese, softened (7-8 ounce container)
  • ½ cup dairy-free butter, softened (1 stick)
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 9-inch cake rounds with parchment paper.
  2. In a measuring cup, combine the almond milk and vinegar. Let sit for a few minutes.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
  4. In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Stir until well combined.
  5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Pour in the almond milk and vinegar mixture. Stir until combined.
  6. Divide the batter evenly between the two 9-inch round pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick pulls out clean from the center.
  7. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.
  8. When the cake is cool, prepare the frosting: Combine the dairy-free cream cheese, dairy-free butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a mixing bowl with a hand mixer). Use the whisk attachment on the mixer to combine the ingredients, starting on slow speed until incorporated then mixing on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy.
  9. Place one cake on a cake stand, and frost the top. Place the other cake on top and finish frosting the top of that cake, and sides if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

  • Do not attempt to frost the cake before the cake is completely cooled. Warm cake will cause the frosting to melt.
  • I like to bake these on the center rack and put a baking sheet on the rack below. This is helpful in case you accidentally put too much batter in one pan and it overflows.
  • Store leftover frosted cake in the fridge due to the dairy-free cream cheese in the frosting. Unfrosted cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature and frosting can be stored separately in the refrigerator.