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This Mini Spice Cake is the perfect treat, filled with the warm flavors of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves baked into a soft, buttery cake. With its small size, it’s just right for one or two servings—a simple, satisfying dessert to enjoy after any meal.
If you love the warm flavors of our Mini Spice Cake, you’ll be excited to explore our collection of mini cake recipes. Try our velvety Red Velvet Cake, tropical Hummingbird Cake, or tender Apple Cake. Each one is easy to bake, perfectly sized for one or two, and packed with delicious flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: This homemade spice cake is simple to make and perfect when you want a delicious dessert without much effort.
- Pantry-Friendly: The recipe uses basic ingredients you likely already have on hand—no special shopping required.
- Perfectly Portioned: Designed for one or two servings, this mini cake is just the right size to satisfy your sweet tooth without leftovers.
- Packed with Flavor: Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves make every bite rich, aromatic, and incredibly satisfying.
A spice cake is a rich, tender dessert that highlights the warm, aromatic flavors of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Think of it as a close relative to carrot cake, but without the carrots—uncomplicated, flavorful, and perfect without the need for heavy, sugary toppings.
This Mini Spice Cake captures that charm in a perfectly scaled-down version for one or two servings. Its buttery texture and bold spices make it satisfying on its own, though a light dusting of powdered sugar can add a lovely finishing touch. If you’re looking for a small cake that’s big on flavor, this recipe is just what you need.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy spice cake from scratch, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Butter: Use salted butter that is slightly softened at room temperature. It adds richness to the cake and helps create a tender texture.
- Brown Sugar: This recipe uses only brown sugar, and either light or dark varieties work beautifully. If you’re out, try our small batch brown sugar substitute.
- Egg: A large egg provides structure and moisture, essential for the cake’s soft crumb.
- Vanilla Extract & Salt: Both enhance the overall flavor, making the cake even more delicious.
- Oil: Vegetable, canola, or avocado oil ensures a moist, delicate texture in the cake.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works perfectly. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour like King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure For Measure Flour.
- Fall Spices: Ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg create the warm, autumn flavors that define this spice cake. These same spices are featured in our mini gingerbread recipe!
- Baking Powder: Helps the cake rise properly, giving it a light, airy texture.
- Milk: Keeps the batter moist and easy to mix. Use any type of cow’s milk or substitute with almond milk if preferred.
Recipe Variations
This small spice cake is delicious as-is, but you can easily adapt it to your taste preferences. Here are a few ideas:
- Add Fruit: Fold in a small amount of diced apples or pears to bring a hint of natural sweetness and texture to the cake.
- Include Nuts: Add a handful of toasted walnuts or pecans for a bit of crunch and a nutty flavor that complements the spices.
- Increase the Spices: If you prefer a stronger spice flavor, adjust the amounts of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves to suit your taste.
How To Make A Mini Spice Cake
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make an old fashioned spice cake. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Heat oven to 350° F (177° C). Lightly grease a small baking dish with butter.
Pro Tip: I use a 4×6-inch baking dish that has a base area of 24 square inches. You can also use a 5×5-inch baking dish with a base area of 25 square inches or a 6×6-inch dish which will yield a spice cake that may bake faster.
- Make the spice cake mix: In a small bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until well mixed.
- Beat in egg, vanilla, and oil.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter/egg mixture and mix to combine.
- Stir in the milk.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any possible spills.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and place the baking dish on a rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
- Read Through the Recipe First: Before you start, read the entire recipe, including the Ingredient Notes section, and review any process photos. This will help you understand each step and ensure your spice cake turns out perfectly. Everything you need is detailed within the post, so don’t skip over it!
- Use Softened Butter: Softened butter is essential for creaming with sugar, a key step in this recipe. For the best texture, leave your butter out on the counter for about 30 minutes before baking.
- Stick with Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is ideal for this recipe because its molasses content helps keep the cake moist. While white sugar could work, it won’t provide the same rich texture. If you’re out of brown sugar, try our small batch homemade brown sugar recipe.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Precise flour measurement is crucial for the cake’s texture. If you don’t have a digital scale, start by aerating the flour in its container with a spoon. Then, spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level it off with a knife to avoid using too much.
Serving Suggestions
A slice of this homemade spice cake is a delight on its own, but there are plenty of ways to make it even better. Here are a few serving suggestions that pair beautifully with the warm, spiced flavors of this cake:
- Serve with Ice Cream: Add a scoop of vanilla or butter pecan ice cream for a cool, creamy contrast to the warm spices.
- Top with Whipped Cream: A dollop of homemade whipped cream adds a light, airy touch that complements the cake’s rich flavors.
- Enjoy as Part of Breakfast: Pair a slice with a steaming cup of tea or coffee for a sweet and indulgent morning treat.
- Pair with Seasonal Drinks: Serve alongside spiced apple cider or fall sangria to fully embrace the flavors of the season.
Frequently Asked Questions
The right baking dish can make a difference in how your mini spice cake turns out. We suggest the following options, along with their respective baking times:
5×5-inch dish: 40-45 minutes
4×6-inch dish: 40-45 minutes
6-inch round dish: 40-45 minutes
6×6-inch dish: 33-37 minutes (this yields a faster-baking cake due to its larger base area)
Two 10-ounce ramekins: 35-40 minutes
Using a dish with dimensions other than those recommended can alter the baking time and potentially impact the end result. For more information on the baking dishes we typically use for our small batch recipes, consult our FAQ page.
While delicious on its own, you can top it with cream cheese frosting, a drizzle of caramel, or a dusting of powdered sugar for an extra treat.
Cover the cake tightly and store it at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes! Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Mini Cake Recipes
Once you’ve fallen in love with this mini spice cake, you’ll be thrilled to know there are plenty more small batch cake recipes to explore.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small spice cake recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you would like additional information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried this spice cake or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Mini Spice Cake
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
- 5-inch baking dish or a 4×6-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- ¼ cup salted butter -softened, plus 1 tablespoon more for greasing pan.
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350° F (177° C). Lightly grease a 5×5-inch baking dish with butter.
- In a small bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until well mixed.
- Beat in egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter/egg mixture and mix to combine.
- Stir in the milk.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any possible spills.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and place the baking dish on a rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Read Through the Recipe First: Before you start, read the entire recipe, including the Ingredient Notes section, and review any process photos. This will help you understand each step and ensure your spice cake turns out perfectly. Everything you need is detailed within the post, so don’t skip over it!
- Use Softened Butter: Softened butter is essential for creaming with sugar, a key step in this recipe. For the best texture, leave your butter out on the counter for about 30 minutes before baking.
- Stick with Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is ideal for this recipe because its molasses content helps keep the cake moist. While white sugar could work, it won’t provide the same rich texture. If you’re out of brown sugar, try our small batch homemade brown sugar recipe.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Precise flour measurement is crucial for the cake’s texture. If you don’t have a digital scale, start by aerating the flour in its container with a spoon. Then, spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level it off with a knife to avoid using too much.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Hi Joanie- you say the best way to measure flour is by using a scale, but I don’t see weight measures in the recipe. I think it’s especially important for small-scale recipes (no pun intended) to measure by weight.
Hi Aaron, weight measurements can be found in the recipe box at the bottom of the page. Click on “Metric” below the Ingredients section and the amounts will convert from US Customary to Metric.
My family and I really love this cake! The recipe doubles well, still baking in 2 little rectangle pyrex dishes. I sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar though it’s really not needed. It goes really well with coffee, similar to a powdered donut.
This was wonderful! I made it in my toaster oven on the lowest rack and the top did get a little brown; I used a 5×5 dish @ 40 minutes. But it tasted great!
Question about milks: I’ve started using oat milk for my coffee and have been wondering if I can use it for baking. I’ve found it much creamier than cow’s milk, so am not sure if it would work the same in a recipe. Thank you!
Oat milk should work just fine as a milk substitute.
Delightfully wonderful recipe. Cake was moist, light and delicious and flavored with just the perfect amount of each spice. I made 3 batches of double the recipe which gave me 6 cakes to give as Christmas treats to my neighbors later today.
Hi Joanie:
Can you please confirm that 1/8 teaspoonful of baking powder is correct? I was measuring dry ingredients for making 2 batches of doubling the recipe to give me 4 cakes.
Amount of baking powder seems seems small for the amount of flour. Thanks.
Yes, use 1/8 of a teaspoon of baking powder for one cake.
Thanks Joanie. I’ll let you know how they turn out. I’m baking 4 cakes for 4 of my neighbors for Christmas. Thanks
This is a wonderfully light cake! I doubled the cinnamon and ginger and topped it with a maple icing (1 Tablespoon melted butter, 1 Tablespoon maple syrup and powdered sugar to desired consistency). Sooo good!
Do you think baking this in a 7×5 or 8×4 pan would work?
The cake will be thinner and will bake faster. A 5×5-inch baking dish has a base area of 25 square inches.
A 5×7 has a base area of 35 square inches and an 8×4 dish has a base area of 32 square inches, so they are both much larger than the 5-inch dish that we use.
Very good cake with nice taste. Will experiment with different size baking dish as I thought it was too thick/high in 5″ pan. Use caution if baking in a toaster oven since it needed extra time to bake and the top got a bit overdone. Recommend this cake baked in a regular oven.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake, Nancy. The baking dish we recommend is a 5×5-inch baking dish. This dish has a base of 25 square inches. When looking for different baking dishes to try, you might like to view our article describing the various dishes that will work when a recipe calls for using a 5-inch baking dish – https://onedishkitchen.com/small-baking-dishes/
I wanted a pound cake recipe to bake for my husbands 81st birthday like my mother in law used to make,but I didn’t want a full sized pound cake. Her cake was delicious and this cake is equally delicious! I really couldn’t tell the difference. I doubled this recipe, which made it just the right size. The only changes I had to make due to available ingredients were substituting lemon extract for lemon juice and using whole milk. Thank you, my husband is enjoying his delicious cake!
I have made this a few times. Delicious and moist. I want to make three of them. Do you think I can triple the recipe?
I’ve only ever doubled this recipe and I know it does double well. I haven’t tested tripling the ingredients so I can’t tell you how it will turn out.