Best Swirl Spice Cake Recipes

APPLE SPICE CINNAMON SWIRL COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• 1. For Cake: Sift together all the dry ingredients several times - cake and muffin mix, instant coffee, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
• 2. In stand mixer, using paddle, starting on slow speed blend dry ingredients with eggs (one at a time).
• 3. Add yogurt, milk, oil. Blend on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.
• 4. Add apples and nuts. Blend a few more minutes until all ingredients are incorporated scraping the sides often.
• 5. CINNAMON SWIRL (best to do this after batter has been mixed as it only takes a minute). Melt butter. Add sugars and cinnamon. If mixture is too thick add a few teaspoons of milk until the consistency of gravy.
• 6. Pour your batters in prepared pans. For this one I used 6 mini loaf pans, filling to about 3/4 full. Test Kitchen Note: We used a 9x13 pan.
• 7. Dollop cinnamon swirl onto the batter 2 tablespoons at a time.
• 8. With a knife, gently swirl the cinnamon through being careful not to touch the bottom. NOTE: I learned the hard way, it sticks to the bottom and cake is difficult to get out.
• 9. BAKE @ 350 for how however many minutes, depending on size pan. For the mini loaf pans, it took 30-33 minutes. It also depends on your oven. Test Kitchen Note: It took 40 minutes for our 9x13 pan.
• 10. If you want an icing, with a mix whisk 3 tbsp of powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1-2 tbsp of almond milk.
• 11. Drizzle or spread over cooled cakes.

APPLE-SPICE LAYER CAKE WITH CARAMEL SWIRL ICING

Steps:

• Place one oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and a second rack in the top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch cake pans with butter or cooking spray, then line each with a parchment paper round and grease the rounds. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the molasses. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground spices to blend. Add the flour mixture and sour cream alternately to the batter. (Start and end with the flour mixture, adding the flour mixture in 3 increments and the sour cream in 2 increments.) After each addition, mix on low speed just to combine the ingredients. Stir in the shredded apples, vanilla, and ginger.
• Spoon the batter (it will be thick) evenly into the prepared pans. Place two cake pans side by side on one rack and the third on the other. Stagger the cake layers on the oven racks so that no layer is directly over another. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until firm to the touch. Monitor the layers carefully for doneness; each one may be done at a different time. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pans and unmold the cakes onto wire racks to cool completely, 15 to 30 minutes, before frosting. The cakes can be kept frozen, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 3 weeks. Defrost them at room temperature before unwrapping. Frost immediately.
• To make the icing: In a medium stainless-steel bowl, combine the unwrapped caramels, 2 tablespoons of the cream, and the 2 tablespoons butter. Place over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of simmering water. Stir the caramel mixture until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat. Let cool, stirring the mixture every few minutes until cool to the touch, about 20 minutes. (If the mixture is too warm, it will melt the buttercream frosting when it is stirred in later.)
• While the caramel is cooling, make the butter cream: Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 1 1/2 cups butter on medium-high speed for about 1 minute, until pale in color. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cream and the vanilla and powdered sugar, and beat for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the mascarpone and beat on medium-low speed until incorporated. Do not overbeat the mascarpone, or it may separate. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooled caramel mixture to drizzle over the cake once it is frosted. Stir the remainder of the caramel into the frosting, using large strokes to create caramel swirls throughout. Don't stir it too much or the ribbons of caramel will disappear.
• Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a thick blanket of frosting on top. Add the second layer and spread thickly with frosting. Add the third layer and cover the top and sides of the cake with an even layer of frosting. Use a small spoon to drizzle the reserved 1/4 cup of caramel over the top of the cake. Pat on the toasted pecan pieces to cover the sides of the cake. Tip: Using the proper tools for cutting frosted layer cakes ensures that individual servings look as good as they taste. I use a large serrated knife dipped in hot water for cutting. I wipe the knife off with a clean dishcloth after each piece, which ensures that every cut is as clean as the first.

SWIRL SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Streusel
• Whisk pecans, spice mixture, brown sugar, flour, and salt in a small bowl to combine. Drizzle in butter and mix until clumps form. Set aside.
• Cake and Assembly
• Preheat an oven to 325°F. Lightly coat an 8½x4½" loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on long sides. Press paper into pan, then turn over, so greased side is facing up. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and ½ tsp. salt in a medium bowl to combine.
• Beat sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium-high speed, scraping down sides of bowl halfway through, until very light and fluffy, 6-8 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. With motor running, add eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Reduce speed to low; add half of dry ingredients and mix just to combine. Add sour cream and vanilla and beat to combine. Add remaining dry ingredients and beat until incorporated.
• Scrape half of batter into prepared pan. Top with streusel (yes, it will look like a lot, but use all of it!), then scrape remaining batter over. Starting at a short side of the pan and working your way to the other short side, drag a butter knife back and forth from one long side to the other through batter to marble streusel; smooth surface.
• Bake cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 80-90 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a small knife around edges of cake to loosen if needed, then, using parchment paper, lift out of pan onto rack. Peel away parchment. Let cake cool completely.
• Combine powdered sugar and a pinch of salt in a small bowl, then mix in orange juice, adding up to a teaspoonful more if needed, until you have a thick but pourable icing. Drizzle over cake and let sit until icing is set before serving, about 15 minutes.
• Do ahead: Cake can be baked 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.