Go Back
Sliced molasses spice cake on a cake stand with cream cheese glaze dripping down dark spiced crumb

Homemade Molasses Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

A dark, moist bundt cake loaded with molasses and warm spices, finished with a tangy cream cheese glaze.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 170 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 240 g dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup unsulphured dark molasses (340 g)
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 375 g all-purpose flour (3 cups)
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 cup hot water or hot brewed coffee (240 ml); coffee deepens the color
Cream Cheese Glaze
  • 115 g cream cheese, softened
  • 120 g powdered sugar (1 cup)
  • 2 milk to 3 tbsp
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method
 

Make the Batter
  1. Heat the oven to 175 C / 350 F. Grease every groove of a 10-cup bundt pan, including the center tube.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice together in a bowl until evenly combined.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and molasses until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
  4. Add the flour mixture in two additions, alternating with the hot water or coffee. Mix until just combined, the batter will look thin.
Bake the Cake
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
  2. Bake for 40 to 48 minutes, checking at the 40-minute mark. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  3. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour, before glazing.
Make the Glaze and Finish
  1. Whisk the cream cheese until smooth, then add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until pourable, adding more milk 1 tsp at a time if needed.
  2. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Slice and serve.

Notes

  • Batter looks thin before baking, that's normal for this cake.
  • Use room-temperature eggs so they blend smoothly into the melted butter.
  • Grease every groove of the bundt pan, including the center tube.
  • Cake tastes better the next day once the spices settle in.