These Mini Spiced Bundt Cakes are warm and comforting thanks to the porter beer and spiced cake batter. Baked in mini bundt pans, the adorable cakes are finished with cream cheese frosting on top and are perfect for fall gatherings and holiday get-togethers.
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Mini spice cakes with cream cheese frosting
There’s something special about revamping traditional cakes into elegant single-serving desserts. They’re adorable, and delicious! Whether you’re serving Mini Limoncello Lemon Bundt Cakes, Cherry Chocolate Mini Cakes, or these Mini Spiced Bundt Cakes, a mini cake in hand will always make the event or party so much better.
Instead of baking the cake batter in one large pan, I used mini bundt cake molds to make a dozen mini cakes. Bundt pans feature sharp ridges and elegant designs, giving each warmly spiced cake plenty of character without having to rely on garnishes or decoration. A dollop of cream cheese frosting is all you need!
This is the best spiced bundt cake recipe on account of one ingredient you’d never expect …beer in the form of a rich porter! I’ll spare you the science-y details behind it, but baking cakes with beer gives extra lift, an extra moist and fluffy crumb, and intensifies the indulgent flavors. You’ll quickly fall for these mini cakes because they’re so beautifully simplistic and packed with some seriously comforting flavors.
Ingredient notes
- Cake flour - It’s made from soft wheat and has less protein than all purpose flour, leaving you with cakes that have an extra-fine, dense crumb.
- Warming spices - This wouldn’t be a spiced cake without the spices! You’ll need ground ginger, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and freshly ground nutmeg.
- Brown sugar and molasses - Yes, you should use both. Brown sugar adds a necessary sweetness and chew, while the molasses adds moisture and lends a dynamic caramel-like taste.
- Beer - A nice porter enhances the warm spices with malted chocolate flavor, while a creamy stout creates notes of cocoa and coffee. You won’t need the entire bottle, so use a beer you’ll enjoy sipping as you bake! If you can’t find a porter or stout, you can use a full-bodied dark lager or brown ale.
- Cream cheese frosting - This creamy, tangy frosting is easy to make using room temperature unsalted butter, cream cheese, sifted powdered sugar, and vanilla paste (or vanilla extract).
How to make mini spiced bundt cakes
Step 1: Make the spice cake batter. Whisk the dry spices, flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a larger bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, molasses, beer, and egg together. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir to combine.
Step 2: Bake the mini cakes. Divide the batter evenly in your greased mini bundt cake molds and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool while you make the frosting.
Step 3: Make the cream cheese frosting. Beat the butter and cream cheese together. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and continue beating until the mixture becomes smooth and fluffy.
Step 4: Frost the cakes, then serve. Pipe a dollop of cream cheese frosting on top of the cooled mini cakes. Serve and enjoy!
Looking to create delicious and homemade garnishes to elevate your creations? Try adding Sugared Flowers, Candied Rose Petals, Dried Orange Slices or Sugared berries!
Tips and variations
- Always bake with room temperature ingredients - Set your chilled ingredients out on the counter at least 30 minutes in advance. Room temperature ingredients are always easier to work with, are easier to incorporate into batters, and produce better bakes.
- Grease the cake molds VERY well - Use non-stick cooking spray or melted butter and a pastry brush to ensure you get into all of the nooks and crannies. There’s nothing worse than a bundt cake sticking to the pan!
- Baking in a standard bundt pan instead - Pour the batter into a greased standard bundt cake pan and bake at 350ºF for about 1 hour. Check out my Spiced Bundt Cake With Cranberries for more detailed instructions.
Frosting and topping variations
This spice cake recipe is delicious on its own and doesn’t require any frostings or decorations. However, if you’re feeling fancy, feel free to push the cream cheese frosting aside and use any of these ideas instead:
- Powdered sugar and berries - Sugared cranberries would also be delightful here.
- Chocolate ganache - Drizzle a smooth dark chocolate ganache or white chocolate ganache over each cake.
- Buttercream frosting - Add a dollop of brown butter buttercream or raspberry French buttercream instead.
- Caramel sauce or chocolate syrup - Drizzled all over the tops.
- Textured toppings - Garnish your mini spice cakes with crunchy toppings like toasted coconut flakes, chopped nuts, or toffee bits.
Frequently asked questions
Typically, when a cake recipe calls for beer, you can replace it with brewed coffee, carbonated cola, seltzer, or ginger ale. I’ve only made these cakes with porter or stout, but root beer could also work well as a non-alcoholic option.
Begin checking for doneness with a toothpick after about 16 minutes. After that, they shouldn’t take much longer than 20 minutes.
Cake flour really is the best option here because it produces a light and delicate crumb. Thankfully, DIY cake flour is easy to make at home! For every one cup of flour, remove one tablespoon of flour and replace it with one tablespoon of cornstarch.
Storing and freezing
To store: Refrigerate any extra mini cakes in a shallow airtight container for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Wrap each of the cooled, unfrosted mini cakes in plastic wrap and keep them in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before frosting and serving.
More warmly spiced desserts you’ll love
- Pumpkin Spice Macarons
- Gingerbread Spice Cake with Eggnog Frosting
- Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Cupcakes
- Ginger Molasses Cookie Sandwiches
As always, I love seeing your creations and hearing from you! So, if you try these mini spiced bundt cakes, please leave a review or share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
Mini Spiced Bundt Cakes
Equipment
- Bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Mini Bundt Cake Pan
- Toothpick
- Cooling Rack
- Stand or Hand Mixer
- Piping Bag & Piping Tip
Ingredients
Spice Cakes
- 175 g (1 ⅓ Cups + 1 Tbsp) Cake Flour
- ½ tablespoon Ground Ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Allspice
- ¼ teaspoon Cloves
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cardamom
- ½ teaspoon Freshly Ground Nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- Pinch Salt
- 87 g (⅓ Cup + 1 Tbsp) Canola or Grapeseed Oil
- 75 g (⅓ Cup) Brown Sugar
- 165 g (½ Cup) Molasses
- 100 ml (½ Cup) Porter or Stout
- 1 Large Egg
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 60 g (¼ Cup) Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 225 g (1 Cups) Cream Cheese, room temperature
- 120 g (1 Cups) Sifted Powdered Sugar
- ½ tablespoon Vanilla Paste, or vanilla extract
Instructions
Spice Cakes
- Preheat oven to 330°F
- Whisk together all your dry ingredients in a medium bowl - the spices, flour, baking soda and salt then set aside.175 g Cake Flour, ½ tablespoon Ground Ginger, ¼ teaspoon Allspice, ¼ teaspoon Cloves, ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, ½ teaspoon Ground Cardamom, ½ teaspoon Freshly Ground Nutmeg, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, Pinch Salt
- Add all of the wet ingredients into a large bowl and whisk to completely combine. Then, add the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.87 g Canola or Grapeseed Oil, 75 g Brown Sugar, 165 g Molasses, 100 ml Porter or Stout, 1 Large Egg
- Add ¼ cup of batter into your greased molds and bake for 16-20 minutes - testing for doneness with a toothpick before removing from the oven.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing them. Once completely cool you can spoon, pipe, or dollop a bit of cream cheese frosting on top before enjoying!
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat together the softened butter and cream cheese on medium speed until it’s smooth and somewhat fluffy.60 g Unsalted Butter, 225 g Cream Cheese
- Scrape down the sides, then add in the powdered sugar slowly and vanilla paste – you’re now prepared to frost and enjoy your cakes!120 g Sifted Powdered Sugar, ½ tablespoon Vanilla Paste
Notes
- Always bake with room temperature ingredients - Set your chilled ingredients out on the counter at least 30 minutes in advance. Room temperature ingredients are always easier to work with, are easier to incorporate into batters, and produce better bakes.
- Grease the cake molds VERY well - Use non-stick cooking spray or melted butter and a pastry brush to ensure you get into all of the nooks and crannies. There’s nothing worse than a bundt cake sticking to the pan!
- Baking in a standard bundt pan instead - Pour the batter into a greased standard bundt cake pan and bake at 350ºF for about 1 hour. Check out my Spiced Bundt Cake With Cranberries for more detailed instructions.
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