Aww look, it’s fun-sized!
Spice up your life
I was in fourth grade when the Spice Girls hit the scene. My friend Jackie got their album for Christmas, and we’d dance around the house to it, wearing crazy outfits and hairdos. (One of the songs was called “Naked.” Jackie’s mom made sure we always skipped over it!)
Fun-sized Spice Cake
Today’s recipe was inspired by my Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars.
Initially, I’d aimed to make a maple version of the bars. However, the first attempt lacked any maple flavor whatsoever, and so I decided to make spice bars instead. In reaching for a new baking dish (for attempt #2), I happened upon a mini springform pan. And thus, this little spice cake was born. As I tried to think of a name, I kept going back to the fact that it’s a baby spice cake—just like the singer! (For those of you who weren’t teens in the 90s, that would be Emma Bunton, also known as “Baby Spice.”)
What singers or bands were popular when you were growing up?
I was a teen in the 90s, so groups like Blink 182, N’Sync, and the Backstreet Boys played at my middle-school dances. Oh, and Britney Spears, Hanson, and the Spice Girls.
I never got caught up in the Hanson craze, but a few of the girls in my class wanted to marry those boys! And my friend Robin actually bought the Spice Girls movie. (One of only three copies sold?) She made me watch it with her; as expected, it was awful! Aliens abducting the main characters? Really?? Someone thought that was a good idea?
Many of you will appreciate that this recipe is fat-free.
I didn’t actually set out to make it that way. But the batter looked too gooey, after I put in all the applesauce, to add any more liquid. Luckily, this doesn’t taste fat-free (especially when it’s frosted). But you can always replace some of the applesauce with oil if you so desire.
Eggnog “Baby Spice” Cake
(Makes 2-4 servings)
- 1/2 cup spelt or all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pinch stevia or 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tbsp agave or pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp milk of choice, such as almond milk or even vegan eggnog!
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- optional: raisins, walnuts, pecans, etc.
Combine dry ingredients and mix very well. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients (including applesauce), then pour dry into wet. Stir until just combined, then pour into a greased pan (I used a mini springform, but a 4×7 would also work), and cook at 350 F for 20-25 minutes, depending on the depth of your dish. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing the springform.
Frost with: Creamy Dreamy Frosting.
For fun, I added a tiny bit of rum to the frosting. But you can opt to leave it out or even use rum extract. And feel free to use a different frosting recipe if you’d prefer. Or you could always opt to pay tribute to the UK, home of the Spice Girls, and top this cake with Marmite. But I wouldn’t recommend that. No, not at all!
Goodness I love the 90s. Spice World was among my favorite movies and I still smile every time I hear Wannabe!
Your cake looks amazing!! I could totally go for a piece of cake right meow.
Favourite bands growing up? Haha, all of the ones you listed! I had a maaajor crush on Nick Carter from BSB, and we had posters, movies, and CDs from them and the Spice Girls. And then of course, there was Blink 182, Britney Spears, Hanson….haha soooo many favourites 🙂
I remember Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne, etc! I also remember in 7th or 8th grade when Lady Gaga made “Just Dance”.
Yum, this cake sounds amazing..eggnog..what a great idea!
Oh I know the plot for Spiceworld was just nuts. But at that point they were like Justin Bieber – they could do no wrong. I don’t know who thought it was a good idea for Justin Bieber to launch a perfume, but he did, and I’m sure in 20 years there will be some fans of his that are like, really? A 16-year-old boy sold me a perfume??
Haha but thanks for the walk down memory lane – I was born in 85 so those were all my music influences growing up too!
Ugh, and he has a nailpolish line too! I swear, you can’t go into Target and not see his face staring at you from every single aisle! lol
oh i was a big big spice girls fan! i had all their cds and was dancing to the music while singing (and screaming along). i also liked britney spears and her “hit me baby one more time”. haha.. makes me smile just thinking about those times.
thanks for this great recipe! as usual suuuper delicious!
I made this twice. The first time I used almond flour and it turned out like pudding… delicious pudding, but still pudding. I would think it would need less liquid.
The second time I made it with spelt and knew that I finally had a Christmas cake! I’m going to layer it and add some sort of frosting.
Thank you Katie!
Hi Katie (that’s my name too!)
i have to follow a low FODMAP diet for a while and i was wondering if you knew anything about this or if you could recommend any of your recipies!
thank you, it would really help me 🙂
Hi Katie!! 🙂
Sorry, I don’t know anything about that diet.
Hey! Sorry about this, I really don’t mean to be rude – and I think a lot of your recipes are really great – but hasn’t this cake totally sunk in the middle?! I’m sure it’s tasty but I was thinking about making it and just wondered whether there were any adjustments you’d make at all? Thanks 🙂
Hi Alex,
I’m confused… do you mean that you tried to make it and it sunk? Or that you think mine looks like it sunk? Mine definitely didn’t sink lol :).
Sorry to confuse you, I haven’t made it yet but was thinking about making it today. Oh fair enough…in the photo of the single slice it just looks like it hasn’t held its shape very well, my mistake! Will definitely give it a try then as it sounds yuuummy!
Oh no, no worries! I think it’s probably thanks to the small size that it doesn’t sink. But make sure to cook it long enough so it’s fully cooked and risen in the middle :).
Just curious, why do you like to use spelt flour so much?
I like the taste… it tastes light for a whole-grain flour (as opposed to the more dense-tasting whole-wheat pastry flour). It just has a fun flavor. But I also like to use it just for the sake of variety. 🙂