Spice Cake with Penuche Frosting is a delicious, old-fashioned cake with nuts and flavorful spices of cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. And a delightful, yummy frosting.
Penuche is actually an Italian word that means fudge-like candy that is tan in color. Similar to caramel. Or butterscotch. Sweet and buttery. Thick and fudgy. It’s simply dreamy.
This is the type of cake to serve at a family gathering or potluck dinner. Or a chuck wagon dinner.
Spice Cake at a Chuckwagon Dinner
The first time I served this cake was at a Chuckwagon Dinner I hosted for our family and church. I set out tables with red checkered cloth under our awning and decorated them with jars of wildflowers from our pasture. The kids ran and the adults played horseshoes in the yard.
See my post for a Country Chuckwagon Dinner Here. Browse Cake Recipes and More Desserts Here.
For the meal, I served Beef Brisket, Biscuits, Cowboy Beans, Cabbage Bacon Salad, Fried Apples, and this cake. Then after dinner, we sat around an open fire and listened to songs on the guitar. It was a lovely evening.
It kind of reminded me of those cowboy dinner music theatres. Have you ever been to one? We have the Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper here in Kansas. And my husband and I attended one the first year we were married near Colorado Springs called the Flying W Ranch. I suppose that’s where I got the idea.
Ingredients for Spice Cake with Penuche Frosting
(As a Walmart Affiliate, I earn from qualified purchases at the links below. See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
Instructions for Making this Recipe
Preheat oven to 350°F. Gather the ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Spray an oblong cake pan with baking spray.
For best results, I recommend using an aluminum or metal baking pan instead of a glass pan. I sometimes forget and use a glass pan that produces sunken middles due to uneven baking. If you use a glass pan, you may need to increase the baking time by 5-15 minutes.
Using a knife and cutting board, or a nut chopper, coarsely chop the English walnuts.
Prepare the Cake Batter
In a medium-sized bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. Set aside.
Using a large mixing bowl, cream together the vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add large eggs one at a time and beat until combined.
Add orange juice and buttermilk alternately with flour mixture and beat for 1-2 minutes. Fold in chopped nuts with a rubber spatula.
Pour mixture into prepared cake pan. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.
Make the Penuche Frosting
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Continue to cook and stir for one minute or until thickened. Cool for 10-12 minutes.
Add hot milk and beat until smooth with a wooden spoon. Beat in enough powdered sugar to allow for creamy spreading. Spread onto cooled cake.
This recipe will serve 15-18 people. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days. Serve cake on pretty dessert plates with a cup of icy cold milk or ice cream. Spice Cake with Penuche Frosting. Spicy cake and buttery topping. The two go perfectly together.
Browse Similar Categories
Spice Cake with Penuche Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cups brown sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable shortening
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup English walnuts chopped
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup whole milk warmed
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Instructions Click to Start Cooking
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Gather the ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Spray an oblong cake pan with baking spray.
- Using a knife and cutting board, or a nut chopper, roughly chop the English walnuts.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. Set aside.
- Using a large mixing bowl, cream together the vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add large eggs one at a time and beat until combined.
- Add orange juice and buttermilk alternately with flour mixture and beat for 1-2 minutes.
- Fold in chopped nuts with a rubber spatula.
- Pour mixture into prepared cake pan. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Continue to cook and stir for one minute or until thickened. Cool for 10-12 minutes.
- Add hot milk and beat until smooth with a wooden spoon. Beat in enough powdered sugar to allow for creamy spreading. Spread onto cooled cake.
- Serves 15-18. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
I hope you’ll enjoy this cake as much as we do!