I have been really dying to finally start recording my bakes so I can have more interesting content to load here on my site. It’s so difficult to do that though. There’s so much that goes into it and I’m constantly my worst enemy with making it a reality.

I finally got up the nerve to record for the first time this weekend, with my husband’s help, and am happy to share my first video here on the blog.

This cake turned out super delicious. It’s so simple and so unmistakably Fall. My favorite buttercream is Italian Meringue buttercream (hereafter referred to as imbc) and I had a little fun and added some cream cheese to this one. Enjoy!

For the Cake:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 sticks softened butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tbsp molasses

For the cream cheese IMBC:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 8 oz pkg cream cheese
• 4 sticks (16 oz) softened butter
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamom

How to make it:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Prepare 3 – 8 inch cake pans with baking spray and parchment paper.
2. Use the reverse creaming method by putting the first 8 ingredients for the cake through a sifter, add the brown sugar and whisk together, then combine the softened butter and dry ingredients using a hand mixer until mixture resembles course crumbs.
3. Combine the last 5 ingredients for the cake in a medium sized pitcher and whisk together well.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use the hand mixer to combine thoroughly for 2-3 minutes.
5. Pour evenly into prepared cake tins and bake for 28-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
6. Cool the cakes on a cooling rack for an hour.
7. Begin making the imbc by pouring the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment. Add the salt and cream of tartar and mix on medium speed, slowly adding 1/3 cup of the sugar into the egg whites until soft peaks form.
8. Meanwhile, put the remaining cup of sugar and the 1/3 cup of water in a saucepan and cook over medium-high speed until sugar has dissolved. Use a candy thermometer to keep track of the temperature. Once the syrup has reached 240 F, turn off the heat and slowly pour the hot syrup into the egg whites while whipping on medium speed.
9. Allow the meringue to continue being whipped over the next 10 minutes as the mixture cools.
10. Once cooled, add the vanilla extract and the cold cream cheese, in small pieces, until mixed completely. Then add the butter, little by little, until it’s been thoroughly incorporated. Continue to mix for several minutes as the buttercream gains volume again after deflating from the butter addition.
11. Decorate as you’d like.

Thanks for reading!