If you’ve got a taste for a dessert that’s a wee bit adventurous and decadently delicious, then this moist Chinese five spice cake with rich ginger buttercream and candied ginger is definitely one for your recipe box!
Dessert Gets a Little Adventurous with Chinese Five Spice Cake
If you were to take a little peak inside the cabinet just to the right of my stove, you'd see a wide variety of international spices, or what I like to refer to as my “magical powders”.
I'm a spice fanatic, no question about it. And if you've spent enough time on this website, or have prepared my recipes over the years, you most likely know that I'm big on bold, complex flavors and that my dishes so very often call for a pinch of “this” or a pinch of “that” to awaken the palate.
I love unique flavor combinations, and I'm definitely partial to warm spices that invigorate not only one's tastebuds, but their spirit as well. I simply adore being surprised by the delicious results that so often come about from interesting spices being used in unexpected ways.
Enter this Chinese five spice cake... a moist, sweet, rich spice cake unlike any you've tried before.
Are you intrigued?
What Exactly Is Chinese Five Spice, Anyway?
Good question!
Chinese five spice powder is meant to embody the five basic flavors of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami, which is a word often used to describe the flavor of “savoriness”.
The components of Chinese five spice powder are cinnamon, star anise, fennel, cloves, and peppercorns ground up finely to form a spice powder that is readily found in the spice section of local markets.
This combination of spices creates a rich and deep flavor profile, one that is typically used in more savory Chinese-style recipes; but it's rife with potential when added into a sweet spice cake recipe like this one, in my humble opinion.
A Traditional Spice Cake with an Untraditional Twist
The beauty of using Chinese five spice powder in a spice cake is that it already contains two very familiar spices, cinnamon and cloves. The star anise, fennel, and peppercorns simply add a different-yet-complimentary note, and a hint of actual spiciness, delicious in dessert.
To compliment this particular flavor profile, I created a ginger buttercream frosting (with a tiny hint of cream cheese added in!), and chose a garnish of candied ginger sprinkled over top to tie the flavors together and keep this cake's slightly “Asian” theme going.
Sure, this Chinese five spice cake with ginger frosting may sound a little different, and you're right, it is!
But it's deliciously different, with both traditional and not-so-traditional flavors, and perfect for those occasions when you're craving being a little adventurous with your dessert!
Tips & Tid-bits for Chinese Five Spice Cake:
- Where to find Chinese five spice powder: You can find Chinese five spice powder ( or “five spice powder”) at most grocery stores these days; it'll be in the section with the rest of the spices and seasonings.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet: It's easiest when you prepare your dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and then just add them at once into the wet ingredients, and fold them together. There's no need for the stand mixer with this recipe, only a whisk and spatula!
- Your choice of apples: I use grated apples in this recipe for a bit of extra moisture, and because they have a neutral flavor. I like to use gala apples for their texture and sweetness, but feel free to use your favorite variety.
- Prepare your cake ahead: You can bake your cake off a day or so in advance. Once cooled, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap. When ready to serve, prepare the frosting and frost the cake. (You can also prepare the frosting in advance and keep it in the fridge, but know that it will become stiff and will need to be re-whipped with the hand mixer to make it fluffy again.)
Feast your eyes on these, or just jump to the recipe:
Recipe
Chinese Five Spice Cake with Ginger Frosting
by Ingrid Beer
Print RecipeYield: 18 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Cake Ingredients:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ¾ teaspoons five spice powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large gala apples, peeled and grated
• Candied ginger (minced), as garnish on top of frosting
Frosting Ingredients:
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temp
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened at room temp
• 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk or half & half
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 (heaping) teaspoon grated ginger
Preparation:
-Preheat the oven to 350°, and line a 9 x 13 cake pan with parchment and spray with cooking spray.
-In a bowl, whisk together the flour, five spice powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, and set these dry ingredients aside for a moment.
-In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown and granulated sugars with the eggs, then add in the oil and vanilla, and whisk those in to combine; add the dry ingredients into these wet, and now using a spatula, gently mix and fold the ingredients together until mostly combined; add in the grated apples, and fold those in.
-Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, and bake for about 38-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean; allow to cool for 10 -15 minutes in the pan.
-While the cake bakes, prepare the ginger frosting by adding the softened cream cheese and butter into a large bowl; using a hand mixer, mix the two until light and creamy; add in the powdered sugar in increments, and mix that in; add a little of the milk or half & half at a time until you reach your desired consistency; add in the vanilla and grated ginger, and mix that in until completely combined and fluffy; set aside.
-Carefully turn the cake out of the pan (or, you can leave it in the pan, as well) and place onto a tray or wire rack, and allow to completely cool before frosting.
-Finish the cake by garnishing with the minced candied ginger. Enjoy!
Looking for more tasty spice cake recipes? Check out this Apple Cider Spice Cake, or this Spiced Pumpkin Velvet Cake!
Hi, Ingrid ~
I was never been a fan of spice cake in any incarnation. This is not your ordinary spice cake. Having been at a friend's house and deciding to be polite and just try a small piece, boy! was I surprised. This tasted like we were in a European bakery. Out of this world! I may have to ask for this for my birthday cake. Just delicious. Thanks for this. ♥️
Roseanne, thank you so much for your stellar review! I cannot tell you how excited I am that you enjoyed this little cake so much, even though you're typically not the biggest fan of spice cake...what a compliment! I appreciate it, and I hope you have another opportunity to enjoy it, birthday or otherwise!
Great tasting cake and very easy to make. Delicious!
Hi Kimberly, I am so excited you tried out this cake and enjoyed it so much! Thanks for taking some time to comment and share your experience with the recipe.
Hello,
I plan on making this today but would like to omit the cream cheese and just make buttercream. Of course I’ll still add ginger. Do you think this will change taste much? Also I’m using some candied ginger I made myself a week or so ago. We are big fans of ginger in our home!
Hi Laurie, I'm so excited you're planning on preparing this unique and delicious cake, especially since you're such fans of ginger in your household!
I think the buttercream will taste perfectly delicious with the cake, and yes, just go ahead and follow the recipe as far as the amount of ginger (and other flavor ingredients) to add in.
What a great treat to use that homemade candied ginger you prepared in! Hope you all enjoy!
I made Thai turkey lettuce wraps today for dinner. I had some apples and I thought I would make an apple cake for dessert, looking in my pantry I thought that Chinese five spice would probably be good in an apple cake, Assuming that if I thought of it ,someone else definitely already did , I found your recipe! It turned out wonderfully! I didn’t have everything to make the frosting so I just sprinkled with powdered sugar. That’s fine with us since frosting sometimes is a little too sweet. Thank you for this recipe I already added it to my recipe box!
Christine, that's great! So glad you enjoyed! Thanks for sharing.
I would like to make this cake in an 8 in. square pan. Do you think if I half all the ingredients it will work? I have done this before with other recipes and it usually comes out ok.
Hi Diane, certainly!
If you have good experiences with halving the recipe ingredients, then go for it. Actually, I kinda think you might even be OK if you don't reduce all the way by half, but by a 1/4. That way, you get more cake, and I believe the square 8x8 pan would hold that. (So if the recipe calls for 2 cups of flour, you'd use 1 1/2 cups flour rather than 1 cup, etc...)
You decide what you're more comfortable with as far as ratios—if you think half would be better, then go that route. Either way, hope you enjoy this spiced cake!
Didn't see your reply til now, but yes, it came out great. I even made the cream cheese icing with reduced fat cream cheese - was going to just put confectioner's sugar on it as someone else did, but I decided to go for the icing and I had ginger bits. I took a taste and the flavor is delicious and moist. I am bringing this to my 92 year old father (who is German) tomorrow and likes ginger things - I think it will be a big hit. How do you think it would be in a bundt pan? or a springform pan (I think mine is 10 in.)
Would also like to know if you have other recipes for muffins and/or crisps and maybe German pfeffernusse?
Wonderful, Diane! I was so touched to read that your 92 year old father will be enjoying this cake—may he be uplifted by the sweetness of it!
You could definitely try this in a bundt pan, I think it would work just fine. And as for other recipes, I do have a delicious berry crisp recipe, so just head over to our drop-down menu area and search under "desserts" for other inspiration! I also have an apple muffin and a pumpkin muffin recipe there as well...
Happy baking, Diane! Hope you find lots of tasty treats to whip up and share!
I made this cake last night. It is absolutely delicious. So simple to make. Mine turned out slightly lighter colour than your pic but we loved it. Going to have another slice with coffee now. Thank you
Jacinta, thank you for taking some time to comment on your experience. I'm so happy to read that you enjoyed the cake!
I tried this cake today. So easy to make. My family loved it. Definitely making for Christmas!!
Irene, that's fantastic! I'm so thrilled that you enjoyed this little gem of a cake, as I know it may be a little "unique" with the spice flavor profile.
Please know it warms my heart to read that it will be a part of your holiday! 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous. Softest sponge with a mixture of flavours. Will definitely do again. ☺
Thanks so much, Deborah. Thrilled you enjoyed!