Modern Spiced Wedding Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup Unsalted butter, softened (Original recipe calls for 1 lb (2 cups) butter. This recipe uses half for a smaller, modern cake.)
• 1 cup Light brown sugar, packed (Original recipe calls for 1 lb (2 cups) brown sugar. This recipe uses half.)
• 3 units Large eggs (Original recipe calls for 12 eggs. This recipe uses a quarter for a smaller cake.)
• 0.5 cup Dark molasses (Original recipe calls for 1 cup molasses. This recipe uses half.)
• 2 cups All-purpose flour (Original recipe calls for 1 lb (approx. 3.5-4 cups) flour. This recipe uses a reduced amount for a smaller cake.)
• 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon (Original recipe calls for 4 teaspoons cinnamon. This recipe uses a quarter.)
• 1 teaspoon Ground allspice (Original recipe calls for 4 teaspoons allspice. This recipe uses a quarter.)
• 0.5 teaspoon Ground mace (Original recipe calls for 1½ teaspoons mace. This recipe uses a third.)
• 0.25 teaspoon Freshly grated nutmeg (Original recipe calls for 1 nutmeg, grated. This recipe uses a smaller amount.)
• 0.5 teaspoon Baking soda (Original recipe calls for ¼ teaspoon soda. Adjusted for modern leavening, especially with acidic molasses.)
• 0.25 teaspoon Salt (Added for flavor balance, common in modern baking.)
• 0.5 cup Milk (Added for moisture and texture, common in modern cakes.)

Instructions

1. 1Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or one 9x13 inch baking pan. Line the bottoms with parchment paper if desired for easy removal.
2. 2In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground mace, freshly grated nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. 3In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened unsalted butter and packed light brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
4. 4Beat in the large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Then, beat in the dark molasses until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
5. 5Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined after each addition, being careful not to overmix. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
6. 6Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes for 8-inch rounds, or 35-40 minutes for a 9x13 inch pan, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
7. 7Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto the wire rack to cool completely. Cool time is approximately 1 hour. Once completely cool, the cakes are ready to be frosted and decorated as desired.