Ingredients

The following ingredients have 12 Servings
  • 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
  • 11/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper (or cayenne (optional))
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar (you may need up to 4)
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 tablespoon smoked sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon bacon fat
  • Coarse Sea salt

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 350F.
  • In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and chipotle or cayenne.
  • With the mixer on high and fitted with the whip attachment cream butter.
  • Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and whip until light and creamy.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
  • Beat in the vanilla.
  • Whip on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 minutes or so.
  • Scrape sides with the rubber spatula a few times during beating.
  • While mixing on lowest speed, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture.
  • Pour batter evenly into two greased and floured 8-inch cake pans.
  • Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean.
  • Let cool in pans for 10 minutes.
  • Turn out on wire racks to finish cooling.