Easy Doctored Spice Cake Mix

If you love the ease of a boxed spice cake mix but you’re looking to take things up a notch, this is the post for you! Keep reading to discover simple but delicious ways to amp up that boxed cake. 

📝 At a Glance: Easy Doctored Spice Cake Mix

👩‍🍳 Skill Level: Beginner-friendly
🥄 Flavor Profile: Warm, spiced, and slightly sweet with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg
🧁 Options Included: Sheet cake, Bundt cake, or layered with frosting
🎯 Best For: Fall gatherings, potlucks, or quick comfort bakes

What is Spice Cake? 

Spice cake is a moist and flavor-filled dessert that’s made with a combination of warm spices. Typically, these would include things like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. You could start with a while or yellow cake and add those spices, if you like. In this cake, I happened to have a box of spice cake mix (thanks to my step-mom, who gifted me with over a dozen cake mixes for Christmas). 

Spice cakes are unique, both in flavor, scent, and appearance. It’s a slightly spicy cake with a delicious flavor profile and is a favorite treat during the fall and winter months. (It’s January 8th as I make this post and it’s freezing cold outside, which makes it perfect time of year for spice cake!)

How to Doctor a Spice Cake

You guys know me well enough by now. I can never leave a cake mix alone or follow the simple directions on the box. I have to doctor every mix, to make it taste more homemade. And this spice cake was no different. But. . .what to add? 

Spice cake is a great foundation for a variety of textures, which is why you often see folks use this mix as a base for carrot cake. With that in mind, I decided to add a variety of textures. You will need a total of two cups of add-ins. I used a half cup each of grated carrots, chopped pecans, toasted coconut ,and craisins. 

Yep, I like a lot of texture in my cake. If you’re not into all of that, you can go simple with anything you like. 

Let’s take a look at the ingredients for this cake: 

Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need to make this delicious cake. These are simple ingredients and you can change them up to please your own palate. 

• 1 box Spice Cake Mix
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup melted butter
• ⅔ cup whole milk
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon apple pie (or pumpkin pie) spice
• ½ cup toasted coconut
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• ½ cup raisins/Craisins
• ½ cup grated carrots

You can totally mix this up! Don’t like some of those ingredients? No problem. Just make sure you end up with two cups of whatever you add. Could be all nuts. Or all coconut. Or all carrots. Or all Craisins. It’s your spice cake! Make it how you like it. 

Note: I love the Duncan Hines spice cake mix but you can use any brand you like.

How to Make Doctored Spice Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Prepare a bundt pan with non-stick spray. 

Melt butter in a large mixing bowl. Make sure it’s cool. 

Add room temperature eggs and mix well. 

Add cake mix, spices, and milk. Mix well. 

Add mix-ins (nuts, craisins, coconut, carrots, etc). Mix well. 

Scoop (thick) cake batter into the prepared bundt cake pan. 

Place in preheated oven and bake for 40 - 46 minutes or until it’s golden brown and springs back to the touch. 

Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool. 

After 10 minutes flip the cake out of the pan. 

Allow to continue to cool completely. 

If you like you can sprinkle with powdered sugar (or powdered sugar with a bit of cinnamon mixed in)

Serve and enjoy! 

Store in airtight container at room temperature up to three days. You can freeze this moist spice cake to eat later if you like. 

Variations to this Recipe

There are so many fun ways to mix this up! Here are some great suggestions: 

Use orange juice in place of milk. Orange juice adds an additional flavor profile that’s amazing

Add chopped apples or other fruit in the cake in place of some of the other suggested add-ins. Next time I might try chopped apples and pecans. That sounds delicious to me! 

Applesauce: Replace half of the butter with applesauce if you like. This is especially fun if you’re using chopped apples in the cake. 

Crushed pineapple: Add in place of milk. 

Sour cream: Add sour cream in place of milk for a thicker, more luscious batter. 

Add Cream Cheese Frosting: Mix together a block of cream cheese with a cup or two of powdered sugar and a dash of cream. Yum. 

Decorate that cream cheese frosting with candied ginger. Pretty! 

No matter how you mix it up, this doctored spice cake is sure to be delicious. . .and easy! No one will believe it started with a boxed cake mix.

Questions People are Asking about Spice Cake

What spices are in spice cake?

Spice cake typically features a warm and aromatic blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. These spices work together to create a rich and comforting flavor, making spice cake a favorite for fall and winter desserts.

Can I make spice cake without eggs?

Yes, you can make spice cake without eggs by using substitutes like applesauce, mashed banana, yogurt, or a commercial egg replacer. These options work well with the cake’s natural moistness and spice profile, ensuring a delicious result.

What frosting goes best with spice cake?

Cream cheese frosting is the most popular pairing for spice cake, as its tangy sweetness complements the warm spices beautifully. Other great options include caramel frosting, a simple vanilla glaze, or whipped cream for a lighter touch.

How do I decorate spice cake for fall or Christmas?

Decorate spice cake with seasonal touches like cream cheese frosting swirled with caramel or sprinkled with cinnamon. For fall, garnish with candied pecans, apple slices, or a drizzle of maple syrup. For Christmas, add sugared cranberries, edible holly leaves, or a light dusting of powdered sugar to mimic snow. You can also make this as a layer cake, if you like.

Can I make this recipe with yellow cake mix?

Yes! Just add an extra teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and a tablespoon of brown sugar to the mix.

How Do I Store Spice Cake?

To store spice cake, keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week, especially if it has perishable frosting. For longer storage, freeze the cake (wrapped tightly) for up to 3 months and thaw before serving.

Other Spicy Favorites from Out of the Box Baking

• Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake
• Christmas Spice Cake
• Banana Spice Cake
• Apple Spice Skillet Cake

That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe. 

If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you're at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 165 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.