Molasses-Spice Cake with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 1.5 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 tablespoon flour all-purpose
• 1.8 cups flour all-purpose
• 0.3 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 0.3 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 0.8 cup milk 1% low-fat
• 0.3 cup blackstrap molasses 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 0.3 cup vegetable shortening 

Equipment

• frying pan
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• wire rack
• blender
• wax paper
• measuring cup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 35
2. Coat bottoms of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray (do not coat sides of pan); line bottoms with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour.
3. Beat sugar, shortening, and vanilla extract at medium speed of a mixer for 5 minutes.
4. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon 1 3/4 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
5. Combine 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, allspice, and cloves, stirring well with a whisk.
6. Combine milk and molasses.
7. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
8. Pour batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles.
9. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans.
10. Remove wax paper. Cool completely on wire rack.
11. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting, and top with remaining cake layer.
12. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill 1 hour. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.