Sweet Baking Spice Blend
In short: A warm, sweet spice mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves for cakes, cookies, pies, porridge and spiced drinks. It takes about 5 min in total and makes 16 servings.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 5 min
- Servings
- 16
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 5 kcal
Mixing sweet spices once saves you from measuring five of them every time you bake. This blend is heavy on cinnamon, with ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and a little cardamom, and it stands in for pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice and the mixed spice called for in many cakes and cookies. It also warms oatmeal, roasted squash, granola, pancake batter and hot milk. Keep it airtight and use about 1 teaspoon wherever a recipe asks for mixed spice.
Instructions
- Measure the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and cardamom into a small bowl.
- Whisk well with a fork for 30 seconds, pressing out any small lumps against the side of the bowl.
- Smell the blend and adjust. Add more cinnamon for sweetness or ginger for heat, and go carefully with cloves, because they can overpower the rest.
- Funnel the blend into a small, dry jar and close the lid tightly. Label it with the date.
- Use 1 teaspoon in a cake or batch of cookies, 1 to 2 teaspoons in a pie filling, or a pinch in a mug of hot milk or coffee.
Tips
- Freshly grated nutmeg tastes stronger than pre-ground. Grate a whole nutmeg on a fine grater and use the same amount.
- For a spicier blend, add 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper or a pinch of cayenne. For a more floral one, double the cardamom.
Questions and answers
How long does homemade baking spice keep?
In a sealed jar away from light and heat it keeps its best flavor for 6 months and is usable for up to a year. The aroma fades slowly.
Can I use this blend in place of pumpkin pie spice?
Yes. Use the same amount wherever a recipe asks for pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice or mixed spice.
What can I use sweet baking spice for besides baking?
Stir it into oatmeal or yogurt, dust it over roasted squash or sweet potatoes, add it to hot chocolate and coffee, or sprinkle it on buttered toast with sugar.
How long does it take to make Sweet Baking Spice Blend?
About 5 min in total: 5 min of preparation and 0 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Sweet Baking Spice Blend?
About 5 kcal per serving, with 0 g of protein, 1 g of carbohydrates and 0 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 5 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 1 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 0 g |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
