Gingersnap Spice Cake

Amazing! Thank you Chef in Training

1 cup butter, softened
1¼ cups brown sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup milk
2½ cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoons salt
2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
9 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon salt

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cream butter and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl for 3 minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.
• Add vanilla and milk and beat until smooth.
• Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt and beat until smooth.
• Grease and flour two 8 inch round cake pans.
• Pour batter evenly between the two pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Turn pans over to carefully put the cakes onto cooling racks. Let cool completely.
• While cakes are cooling, make cream cheese frosting.
• In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. 
• Beat until smooth and creamy.
• When cakes are cooled completely, carefully cut each cake in half height wise two make four circle layers.
• Put a dollop of frosting onto cake stand. 
• Carefully put the bottom half of one of the cakes on top of the dollop to help secure it in place. 
• Place a generous amount of frosting in the center of that layer and frost carefully to outside edges. Place its top layer on top. 
• Repeat frosting directions until all four layers are completed. 
• Carefully frost the outside of cake.
• Place crushed gingersnap cookies on the outside frosted edges.