I don’t often make cake on a whim, but when I spotted this recipe in the New York Times Sunday magazine, I was thrilled to realize I had all the ingredients on hand and could veganize it in a pinch. Because sometimes, you need to bake a cake for no reason at all.

Ingredients:

• 2 and 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup Earth Balance butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 Ener-G eggs
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1 jar non-dairy vanilla frosting
• Sprinkles for garnish (optional)

1. Combine the flour, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in bowl; set aside.
2. Beat the Earth Balance butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until creamy. Add the Ener-G eggs and beat until blended.
3. Pour the molasses into a liquid measuring cup and add the baking soda. Meanwhile, bring the apple cider just to a boil over medium heat. Add the cider to the molasses mixture and whisk together (the mixture will be foamy).
4. Alternate adding the flour mixture and molasses mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
5. Coat two (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Divide the batter evenly among the pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes in the pans, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
6. Once cool, spread the frosting evenly over the layers and place one atop the other. Add sprinkles for garnish, if desired!