Spice Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter and lightly dust it with flour, tapping out any excess.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt until evenly combined.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared cake pan using a spatula. Sprinkle the top evenly with the packed brown sugar.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.