Mixed Spice vs Allspice: Differences, Substitutes & Baking Uses
You have the fruit soaking, the cake tin lined and the recipe open. Then comes the ingredient that makes you pause: mixed spice. There is allspice in the cupboard. Surely that is close enough?
This guide helps you choose the right one for your next fruit cake, batch of biscuits or savoury dinner, with practical substitutes and a small homemade mixed spice blend.
Mixed spice vs allspice: the quick comparison
| Question | Mixed spice | Allspice |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | A mixture of ground spices; the recipe varies. | A single dried berry, sold whole or ground. |
| What does it taste like? | Depends on the blend: often cinnamon warmth with ginger, nutmeg, clove or coriander. | Clove-like depth with notes reminiscent of cinnamon and nutmeg. |
| Where would you use it? | Fruit cakes, hot cross buns, biscuits and puddings; some blends also suit savoury food. | Jerk-style seasoning, pickling, stews and spiced baking. |
| Which format for cake batter? | A finely ground baking blend. | Ground allspice, when the recipe specifies it. |
| Can they replace each other? | Sometimes as a flavour variation, not an exact replacement. | It cannot supply all the separate flavours in mixed spice. |
The simplest shopping rule: if your recipe says allspice, buy allspice. If it says mixed spice, check that the blend suits the dish rather than relying on the name alone.
What is mixed spice made of?
There is no single recipe used by every brand. A baking blend may include cinnamon or cassia, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and coriander, with allspice, mace or other spices in some versions. Two products called mixed spice can therefore smell and taste noticeably different.
That matters when recreating a family recipe. If your usual blend is cinnamon-led, a more coriander-heavy version may not give quite the same result, even when you measure the same amount. Look at the ingredient list before buying a replacement.
In NZ baking, mixed spice is familiar in Christmas cakes and fruit loaves. Both Edmonds’ Rich Christmas Cake and Chelsea’s Favourite Christmas Cake include it. Follow your chosen recipe’s quantity; cake size and the other flavourings make a difference.
What is in SpiceBloom’s mixed spice?
Our Organic Turkish Mixed Spice is a Turkish-inspired blend. Its current product page lists cassia cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger, coriander, mace and cardamom, with both baking and savoury uses.
It should not be assumed to taste identical to every supermarket baking blend. The cardamom and mace give you extra aromatic elements to consider. For a bake where you want control over the individual spices, make the simple blend below instead. If you want one ready-made blend for experimenting across sweet and savoury dishes, read the product details and choose it for those uses.
What is allspice, and why is it called that?
Despite its name, allspice is not “all the spices” mixed together. Its aroma naturally recalls several warming spices. The American Spice Trade Association describes the familiar comparison with cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg and identifies the dried unripe berries as its source.
Ground allspice distributes easily through dough, batter and rubs. Whole pimento berries suit infusions and pickling liquids, or you can grind them before measuring for a recipe. Remove whole berries before serving dishes where they have been left to infuse.
A whole berry is not a teaspoon equivalent. If the recipe asks for ground allspice, grind first, then measure. Dropping whole berries into cake batter will not give the same even flavour.
What can you use instead of mixed spice?
The most useful substitute depends on what you are making and what is already in your cupboard. Aim for a similar flavour balance, rather than trying to make one strong spice do every job.
If you have cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg
For 1 teaspoon of mixed spice in a sweet bake, a practical starting point is ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg. This is a simple flavour approximation, not a duplicate of a particular brand. If the recipe already contains plenty of ginger or nutmeg separately, use the fuller blend below or choose a replacement that does not double down on that flavour.
If you have only cinnamon
For a small amount of mixed spice in an everyday muffin, crumble or fruit loaf, cinnamon can give you a simpler variation. Expect a cinnamon-flavoured result. For a special-occasion cake where mixed spice is central to the flavour, it is worth getting the right ingredients.
If you have pumpkin pie spice
Check the ingredients. A warming, unsalted baking blend can be a useful substitute in a sweet recipe, but the ginger and other spice levels vary between brands. Do not assume every pumpkin spice mix has the same formula.
If you have only allspice
Do not automatically replace a generous quantity of mixed spice with the same amount of allspice. You will lose the blend’s balance and put one flavour in charge. For a simmered fruit dish you can add a little and taste as it cooks. For cake batter, where you cannot reliably adjust the baked result, a measured blend is the better option.
Need a different emergency swap? See our spice substitutes guide.
A small homemade mixed spice blend
This cinnamon-led version keeps the ingredient list short. It is the same small-batch formula in our baking with spices guide, so you can move between the two guides without changing the blend.
Five-spice baking blend
Makes: 6½ teaspoons. Use level measuring spoons; 1 tablespoon here means 15 ml, or 3 teaspoons.
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- Measure the spices into a clean, dry bowl.
- Stir thoroughly, breaking up any small clumps.
- Transfer to a small airtight jar and label it “Mixed spice” with the date.
- Use the amount of mixed spice your recipe requests, not the whole jar.
This is a suggested home blend, not the formula for SpiceBloom’s Turkish-inspired product. It contains no coriander, mace or cardamom. Making a small quantity lets you decide whether you prefer a little more ginger or less clove in the next batch without committing to a large jar.
You can use Ceylon cinnamon or cassia cinnamon, but expect a different cinnamon character. Keep a note of which one you used if you want to repeat the result.
Five ways to put mixed spice to work
- Fruit cake: follow the recipe’s mixed spice amount, especially when it also includes separate cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Apple or pear crumble: add a little to the fruit filling for a warmer flavour. Keep the topping simple if you want the fruit to stand out.
- Banana muffins: use a small amount alongside banana and walnuts for a change from a cinnamon-only bake.
- Stewed fruit: stir in a pinch, simmer and taste before adding more. This is a useful way to get to know a new blend.
- Porridge: sprinkle a little over oats with apple or raisins. Start with a pinch per bowl rather than a baking-sized spoonful.
Think of those as flavour ideas, not one universal dose. A bowl of porridge and a large Christmas cake need very different amounts.
Avoid these three spice mistakes
Buying by name without reading ingredients. Mixed spice, mixed herbs, Chinese five spice and garam masala are different products. Similar-looking brown powders are not interchangeable.
Adding more before checking what is already in the recipe. A recipe may intentionally use mixed spice plus cinnamon or ginger. Keep those separate quantities when following it; do not replace every spice with the blend and expect the same result.
Storing spices beside heat and steam. Close the lid, keep the container in a cool, dry cupboard, and measure with a dry spoon. Tip spice into a spoon away from a steaming saucepan. Check the package’s best-before and storage instructions, and replace spices that no longer give the aroma you want.
Which should you buy in NZ?
Choose for the food you want to make:
- A recipe specifically calls for allspice: choose ground allspice for baking and rubs.
- You want berries for infusing or grinding: choose whole allspice.
- You want a ready-made aromatic blend: explore SpiceBloom’s Organic Turkish Mixed Spice and check its ingredients against your intended use.
- You want to control your baking blend: use the five-spice formula above and choose the individual spices you need.
Frequently asked questions
Does mixed spice always contain allspice?
No. Recipes differ. Some include allspice and some do not; check the label rather than assuming it is there.
Is pimento the same as allspice?
When a spice product is labelled pimento berries or ground pimento, it refers to allspice. The word pimento can also refer to a type of pepper in other food contexts, so look at the full product name.
Can I use mixed spice in a savoury dish?
Yes, depending on the blend and dish. Warming spices can work in stews and marinades, but a cinnamon-heavy baking blend will change the flavour of a savoury recipe. Use a recipe designed for the blend, or try a small amount first.
Can I replace allspice with mixed spice in jerk seasoning?
It will produce a different seasoning. Allspice is a characteristic flavour in jerk-style cooking; a mixed blend introduces other spices in proportions the recipe did not request. Use actual allspice when that flavour is the point.
Make everyday food better
A better bake starts with knowing what is in the spoon. Check the recipe, choose the right spice and measure it carefully.
Sources and editorial notes: Ingredient identities and general uses were checked against the American Spice Trade Association’s spice guide and McKenzie’s mixed spice explanation. The NZ recipe examples above link to their original publishers. Product details were checked on 18 October 2026. Substitutions and flavour ideas are kitchen suggestions; they are not claims of a tested bake. The header image is an AI-generated food illustration.