Description
This aromatic Chai Cake blends warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves into a moist, flavorful cake layered with a luscious cream cheese frosting. Perfect for tea time or a cozy dessert, the cake offers a delightful balance of spice and sweetness with a creamy finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp + 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cloves
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
- 1/2 cup neutral oil
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 12 oz cream cheese, cold
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves until well combined to evenly distribute the spices and leavening agents.
- Add Butter: Incorporate the cubed unsalted butter into the dry mixture. Mix until the texture resembles wet sand, which helps create a tender crumb in the finished cake.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Stir in the neutral oil, whole milk, eggs, and vanilla extract until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake light and fluffy.
- Divide & Bake: Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is fully baked.
- Cool Cakes: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Make Frosting: Using a mixer, beat the unsalted butter and cold cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar and continue beating until fully incorporated and fluffy.
- Assemble Cake: Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over one cake layer, top with the second layer, and frost the top and sides as desired. Decorate to your liking.
Notes
- Ensure all ingredients, especially butter, milk, and eggs, are at room temperature for better mixing and texture.
- Use parchment paper to easily remove the cake layers from the pans without breaking.
- Spices can be adjusted to taste; feel free to increase or decrease according to preference.
- For a more intense chai flavor, consider soaking the cake layers with brewed chai tea before frosting.
- The cake can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- Bring refrigerated cake to room temperature before serving for optimal frosting texture.
