Description
An extra-moist spiced chai cake soaked with sweet chai milk and topped with rich brown butter cream cheese frosting. This soft fall dessert combines cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves in every tender slice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cold
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 chai tea bags
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-9-inch light metal baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Add the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed for 2 minutes until light and creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed for about 1 minute until pale and smooth.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing on low speed just until the batter becomes smooth. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake for 35 to 38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Lift it from the pan with the parchment paper and cool completely.
- While the cake bakes, melt the butter for the frosting in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Simmer the butter for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until it becomes foamy, smells nutty, and turns deep golden brown.
- Transfer the brown butter to a heat-safe bowl and refrigerate until solid but still soft.
- Whip the chilled brown butter with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 to 10 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add the cold cream cheese and mix on medium speed until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the sifted powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined, then beat on high speed for 1 minute.
- Warm the whole milk in a small saucepan over low heat until steaming.
- Remove the pan from the heat, add the chai tea bags, and steep for 20 minutes.
- Discard the tea bags and let the chai milk cool completely.
- Stir the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract into the cooled chai milk.
- Trim a very thin layer from the top of the cooled cake with a sharp knife.
- Transfer the cake to a serving plate and poke holes across the surface with a wooden skewer or spoon handle.
- Slowly pour the chai milk mixture over the cake, pausing as needed so the liquid absorbs evenly.
- Let the soaked cake rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Spread the brown butter cream cheese frosting over the top with an offset spatula.
- Dust with ground cinnamon if desired, cut into 16 slices, and serve.
Notes
- Use room-temperature eggs and buttermilk to create a smooth batter and tender crumb.
- Measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling the top.
- Do not overmix the batter after adding the flour.
- Watch the butter closely while browning because the milk solids can burn quickly.
- Cool the cake completely before adding the chai soak and frosting.
- Pour the chai milk slowly so it absorbs evenly instead of pooling on top.
- Keep the cream cheese cold so the frosting stays thick.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Let refrigerated slices stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.
- Nutrition values are estimated per slice.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 38 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 548
- Sugar: 44
- Sodium: 246
- Fat: 33
- Saturated Fat: 20
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 59
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 121