Description
There’s something magical about chai spices—warm, comforting, and oh-so-inviting! This extra-moist chai cake is soaked in a sweet chai milk blend and topped with luscious brown butter cream cheese frosting. Every bite melts in your mouth, delivering a cozy, spiced hug. Think of it as a dreamy cross between a tres leches cake and a classic chai latte!
Ingredients
🧁 For the Chai Cake:
- 🌾 2 1/4 cups (282g) all-purpose flour
- 🍂 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 🌿 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 🍁 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 🌰 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- ☕ 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 🍂 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 🎂 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 🥄 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 🧂 1/2 tsp salt
- 🧈 10 tbsp (140g) unsalted butter, softened
- 🍚 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 🍯 1/2 cup (110g) packed brown sugar
- 🥚 3 eggs, room temperature
- 🍦 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 🥛 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature
🍯 For the Chai Milk Soak:
- 🥛 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
- ☕ 2 chai tea bags
- 🍬 1/2 cup (150g) sweetened condensed milk
- 🍦 1 tsp vanilla extract
🍰 For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 🧈 1 1/4 cups (280g) unsalted butter
- 🧀 8 oz (226g) cold cream cheese
- 🍚 2 cups (260g) powdered sugar
Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×9-inch baking pan.
2️⃣ In a bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3️⃣ In another bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy (about 2 minutes).
4️⃣ Add eggs and vanilla extract, beating until smooth.
5️⃣ Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing on low speed until smooth.
6️⃣ Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-38 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean).
7️⃣ Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
1️⃣ Heat milk in a saucepan until steaming, then add chai tea bags. Let steep for 20 minutes.
2️⃣ Remove tea bags, then mix in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
1️⃣ Melt butter in a pan over medium heat, simmering until golden brown and nutty (about 10-12 minutes).
2️⃣ Chill butter in the fridge until solid but soft.
3️⃣ Beat the brown butter until fluffy (5-10 minutes).
4️⃣ Add cold cream cheese, mixing until smooth.
5️⃣ Sift in powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.
1️⃣ Trim a thin layer off the cake’s top to help absorb the soak.
2️⃣ Poke small holes in the cake and slowly pour the chai milk soak over it. Let it absorb.
3️⃣ Spread a thick layer of frosting on top.
4️⃣ Sprinkle cinnamon over the frosting, slice into 16 pieces, and enjoy!
Notes
🍂 Warm, spiced, and irresistibly moist—this chai cake is a must-bake for fall! Try it and let us know what you think! 🍰✨
Let me know if you’d like any tweaks! 😊