Spiced Chai Latte Cake (Printable version)
A moist, aromatic cake infused with chai spices and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting.
# List of ingredients:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1 teaspoon ground ginger
07 - ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
09 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
11 - ½ cup light brown sugar (110 g)
12 - ¾ cup vegetable oil (180 ml)
13 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 - 1 cup whole milk (240 ml)
16 - 2 chai tea bags
→ Cream Cheese Frosting
17 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (225 g)
18 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (115 g)
19 - 2 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted (300 g)
20 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
21 - Pinch of salt
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Heat the milk until just simmering, then steep the chai tea bags in the milk for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the bags, squeezing out excess liquid. Allow the infused milk to cool.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg until evenly mixed.
04 - In a separate bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition, then stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add the dry ingredients and chai-infused milk to the wet mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
06 - Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, beating until light and fluffy.
09 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread half of the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Position the second layer on top and cover with the remaining frosting.
10 - Optionally, sprinkle cinnamon or chai-spiced tea leaves atop the frosted cake for decoration.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The spices taste like a hug, but the cream cheese frosting keeps it elegant and not too heavy.
- Two layers of actual cake means you get those crispy edges everyone fights over, plus the tender center.
- It's impressive enough for guests but honest enough to eat straight from the fridge at midnight.
02 -
- The chai-infused milk is non-negotiable—it's what separates this from just a spiced cake; if you skip steeping and just use plain milk with spices in the batter, the flavor will be flat.
- Measuring by weight instead of volume (if you have a scale) prevents the common mistake of packing flour into cups, which can throw off your dry-to-wet ratio and make the cake dense.
- Cream cheese frosting will soften quickly in a warm kitchen, so keep it cool and don't frost the cake until you're ready to serve.
03 -
- Bring all your ingredients to room temperature before you start—cold eggs and cold butter don't integrate smoothly, and you'll end up with a grainier crumb.
- If your cream cheese frosting is too soft, chill it for 15 minutes, then beat it again; it should hold peaks but still be spreadable.
- The chai tea bags you use matter—loose leaf steeped in a infuser or strainer gives you cleaner tea flavor than typical bagged tea, if you want to take it further.