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4.54 from 15 ratings

Chai Cake

Yield: 16 slices
Prep: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook: 38 minutes
Total: 2 hours 8 minutes
This extra moist spiced chai cake is soaked with sweet chai milk and frosted with delectable brown butter cream cheese frosting. It's so incredibly soft, packed full of warm autumn flavor, with the most irresistible texture from the chai soak, almost like a tres leches, but not quite as wet. The most perfect fall cake to exist!
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Ingredients

For the Chai Cake

  • 2 1/4 cups (282 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 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 (140 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 1/4 cups (280 g) unsalted butter
  • 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
  • 2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar

For the Chai Milk Soak

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
  • 2 chai teabags
  • 1/2 cup (150 g) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
 

For the Chai Cake

  • Preheat the oven to  350°F. Grease a 9×9 inch light metal baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.
    2 1/4 cups (282 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 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
  • Add the softened butter, granulated white sugar and brown sugar to a large bowl. Cream together for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on high speed.
    10 tbsp (140 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar, 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar, packed
  • Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until pale in color and smooth, about 1 minute.
    3 eggs, at room temperature, 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • Add in the buttermilk and dry ingredients a little bit at a time, mixing on low speed until all is combined and the batter is smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
    1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 35-38 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then pull up on the parchment paper to release it from the pan. Let the cake continue cooling on the cooling rack until completely cooled.

For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

  • While the cake bakes, start on the frosting. Add the butter to a large pot and heat it over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and come to a simmer. Simmer until the butter is foamy, giving off a nutty aroma and has turned a deep golden brown. The whole process should take about 10-12 minutes.
    Transfer it to a large bowl and allow it to cool in the fridge until solid but still soft. 
    1 1/4 cups (280 g) unsalted butter
  • Once chilled, whip the brown butter on high speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, 5-10 minutes.
  • Then add in the cold cream cheese and mix on medium speed until fluffy.
    8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
  • Sift in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined, then on high speed for 1 minute until fluffy again
    2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar

For the Chai Milk Soak

  • While the cake cools, work on the chai milk soak. Add the milk to a small sauce pan and heat over low heat until steaming, then add in the teabags. Allow them to steep for 20 minutes, then remove from the heat, remove the teabags and let cool.
    2 chai teabags, 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
  • Once cooled, transfer the chai milk to a liquid measuring cup or something you can easily pour from. Mix in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Set aside until ready to use.
    1/2 cup (150 g) sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract

Assembling the Cake

  • When the cake is completely cooled, cut a very thin layer off the top of the cake off using a sharp knife. This will make it easier for the chai milk to absorb into the cake. Transfer it to a serving plate. Poke holes on the top of the cake using a wooden stick or the handle of a wooden spoon.
    (I used the handle of a honey dipper for smaller holes.)
  • Slowly pour the chai milk mixture on top of the cake. It is thin so it should absorb into the cake and the poked holes easily, but do be patient as it does.
  • Frost the top of the cake with a thick layer of brown butter cream cheese frosting using an offset spatula. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of the frosting, then cut into 16 slices and serve!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: autumn, autumn recipes, brown butter, brown butter chocolate chip cookies, cake, chai, chai cake, cream cheese frosting, fall recipes, pumpkin poke cake
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