Let Me Tell You About Chai Cake (and Why I’m Slightly Obsessed)
Okay—so this chai cake. Picture me, a random Tuesday afternoon, telling myself I’ll just have one slice (ha, good one). I first tried making this for a neighbour’s birthday—honestly, I’d run out of vanilla extract and figured, why not toss in half my spice cupboard and see what happens? Next thing I know, everyone’s asking for the recipe and my kitchen smells like a parade of cardamom. My dog was suspicious—I was just delighted.
Your kitchen is going to smell downright dreamy, I promise. Mostly, I like this cake because it feels like wrapping yourself up in your comfiest jumper. And, a heads up: I always go a bit heavy-handed with the cinnamon. Force of habit or just impatience? I don’t know (but it works).
Why I Keep Making This Cake (Besides It’s Gone in an Hour)
I make this when I’m having One of Those Days, you know, the kind where only a spicy, warming sweet thing will do. My family goes wild for it, especially if I sneak in a little extra ginger. Weirdly enough, my brother will only eat the edge bits. He claims they’re crunchier (he’s right). And sometimes I get annoyed grating fresh nutmeg, but pre-ground is never quite as…happy. Or maybe that’s just my excuse for buying new nutmeg every year!
Honestly, if you love a mashup between tea and cake (i.e., heaven), this recipe’s for you. And I never stress if there’s no fancy chai blend on hand—I make do with whatever random black tea bags I can find at the back of the pantry.
What You’ll Need (Substitutions? Absolutely)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (some days I sub half whole wheat, don’t tell my mum)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (granulated works if you’re out, but brown gives that extra hug of flavour)
- 1/3 cup oil (vegetable, canola, even melted butter does the trick in a pinch—it’s forgiving)
- 1/2 cup strong chai tea, cooled (I’ve used earl grey once, wasn’t mad at it)
- 1/4 cup whole milk (almond milk’s fine if that’s more your speed)
- 2 eggs (I did flaxseed ‘eggs’ once for my vegan aunt—held together nicely but a bit dense)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt (my grandma used to insist on Maldon salt, but any will do)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (I don’t measure, honestly—just a big ol’ shake)
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger (more if you’re feeling bold)
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly grated = chef’s kiss, but jar stuff works if need be)
- Optional: 1 tsp vanilla extract
Let’s Bake! (Don’t Panic If You Forget a Step)
- First off, crank your oven to 350°F (that’s about 180°C). Grease a loaf tin or an 8-inch round cake pan—whatever’s least hidden in your cupboard. I usually just chop up some parchment to line the bottom. No parchment? Just give it an extra greasing.
- Steep the chai tea real strong in just-boiled water. You want it almost muddy in colour. If you’re using tea bags, dunk ‘em a few times then let it chill (learned my lesson after scrambling eggs in hot tea once—oops).
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and all your spices. This part smells unreal. Take a moment, dance around, whatever. I do.
- In another bowl (larger’s better—trust me), blend brown sugar and oil until it’s kind of sandy; don’t stress if it looks strange. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each (don’t overthink it; just get ‘em in).
- Tip in half the flour mix, then half the milk/tea, swirling gently. Repeat with the rest. If the batter looks too thick, add a splash more milk. Honestly, there’s no cake police.
- Pour into your pan. Lick the spatula? Always. Bake for 30-40 mins—mine’s done at 35, but ovens are a law unto themselves. Poke a toothpick in the centre; if it’s clean or just a crumb or two, you’re golden. Don’t fret if the top cracks, it’s meant to have some character.
- Let it cool in the pan for about 10 mins, then turn out onto a rack (or just a chopping board, if you’re like me and can’t find the rack). Try not to slice too early—it will fall apart (I know this, because… impatience).
Extra Thoughts and Notes (a.k.a. Learn from My Mistakes)
- Fresh spices: Yes, they’re great, but it still tastes fab with supermarket jars.
- If your cake’s a bit dry, a dollop of yogurt (or honestly, just a cup of tea) sorts it out.
- Subbing all the flour for whole wheat? Bit too dense for my taste, but do what you will.
- I once forgot the baking powder—don’t do that unless you love pancakes in cake form.
Variations I’ve Tried (And One Regret)
- Added a handful of chopped nuts—pecans work best, though walnuts are alright too.
- Stirred in some chocolate chips. Makes it more dessert-y, obvs.
- Icing: Sometimes I whip up a quick glaze with powdered sugar and chai tea. Once tried cream cheese frosting—bit too rich for me, but maybe I just didn’t get the balance right.
- Tried orange zest one time—wasn’t for me. Made it taste… confused, somehow? But if that’s your thing, who am I to say.
Equipment (Or, How I Avoid Buying More Gadgets)
You’ll want a mixing bowl, whisk, spatula (or just a big spoon), loaf tin or cake pan, and something to grease with. No electric mixer? Your arm’s just fine—think of it as gym. And for those times when you can’t find a cooling rack, any clean surface that’ll let it breathe a bit is grand. I once cooled mine on a plastic chopping board; survived to tell the tale.
Keeping Leftovers (If There Are Any)
Honestly? In my house, this barely lasts ‘til the next morning, but if you’re more disciplined, stash it in an airtight box. Keeps on the counter for a day or two or in the fridge if you live somewhere sweltering. I think it tastes even better the next day (something about the spices melding, but maybe that’s just me).
How I Like to Serve It (Hint: Tea Is Involved)
We’re a big tea family, so this with a mug of smoky Assam is perfection. Sometimes, we’ve drizzled a little honey over warm slices. Or honestly, just eat it with your fingers while hovering over the sink. One Christmas, we made it into mini cupcakes with spiced buttercream. Got a bit carried away, but those were fun too!
Pro Tips Learned the Hard Way
- Let the tea cool—pouring hot tea into eggs is how you make weird scrambled bits. Not ideal.
- Don’t skimp on the spices; underwhelming chai cake is sadder than you think. Actually, I find it works better if I make a spice mix in advance.
- I once tried rushing the cooling—cake collapsed. Patience pays here. Go have a biscuit while you wait.
Questions I’ve Been Asked (No Silly Ones, Promise)
- Can I make this gluten free? Yep! I’ve used a 1:1 all-purpose gluten free mix. Texture’s slightly different but still tasty.
- What if I hate cardamom? Just leave it out, or swap for extra cinnamon. Maybe add a little bit of allspice; works a treat.
- Do I have to use loose-leaf tea? Nah, tea bags are fine—life’s too short for too much faffing about.
- Can I freeze it? Totally. Wrap well, freeze for up to a month. It’s not quite the same texture once thawed, but it’ll do in a pinch.
- My cake sank in the middle! Usually oven not hot enough or too much liquid (happened to me once when the baby distracted me). Still tastes great with a bit of icing sugar on top, though.
P.S. If you’re making this for the first time, don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s just cake at the end of the day. Worst case: you get to eat your “mistake” with ice cream. That’s a win in my book.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 chai tea bags
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
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1Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.
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2Heat milk until just simmering, then steep chai tea bags in milk for 5 minutes. Remove bags and let milk cool.
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3In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
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4In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves.
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5Alternate adding dry ingredients and chai-infused milk to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
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6Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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