Description
This Chai Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting is a fragrant and moist dessert that combines warm chai spices with a rich, creamy frosting. The cake is infused with a chai soak made from steeped tea and sweetened condensed milk, while the frosting delivers a nutty depth from browned butter blended with tangy cream cheese. Perfect for cozy afternoons or special gatherings, this recipe yields a tender spiced cake complemented by a luscious, velvety topping.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
Chai Soak
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 chai teabags
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1¼ cups unsalted butter
- 8 oz cream cheese, cold
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prep the Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the cake after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. This will ensure that the chai spices are well distributed throughout the cake.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a separate bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with the granulated and brown sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the batter, contributing to a tender crumb.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed butter and sugar, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract to infuse flavor.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined to avoid overworking the batter, which can make the cake tough.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch cake pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare the Chai Soak: While the cake is baking, warm the whole milk in a small saucepan and steep the two chai teabags in the milk for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors. Remove the teabags, then stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Set this chai soak aside to cool slightly.
- Make Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting: In a saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat and cook until it turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. In a mixing bowl, beat the cooled brown butter with the cold cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and continue beating until the frosting is fluffy and creamy.
- Assemble the Cake: Using a fork or skewer, poke holes evenly across the cooled cake. Slowly drizzle the chai soak over the cake, allowing it to soak in. Spread the brown butter cream cheese frosting generously over the top and sides of the cake to finish.
Notes
- Allow the cake to cool completely before applying the chai soak and frosting to prevent melting.
- Softened butter should be at room temperature for easier creaming.
- The chai soak enhances moisture and infuses extra spice flavor; do not skip it.
- Brown butter has a nutty flavor—watch carefully to avoid burning.
- For extra chai flavor, you can steep additional chai tea or add ground chai spices to the frosting.
- The cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
