Brown Butter Chai Latte Cake

Oct 2

What Makes This Cake Irresistible?

This chai cake recipe brings all the cozy, warming spices you love from a cup of chai into a fluffy, delicious cake. With a chai-infused milk soak and rich brown butter cream cheese frosting, this cake is perfect for chilly days or any time you're craving something comforting and spiced.

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Ingredients

For the 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 sugar
1/2 cup (110 g) packed brown sugar
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) cold cream cheese
2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar
For the Chai Milk Soak
1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
2 chai tea bags
1/2 cup (150 g) sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Chai Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C)°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. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together for 2 minutes using an electric mixer on high speed.
Add in the eggs and vanilla, mixing on medium speed until the mixture becomes pale and smooth, about 1 minute.
Gradually alternate adding the buttermilk and dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until the batter is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 3538 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then carefully lift it out using the parchment paper and cool completely on the rack.
For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
While the cake bakes, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns a deep golden brown and has a nutty aroma (about 1012 minutes).
Transfer the browned butter to a large bowl and refrigerate until it solidifies but is still soft.
Once chilled, whip the browned butter with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5-10 minutes.
Add the cold cream cheese and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
Sift in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until fully combined, then beat on high for 1 minute until the frosting is light and fluffy.
For the Chai Milk Soak:
While the cake cools, heat the whole milk in a small saucepan over low heat until steaming. Add the chai tea bags and steep for 20 minutes.
Remove the tea bags, let the milk cool, then mix in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
Assembling the Cake: Once the cake has cooled completely, use a sharp knife to trim a thin layer off the top, creating a flat surface for the soak to absorb.
Place the cake on a serving plate and poke holes across the surface using a wooden skewer or the handle of a wooden spoon.
Slowly pour the chai milk soak over the cake, allowing it to absorb through the holes.
Spread a generous layer of the brown butter cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake using an offset spatula.
Sprinkle cinnamon on top of the frosting, cut into 16 slices, and serve!