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Chai Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

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4.2 from 180 reviews

This Chai Cake is a wonderfully spiced, moist layer cake infused with warm chai spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. It is layered and frosted with a creamy, lightly sweetened cream cheese frosting, topped with a beautiful naked cake finish adorned with cinnamon dust and star anise for a cozy, elegant dessert perfect for tea time or special occasions.

  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

Cake

  • 180 g butter, room temperature
  • 150 g granulated sugar
  • 150 g dark brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 330 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp ground allspice
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 240 g sour cream, room temperature
  • 60 g vegetable oil (e.g., canola oil)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 200 g butter, room temperature
  • 280 g powdered sugar
  • 30 g dark brown sugar
  • 115 g full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 170ºC (340ºF) conventional setting. Line two 20 cm (8 inch) round baking pans with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  2. Sift dry ingredients: In a bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, ground cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, black pepper, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this dry spice and flour mix aside.
  3. Cream butter and sugars: Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer on medium/high speed, cream the softened butter with the granulated sugar and dark brown sugar for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs: Add the eggs one at a time into the creamed butter and sugar mixture, mixing each until fully incorporated before adding the next.
  5. Combine flour mixture with wet ingredients: Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add half of the sifted flour mixture gradually on low speed until just combined.
  6. Add sour cream and oil: Mix in the sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract on low speed until combined, taking care not to overmix the batter.
  7. Add remaining flour: Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Gently fold the batter with a rubber spatula to ensure even mixing without overworking.
  8. Divide and bake: Pour the batter equally into the prepared pans. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, checking doneness with a cake tester—it should come out clean. Note the cakes will remain pale and not heavily browned.
  9. Cool cakes: Let the baked cakes cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove them from the pans carefully and allow to cool completely.
  10. Prepare cream cheese frosting: If in Europe, remove excess moisture from cream cheese by placing it between paper towels. Sift the powdered sugar.
  11. Cream frosting base: In the stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter, powdered sugar, and dark brown sugar on high speed for 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl and mix an additional minute.
  12. Add cream cheese and vanilla: Add the vanilla bean paste and cream cheese, then mix on low speed for 1 minute until smooth.
  13. Remove air bubbles: Take the bowl off the mixer and beat the frosting by hand with a spatula or wooden spoon to remove air bubbles and ensure smoothness.
  14. Level cake layers: Trim the tops of the cooled cakes with a knife to create flat, even layers ready for stacking.
  15. Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake turntable. Spread 3 large scoops of frosting evenly over it using an offset spatula.
  16. Add second layer and crumb coat: Place the second cake layer on top and cover the entire cake in a thin layer of frosting. Scrape the sides gently to reveal a naked cake look.
  17. Decorate: Dust the cake with cinnamon powder and decorate with star anise and cinnamon sticks for an elegant, aromatic finish.
  18. Storage: Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Allow it to come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.

Notes

  • Ensure all dairy ingredients are at room temperature for smooth mixing and better texture.
  • Do not overmix the cake batter once the flour is added to keep the cake tender.
  • If cream cheese is watery, especially in humid climates, removing excess moisture helps prevent frosting from becoming runny.
  • The cake layers remain light in color; don’t rely on browning to test doneness.
  • A cake turntable makes decorating easier but is not essential.
  • The ‘naked’ cake frosting style allows some cake to show through the frosting for a rustic look.
  • Bring the refrigerated cake to room temperature before serving to enhance flavor and soften frosting.
  • Author: Olivia
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: International

Find it online: https://yourdailycook.com/chai-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/