Brown Sugar Chai Cake
Introduction
The Brown Sugar Chai Cake is the answer for anyone craving a dessert that’s packed with aromatic spices and comforting warmth. Its rich brown sugar base pairs perfectly with the vibrant, spicy notes of chai, creating a cake that’s both cozy and irresistibly flavorful. This recipe is fantastic for afternoon coffee breaks, festive gatherings, or any moment that calls for a little extra indulgence—with minimal fuss.
Why You’ll Love Brown Sugar Chai Cake
What sets this cake apart is the dynamic blend of spices—cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves—that infuse the tender crumb with chai tea’s signature aroma. The deep caramelized sweetness of brown sugar amplifies those flavors, making every bite a treat. It’s a one-pan wonder that comes together with pantry staples but tastes like a specialty bakery creation.
Crafting the Chai Spice Mix
The secret to this cake’s warming character is a homemade chai spice mix. To make it, simply combine ground cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, and cloves. Brew a strong cup of chai tea using two tea bags steeped in hot milk, then cool the mixture to room temperature. This not only enhances the cake’s flavor but creates a moist, aromatic crumb.
Baking the Brown Sugar Chai Cake
Once you have your chai spice and tea-infused milk ready, the batter comes together quickly. Cream the brown sugar and butter, beat in eggs and vanilla, then alternate the dry ingredients and chai milk. Pour into a greased baking pan and bake until golden, letting the kitchen fill with the enticing fragrance of spice and caramel.
Serving Suggestions for a Show-Stopping Cake
Serve slices of Brown Sugar Chai Cake lightly dusted with powdered sugar, or take it up a notch with a drizzle of cinnamon glaze. It pairs beautifully with a cup of chai or coffee. For extra flair, garnish with toasted nuts or a dollop of spiced whipped cream for a dessert your guests will remember.
Nutritional Information and Serving Size
This recipe yields about 12 generous slices. Each serving contains approximately 250–300 calories, depending on optional glazes or toppings, making it a delicious treat for sharing or indulging throughout the week.
Brown Sugar Chai Cake (Recap)
The Brown Sugar Chai Cake balances deep, caramel-like sweetness with vibrant chai spice, resulting in a cake that’s comforting, elegant, and utterly crave-worthy.
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
- Heat the milk until steaming (not boiling) and steep chai tea bags for 8 minutes. Remove bags and let milk cool to room temperature.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and allspice.
- Cream the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Alternately add dry ingredients and chai-infused milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 26–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Before serving, dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with cinnamon glaze if desired.
Weekly Meal Planning
Brown Sugar Chai Cake is a superb addition to your weekly meal plan—great for a sweet treat after dinner or as a highlight for brunch. Save and schedule this recipe to effortlessly plot out when you’ll bake it, and generate smart shopping lists that merge all your weekly recipes for streamlined prep.
Planning Benefits:
- Automatically tallies total ingredient quantities across your planned recipes
- Sorts ingredients by grocery store sections for a faster shopping experience
- Helps prevent forgotten ingredients and duplicate purchases
- Brings more organization (and less stress) to your weekly cooking routine
Pro tip: When planning several recipes, schedule your bakes and meals—CookifyAI will spot overlapping ingredients (such as eggs or butter) and total them up for you, saving time and cutting waste.
Cook and Prep Times
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes (includes cooling time)
