Spiced Chai Latte Cake (Printable)
Moist, aromatic chai-spiced cake layered with smooth cream cheese frosting and warm spices.
# What You Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1 teaspoon ground ginger
07 - ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
09 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1 cup granulated sugar
11 - ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
12 - ¾ cup vegetable oil
13 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 - 1 cup whole milk
16 - 2 chai tea bags
→ Cream Cheese Frosting
17 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
18 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
19 - 2 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
20 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
21 - Pinch of salt
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Heat milk until just simmering, steep chai tea bags for 10 minutes, then remove bags squeezing out excess liquid. Cool milk to room temperature.
03 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
04 - Beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add dry ingredients and chai-infused milk to wet mixture, beginning and ending with dry. Stir until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly between pans and bake 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
08 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, beating until fluffy.
09 - Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread half the frosting evenly on top. Place second layer and cover with remaining frosting.
10 - Optionally garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon or chai-spiced tea leaves before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cake stays incredibly moist while the chai spices keep things interesting—no one will guess what makes it taste so familiar yet different.
- Cream cheese frosting is naturally forgiving and adds a cool tang that balances the warm spice beautifully.
- It's special enough for gatherings but easy enough to throw together on a random Tuesday when you need comfort.
02 -
- Room temperature eggs and softened butter and cream cheese are non-negotiable—cold ingredients won't combine properly and you'll end up with a grainy mess.
- Chai tea bags vary wildly between brands, so taste the milk after steeping and adjust the spices if it tastes weak; some bags are stronger than others.
- Don't even think about frosting warm cake—it will melt and slide around like you're trying to frost a melting ice cream.
03 -
- Use freshly ground spices if you can—they're so much brighter than the ones that have been sitting in your cabinet for a year.
- An offset spatula makes frosting look intentional and beautiful, but honestly a regular knife works just fine if you're patient and don't press too hard.